Winter in Manistee County
Winter in Manistee County includes great outdoor activities like skiing, snow shoeing, hiking, ice skating, and more.
Photo by Marion Riedl
Built in 1875, the White River Light Station is one of four lights operated by Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association. Located in Whitehall, Michigan (about 40 minutes south of Ludington), the Light Station is situated between Lake Michigan and White Lake.
Back in the lumbering days, a channel was dug between these two bodies of water to allow schooners to access the sawmills, adjacent to pine forests. Later, passengers arrived from Chicago on steamships to enjoy summer activities on White Lake.
White River Light Station’s first keeper was Captain William Robinson. He and his wife Sarah and their thirteen children spent 47 years at the Light. Many qualified people followed, including Frances Marshall, the last female lighthouse keeper in Michigan.
The light station was decommissioned in 1960 and became a museum in 1970. Here, you can climb the spiral staircase to the top of the tower or view the original Fourth Order Fresnel lens. There is a $8 donation for adults and $5 for children 17 & under to climb the tower.
The Station will be open May 21st-October 19th, 2025. Closed on Mondays.
Take US-31 to White Lake Dr exit. Turn right on South Shore Drive. Turn left and continue following museum signs to the end of Murray Road.
Winter in Manistee County includes great outdoor activities like skiing, snow shoeing, hiking, ice skating, and more.
Before you make a splash in Lake Michigan, check out the water temperatures for beaches from Manistee, Ludington, Pentwater, and Silver Lake.
Take one of the most scenic drives in the nation as you travel across M-22 in West Michigan. A long winding road of adventure awaits!
Beautiful color emerges come Fall. Take it all in with an afternoon drive, or stroll, through the many forests of West Michigan.
The spring/fall runs of steelhead and salmon, the resident brown trout and “brookies” make the PM River extremely popular for fishing.
Get some fresh air and exercise during those cold winter months when you hit the Pentwater Pathway for cross country skiing and snowshoeing.