$349,025Average Value$270Average Price per Sq Ft13Homes For Sale
Vacationing in rustic North Michigan
Near Kalkaska, Michigan, is the small community of Manistee Lake. This year-round resort area is known for its proximity to public nature preserves and is beloved for its impressive snowfall, which locals take advantage of through winter sports, including snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Covering 5 miles, with the lake spanning 1.5 miles, Manistee Lake is a relatively new community that was organized after the 2010 state census. While most residents don’t stay year-round, there’s plenty of rustic Michigan beauty to enjoy throughout all four seasons.
Manistee Lake is a small resort community in Kalkaska, known for its natural beauty.
There is no shortage of outdoor fun to enjoy in the Manistee Lake neighborhood.
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Cabins in the woods
Forested roads circle the lake, and houses are set back in the woods, surrounded by wildlife. Most houses are ranch-style or A-frame cabins with cozy light wood interiors and either attached garages or stand-alone barns to store snowmobiles. Houses are generally priced between $300,000 and $700,000, although new construction cabins with large lots are priced up to $850,000. While most properties are single-family houses, there’s an outlier on the west shore: a 153-acre summer campsite dotted with cabins and hiking trails, listed for $4 million. “A lot of people live here year-round, but others rent cabins or campsites for vacations,” says Denise Kelly, the store manager at Waters Edge Gas & Party Store. “It’s quiet throughout the year, with periods of excitement.”
Manistee Lake has a number of A-frame cabins by the lake.
Ranch-style homes are popular in the Manistee Lake neighborhood.
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Kalkaska Public Schools
The Manistee Lake neighborhood is zoned in the Kalkaska Public School District, which Niche graded C plus. KPS has under 1,500 students from preschool through high school and serves free breakfast and lunch to all students daily. Students may attend Birch Street Elementary, graded C plus; Kalkaska Middle, graded C; and Kalkaska High School, graded B minus.
Kalkaska Middle School has a Niche grade of C.
Kalkaska High School has a Niche grade of B-.
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Sands Park on the lakeshore
The neighborhood’s namesake, Manistee Lake, is also its best-known feature. Sands Park, located on the lake’s western shore, has a grassy picnic area, a sandy beach and a boat launch, all available for public use. Locals can fish from the shoreline or head into the water to hunt for walleye, bass, pike and bluegill. “There’s fishing in the summer and ice-fishing in the winter, so there’s plenty to do,” says Kelly. “In July, there’s a huge Independence Day boat parade that brings the whole lake together.”
For the last 75 years, nearby Kalkaska has hosted the National Trout Festival in April. Locals and visitors compete to beat fishing records and bring home fresh-caught dinners. In the winter, Michigan’s classic ice fishing is a popular pastime. Manistee Lake and its surrounding areas average over 125 inches of snow each winter, so locals have plenty of opportunities to ride over 80 miles of well-maintained snowmobile trails.
Enjoy a day of boating on Manistee Lake at Sands Park in Kalkaska, Michigan.
Kids love playing on the beach at Sands Park in Kalkaska, Michigan.
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Manistee Lake Pizzeria and Bakery
Like many rural neighborhoods, Manistee Lake doesn’t have a centralized downtown. However, locals don’t go hungry with Manistee Lake Pizzeria and Bakery just down the road. Located off Fort Road on the northeastern side of the lake, this restaurant serves a little bit of everything, from pizza to clam chowder to fresh donuts, and locals take advantage of its outdoor seating area during nice weather. On the southern end of the lake, Waters Edge Gas & Party Store supplies quick meals, to-go snacks and drinks and essentials for grilling, snowmobiling and camping.
Locals with a sweet tooth can head a few miles north to Southwell Sugar Shack. The Southwell family has been making maple syrup at their homestead for four generations and opened the Sugar Shack in 2015. This family-owned store sells “all things maple,” including syrup tapped from local trees, pancake mix and maple sugar. For more restaurants, shops and grocery stores, head west 10 miles to downtown Kalkaska. The closest grocery store is Northland Food and Family Center, but there’s also an Earth’s Garden Natural Foods and a Dollar General along North Cedar Street in Kalkaska.
Manistee Lake Pizzeria & Bakery is a cozy establishment nestled in the woods of Kalkaska.
Waters Edge Gas & Party Store supplies quick meals, to-go snacks and drinks.
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Getting to town center
“In the winter, the store gets a ton of snowmobile traffic,” says Kelly, as locals make quick trips to visit friends or grab food at Waters Edge. Snowmobiles are allowed on public roads, but be sure to wear a helmet, as required by state law. Kalkaska Memorial Health Center is the county’s largest employer, located 13 miles southwest of Manistee Lake on the southern side of downtown Kalkaska, and locals drive into town using State Road 612.
GreatSchools:
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On average, homes in Manistee Lake, Kalkaska sell after 117 days on the market compared to the national average of 52 days. The median sale price for homes in Manistee Lake, Kalkaska over the last 12 months is $440,000, up 96% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Situated on a quiet street, dead end, where walking and biking is safe and peaceful. Sunshine streams through this timeless 4-bedroom, 2-bath cottage, filling it with warmth and charm. Set on the sandy-bottom shores of Manistee Lake with crystal-clear water, it’s the perfect place for swimming, boating, and year-round enjoyment. Classic details include arched hallways, a cozy wood-burning
Excellent Up North Location! Just a quarter mile down the road from Sands Park beach and boat launch on Lake Manistee, close to area trails and located in the snowbelt for excellent snowmobilig. This well-kept home sits in a quiet neighborhood on a beautifully wooded oversized lot. Enjoy a spacious backyard with plenty of room for campers or outdoor activities. Inside, you’ll find tasteful
Up North, Kalkaska County, Manistee Lake area - Hardwoods galore, within a couple miles of Manistee Lake. An Up North Vacation Destination! Come and look now! 1,000's of acres of Stateland, Miles and miles of trails. This is a very popular area UP North. Come on up, what are you waiting for?
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