​​Michigan Highway 22 is the famed scenic route tracing the outline of the Leelanau Peninsula, running northwest out of Traverse City, then south along Lake Michigan. The route is somewhat shaped like the letter "J" rotated upside down. The tip of the hook, the eastern end, is a T-intersection in Traverse City at US Route 31, with a full view of the bay. At this intersection, US Route 31 comes from the south and turns east, and Michigan Highway 72 comes from the east and continues west.  Highways 22 and 72 head west together from the intersection, but soon, the routes split.  Michigan Highway 72 splits to head west across the base of the Leelanau, while Michigan 22 continues to hug the bayside, mainly heading northerly.  At Northport, close to the tip of the peninsula, Michigan Highway 22 turns toward the southwest, to hug the western edge of the Leelanau. It passes by the road to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (that road is Michigan Highway 109), and at Empire, it exits the Leelanau Peninula. Michigan Highway 22 isn't done quite yet, though. It stays along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan through Elberta and Onekama, to end at US Route 31 just north of Manistee.  Since Midwesterners love vacationing to the Traverse City area and the lakeshore locales along Michigan Highway 22, the Michigan Highway 22 route symbol has become a popular subject for bumper stickers and t-shirts.  As such, the signs marking the route have become popular fodder for theft.  In response, Michigan's DOT has started fabricating and posting Michigan Highway 22 signs without the distinctive "M" adorned with serifs. If you drive Michigan Highway 22, expect to see some of these less-desirable signs, posted to deter thieves.

My photo of Michigan Highway 22 comes from Suttons Bay, the first community northwest of Traverse City on the eastern shores of the Leelanau Peninsula. At Broadway Street in Suttons Bay, Michigan Highway 22 has a sudden bend from northwest to north. Those on the overall northward journey along the eastern edge of the Leelanau will see the signage depicted in Suttons Bay.  Don't go straight; you'll plow right into the outdoor seating of that restaurant! And I've eaten there twice, since I quite like it!  I literally took this photo as I was waiting to be seated for breakfast at that restaurant in August 2020. That trip in August 2020 featured the central Upper Peninsula, Mackinac Island, and Traverse City.

Back to the Michigan main page.
Back to the home page.