Adirondack/Fingerlakes OR Upper Peninsula Michigan

I recommend Sampson State Park in the Finger Lakes. Its a repurposed WW @ Naval Boot Camp and has miles of in park bicycling. Hector National forest is just a few miles south with miles of hiking.Many limited maintenance roads that are very drivable by any truck. Watkins glen is another ten miles South of there.

All of the roads in the area are good for exploring,there is a very large non-touristy Amish population in the area,and of course the wineries and craft breweries abound.

There is a new casino 35 miles North if you are into that,with an Outlet mall just down the road.

All in all come see us have a great time spend money and tell your friends!

We've visited both - and I lived in the UP for two years while at grad school. The Finger Lakes area is absolutely gorgeous and if you have any interest at all in wine (in addition to hiking, etc.) that area can't be beat. Southern shore of Lake Superior is beautiful, especially Pictured Rocks Nat'l Lakeshore. Hiking on the beach itself was great - when we moved a bit inland to check out Au Sable Light station the flies nearly ate us alive. The skeeters here in PA are doing the same thing as I sit on my back porch and write this................ :-)

drsteve wrote:

travelnutz wrote:
We have gone up to and all over the Upper Peninsula in all 12 months of the year a lot during the last 50 years and virtually never had hardly any issues with bugs. The bug issues in the U.P. are way overblown. No different up there than the bugs in most anywhere else in the country and less than many other regions when the first hatchings occur and then they only last for about a week and then they are nearly all gone. When that mainly a week happens during the warm season varies due to the weather.

The OP lives in North Carolina and my wife's brother lived just north of Greensboro NC at Eden for 29 years before moving back to Michigan and he said the bugs are a lot worse down there than up here. He should know! When visiting him down there, we would certainly agree as they are rampid biting varmits down there all the warm seasons. No-see-ums in your face constantly and flies etc with huge appetites. He lived at Murrels Inlet SC just south of NC border for 7 years before moving to Eden/Reidsville to teach at Rockingham Community College.

As for mosquitos, they can be about anywhere and are also hungry after hatching. Wind speed, moisture, and air temp is what controls them being around in numbers or not. Constant breeze or wind and they are very scarse. Dead calm wind, real warm and damp, and they'll like you for dinner usually anywhere. Most areas in Florida, the black mosquitos are referred to as the Florida Auxillary Air Force flying missions at dusk.

The bug issues in the U.P. are way overblown? As a lifelong Michigan resident who has camped, hiked, and lived in the UP, I beg to disagree.

Yep. The bugs can be insane. I earned the name "Mosquito Ninja" while at Tahquamenanon Falls a few years ago.
While visiting the Porkies last August, I bought a fly swatter because the ground was literally moving with black flies.

You might get lucky, you might not. My friend is going to the UP in mid July and is packing a mosquito head net, just in case.
If you go to the UP, it's a good idea to bring a screened easy up with you for your camp site.

travelnutz wrote:
We have gone up to and all over the Upper Peninsula in all 12 months of the year a lot during the last 50 years and virtually never had hardly any issues with bugs. The bug issues in the U.P. are way overblown. No different up there than the bugs in most anywhere else in the country and less than many other regions when the first hatchings occur and then they only last for about a week and then they are nearly all gone. When that mainly a week happens during the warm season varies due to the weather.

The OP lives in North Carolina and my wife's brother lived just north of Greensboro NC at Eden for 29 years before moving back to Michigan and he said the bugs are a lot worse down there than up here. He should know! When visiting him down there, we would certainly agree as they are rampid biting varmits down there all the warm seasons. No-see-ums in your face constantly and flies etc with huge appetites. He lived at Murrels Inlet SC just south of NC border for 7 years before moving to Eden/Reidsville to teach at Rockingham Community College.

As for mosquitos, they can be about anywhere and are also hungry after hatching. Wind speed, moisture, and air temp is what controls them being around in numbers or not. Constant breeze or wind and they are very scarse. Dead calm wind, real warm and damp, and they'll like you for dinner usually anywhere. Most areas in Florida, the black mosquitos are referred to as the Florida Auxillary Air Force flying missions at dusk.

The bug issues in the U.P. are way overblown? As a lifelong Michigan resident who has camped, hiked, and lived in the UP, I beg to disagree.

We have gone up to and all over the Upper Peninsula in all 12 months of the year a lot during the last 50 years and virtually never had hardly any issues with bugs. The bug issues in the U.P. are way overblown. No different up there than the bugs in most anywhere else in the country and less than many other regions when the first hatchings occur and then they only last for about a week and then they are nearly all gone. When that mainly a week happens during the warm season varies due to the weather.

The OP lives in North Carolina and my wife's brother lived just north of Greensboro NC at Eden for 29 years before moving back to Michigan and he said the bugs are a lot worse down there than up here. He should know! When visiting him down there, we would certainly agree as they are rampid biting varmits down there all the warm seasons. No-see-ums in your face constantly and flies etc with huge appetites. He lived at Murrels Inlet SC just south of NC border for 7 years before moving to Eden/Reidsville to teach at Rockingham Community College.

As for mosquitos, they can be about anywhere and are also hungry after hatching. Wind speed, moisture, and air temp is what controls them being around in numbers or not. Constant breeze or wind and they are very scarse. Dead calm wind, real warm and damp, and they'll like you for dinner usually anywhere. Most areas in Florida, the black mosquitos are referred to as the Florida Auxillary Air Force flying missions at dusk.

X2, for the Adirondacks and the North Pole Resorts 100 acre side. There are mountain bike trails in Wilmington, NY where the North Pole Resorts is, also if you like to road bike there is plenty of roads to bike on. Remember they hold a Iron Man race in the Lake Placid area, so there are roads to bike on. If you want to hike, some of the best hiking trails are in the Adirondacks. If you want to paddle, the Rollins Pond area ihas great paddling. Have fun in the Adirondacks.

armadillo 17 wrote:
Bug problems in the UP. I have heard black flies and stable flies are tough?

That's what we here all the time as well. We traditionally always go up in August but last couple years in June and haven't experienced the bug problems. Maybe bugs don't like us;-)

Dan

Bug problems in the UP. I have heard black flies and stable flies are tough?

You can visit Ausable Chasm where we camp. Lots to see and do.

http://ausablechasm.com

I love the UP, but as was said all (most) of the beautiful scenery is along Lake Superior. My next northern type trip will be upstate NY.