Thompsonville offers a variety of reasons to visit: the historic “Rail Diamond” is located in Sharp Park in the Village of Thompsonville, Michigan Legacy Art Park is open daily during daylight hours, and Crystal Mountain offers summer activities ranging from biking to live music. The Betsie Valley Trail and Iron Fish Distillery are also among the options. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can first consider whether park history, a trail outing, sports activities or a tasting will shape your stay.
Sharp Park: Camping and History
Sharp Park in the Village of Thompsonville has 20 campsites, six of which have electrical hookups. The historic “Rail Diamond” is also located in the park. Sharp Park therefore brings together two different interests: a specified camping option and a historic feature. The Rail Diamond gives the park a distinct connection to the past; the number of sites and electrical hookups also helps you assess the camping option more precisely.
Daylight Hours and Directions to the Trail
Michigan Legacy Art Park is open daily during daylight hours, so plan your visit for the brighter part of the day. The Betsie Valley Trail can be reached via the Thompsonville Parking lot. From US-31, the route follows North County Line Road, South Pioneer Road or Weldon Road, Lindy Road, Front Street and Thompson Avenue. After 6 miles, turn onto South Pioneer Road or Weldon Road, then onto Lindy Road after 0.5 miles, and onto Front Street after another 1.5 miles. Street parking is available along Thompson Avenue. Check current road conditions before driving.
Summer Activities at Crystal Mountain
Crystal Mountain offers summer biking, archery, a climbing wall, an Alpine Slide and live music. The activities cater to different interests, ranging from exercise and archery to a slide and music. When choosing, you can consider whether you want to get active yourself or include live music. This lets you plan the day around specific activities instead of a general category such as “outdoors.”
Two Different Courses
The Edge Adventure Course in Thompsonville is an elevated ropes and zipline course 20 feet above an outdoor pool, ending with a 130-foot zipline. The Crystal Coaster Alpine Slide takes you up the mountain on the Loki Quad Chairlift and then down two winding tracks, each 1,600 feet long. The experiences differ in their basic formats: an elevated course that ends with a zipline, or a chairlift ride followed by two tracks. Check the Edge Adventure Course operating details before your visit. The Alpine Slide operates seasonally; check its operating schedule and access details in advance as well.
Tastings for a Different Experience
Iron Fish Distillery in Thompsonville offers tastings and craft cocktails in its tasting room. It is one mile from Crystal Mountain. If you’re interested in tastings in addition to the resort activities, you can take this distance into account when planning. This gives you a choice between a visit focused on recreational activities and one to the tasting room.
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