Things to Do in Traverse City

Inspired by extreme sports, the Muck Ruck is a 2-, 4-, or 7-mile race through mud-slicked terrain designed to rouse beginners and the physical elite alike. The filthy obstacles vary based on terrain, but typically include 12–20 natural and manmade challenges that send participants climbing ropes, sloshing through chest-deep muddy water, and bobbing for leeches. Xtreme Muck Ruck stresses safety with each event, as all obstacles are designed to test your endurance and strength while still being fun. Those seeking to further put their bodies to the test can keep splashing and complete all three courses to join the Xtreme Club 247.

When he first saw the rolling hills and forests at Mistwood, course architect Jerry Matthews was enchanted by its suitability for a golf course. Matthews carved 27 championship holes into this variegated topography, divided among three nine-hole courses that combine for challenging 18-hole rounds or play singly for golfers who need to save time for savoring the taste of victory. Whether playing the red course, blue course, or white course, golfers send their balls soaring over bent-grass fairways and spinning over fast, well-bunkered greens, aiming carefully to avoid the smattering of lakes that await stray orbs.

Adjacent to the final fairway of the white course, an executive course named the Little Nine completes the fairway buffet at Mistwood Golf Course. Here, players hone their short-game skills and strive to take just three strokes at each hole, ideal for three-toed sloths with poor counting skills.

After swinging their way past open fields and dense thickets, players make their way to the clubhouse, where Bogey’s Snack Bar awaits downstairs, and upstairs, Sunset Bar & Grill serves whitefish and ribs as diners lounge on its deck and gaze out over the blue course and the verdant practice range.

Course Combinations at a Glance:

• White/blue: course rating of 72.9, slope rating of 142
• Blue/red: course rating of 72.9, slope rating of 143
• Red/white: course rating of 71.6, slope rating of 140

Nestled along Northern Michigan's snow belt, Caberfae Peaks Ski & Golf Resort sends visitors careening down 34 different ski runs, offering a total of 485 feet of vertical drop. Its location near Lake Michigan helps the resort average more than 150 inches of annual snowfall per year. Beyond skiing and snowboarding, the frosty harvest enables the resort to offer other wintery activities.

Away from the slopes, visitors relax inside Blackmer Lodge, a cozy facility outfitted with cathedral ceilings, a two-story stone fireplace, and rustic exposed timber. Extended stays, meanwhile, unfold at Mackenzie Lodge, located right at the base of the slopes, where an outdoor heated pool and hot tub await to help guests relax or cook lobsters they brought with them in their suitcases. And, during months when a heated pool isn't necessary, Caberfae challenges golfers with a scenic nine-hole course peppered with wetlands, ravines, and fairways lined with 75-foot trees.