Tippy Dam Road Cabins & Cmpgrd

They're hard to come by but if you can get a site right on the river, it's gorgeous. No facilities. Great kayaking and fishing.

We sought out a campground near some good hiking. My feet need to be tired to review the Oofos 00mg fibre shoes. Tippy Dam Campground is less than 20 minutes from the Manistee River Trailhead, which is a beautiful hiking trail.

Campground review:

The campground owner was out when we arrived but a helpful lady told us to grab a campsite and he would find us. With only one other camper, and a handful of long term campers, finding a site was easy. Most of the sites have electric but we went to the back to get a spot without electric. We drove straight in and set up camp. Pretty soon the owner came by and talked for a bit while confirming our site. The campground fills up in the late summer fishing season. This weekend is the start of his busy time. For now, we will enjoy the quiet.

The sites are large with some even having grass for tents. The vault toilets could use some updating. Walking around camp uncovered a dumpster for garbage near the front. A fish cleaning station has extra plastic tubs ready to use. It wasn’t until we were leaving that we found a water source. A map of the campground would help locate resources and even campsites. Another family drove through looking for their site but left in confusion - numbers on the sites are hard to find or just not there. One site flows into the next in the area without electric. With just one other camper, we didn’t need to worry about the site size.

Through the gate at the back of the campground is the Tippy River Dam. We walked down the long stairway to the water and watched a heron doing its own hunt for dinner as a few people tried their luck fishing. A neighboring farm has some horses and adventurous chickens. The roosters fluttered over the fence and spent time searching out food in the campground. My dog was occupied by the movements of the beautiful horses. Evening brought the sound of guns - I’m guessing that a target range is nearby. A short drive over to the Manistee River Trail on the following morning and we got in a full day of hiking. This was a decent stay in the off-season and seems popular with fishermen in season.

Product review:

As a Dyrt Ranger, sometimes I get products to review. I was fortunate to be sent some Oofos 00mg fibre shoes to try out. Oofos just released these men’s shoes in August. This expands their line of sandals. These are recovery footwear - claiming to reduce the load by 37%. I don’t know how to measure that but my feet are in heaven wearing them.

We hiked 9 miles on the nearby Manistee River trail and our feet were ready for some love. Dakota, my dog, tried out the Oofos but I quickly commandeered them. The heels are thick so it took a bit of getting used to. If almost felt like my toes were hanging off into the shoe. However, I adjusted quickly as my body weight brought my heels into line as they sank into the oofoam material. Wearing them around camp as we ate lunch gave my feet a breather. The thick strap held the shoes securely on to my feet. The breeze blew through the top fibre material of the shoe and felt wonderful. Walking around camp worked out perfectly. A moderate pace down the row of campsites was enough to feel the cushion. These aren’t shoes I would run around in but they are clouds to nestle in. I appreciate the way the fibre top helps hold the shoe on my feet but remain breathable. This made recovery time more comfortable. Normally I have issues with a narrow heal but the Oofos felt comfortable from the start and all the way through the rest of the day. Switching back to my hiking shoes for an evening walk with Dakota was an easy transition. I recovered quickly. My foot soles were ready for the hiking shoes and we took off into the woods for a walk. Oofos live up to their claims in helping me recover.

I’m LOVING the Oofos 00mg fibre shoes!

Grab yourself a pair of sandals or shoes at www.oofos.com