Manistee River Roadside Park Bridge Pathway

I took this photo in the Manistee River Roadside Park. The park is clearly marked with signs along the east side of US-131 South of Fife Lake. Once you arrive to the park, park your car in the parking lot in the southeast corner of the park. Then, head north and find the boardwalk signs to enter onto this trail. Refer to the GPS coordinate in satellite mode for the exact spot where I stood.

Manistee River Roadside Park will be closed during the winter months, so the best time to visit is during the spring, summer and fall. For similar conditions like in the image, go to the park in the 2nd week of October to capture the vibrant colors of the trees turning orange, yellow and red for the fall. The boardwalk is also lovely in spring and summer with the gorgeous lush green foliage. The park is closed during the winter months.

I recommend visiting this spot during the morning through late afternoon when the boardwalk is well lit. At sunrise and sunset, you won't have ample lighting since the bridge is shaded by the foliage.

Don't forget to apply bug spray!

I stood on a picnic table to get adequately above the rails (consider holding camera above your head if you're not tall) and positioned the boardwalk in the corner of my image for strong leading lines.

Shooting at 62mm focal length worked well with my composition to bring the curve of the trail closer to the viewer — and, the f/9 aperture at 500 ISO kept the scene in focus will still allowing hand holding of my camera.

The foliage will be best captured with a polarizing filter on an overcast day to make the most of the colors.

Experiment with different lenses and shoot the surrounding area. This location also makes for great portraits!

The North Country Trail is a great location to start your hiking trip. There are even more stunning views of the landscape just right through the park.

Right next to Manistee River Roadside Park is the Chippewa Landing Campground. It has a host of activities to explore, so check it out!