^Looking east from the western end at M-113 east of Kingsley, March 2018.
Michigan Highway 186 is a very short east-west road near Fife Lake, southeast of Traverse City. It's a shortcut of a shortcut. Michigan Highway 113 is a shortcut to Traverse City from points south along US Route 131, but Michigan Highway 113 bends to the south at the last minute if you trace it eastward. That's where Michigan Highway 186 comes in, continuing east at a similar latitude as Michigan Highway 113, to pick up where Michigan Highway 113 leaves off. Michigan Highway 186 stems easterly to meet US Route 131 in Fife Lake, to provide a connection between Michigan Highway 113 and points north along US Route 131. The endpoints of Michigan Highway 186, at Michigan Highway 113 and at US Route 131, are separated by two and a half miles.
My photo of Michigan Highway 186 shows the eastern beginning of the route in Fife Lake. US Route 131 meets the eastern end of Michigan Highway 186 at a roundabout, and the signage depicted is the first westbound trailblazer at that roundabout. This photo was taken in early August 2022, at the tail end of a trip involving the Keweenaw, Drummond Island, and Alpena.