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View, private lakefront, deck & dock, quiet forest. Beautiful cottage and lake

View, private lakefront, deck & dock, quiet forest. Beautiful cottage and lake

Photo gallery for View, private lakefront, deck & dock, quiet forest. Beautiful cottage and lake

View over the private deck and the lake, a few steps in front of the cottage.
Private dock for this cottage, down stairs fr. deck. Clear, shallow lake bottom.
View fr. dock to the private lido,stairs & deck. Cottage is behind trees @ left.
Cottage & side-yard w/fire-pit, Adirondacks, & ping-pong from the private deck.
Porch & rockers, lake beyond, deck to left, front door into living room at right

Overview of View, private lakefront, deck & dock, quiet forest. Beautiful cottage and lake

Reviews
5 out of 5 Exceptional
4 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 10146 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi
  • Outdoor space
  • Breakfast available

Check out the area

roscommon, MI
  • Popular LocationNorth Higgins Lake State Park5 min drive
  • Popular LocationSouth Higgins Lake State Park17 min drive
  • Popular LocationAu Sable River19 min drive
  • AirportRoscommon County – Blodgett Memorial Airport (HTL)28 min drive

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 2 - 1st floor

Bedroom 3 -1st floor

Master Suite -1st floor

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1 -Master Suite. 1st Floor

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2 -1st floor

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3 -upstairs

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Balcony
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

View, private lakefront, deck & dock, quiet forest. Beautiful cottage and lake

Exquisite old cottage, modern fit-up, no cooking, views! Private dock, deck, and waterfront for this cottage. Although very well equipped, its deep-woods character is NOT "just like home".

Buffet service every meal! Please note: participation in the dining plan, not included in rent, is required until the last Sunday in August. Please understand that we can't waive the required Dining Hall fees in season, so don't please don't try to book a stay and then request an exception. Instead, book in early June or late August or September.

The Cottage:
This beautiful, old, renovated, stick-style cottage is at the end of a long, private driveway off a one-lane, private dirt-road winding through old-growth forest with monarch trees. There's nothing but woods and private paths behind it. It overlooks clear and sandy Higgins Lake, rated 'the Sixth Most Beautiful Lake in the World', and , in 2017, voted the No. 1 most beautiful lake in Michigan by those who know lakes. Search for this tenbest list with its aerial graphics of each lake; it's illuminating.

The cottage's 82 feet of lake-frontage includes a private dock and lido on the lake, down some stairs from an overlooking private deck, steps away from the large front-porch. The cottage's deck, dock, lido, side-yard, and lakefront are not shared with anyone but you and your guests while you're staying here.

Life on the Lake:
The cottage is part of a private Association of twenty cottages, each with its own dock, so waterfront features are NOT shared. The Association provides meals at a private table, reserved for your family, in a common Dining Hall --a five-minute walk through the woods. It's perfect for families, as all cooking [except Weds. dinners] and clean-up is provided from June 24 to Aug. 28, so staying here is a true vacation for EVERYONE in the family. [Note: Association rules require that cottage-residents MUST pay for all meals in the buffet-style Dining Hall between late June (~21) and late Aug (~25). This is a separate bill, paid directly to the Dining Hall after your stay [and not included in the rent]. Rates are ~$37/day for adults, less for kids under 13, and free under 5.] We can't waive these rules, so, instead of booking and then asking us to make an exception, please book out of season if you don't want to pay for the Dining Hall meals.

During the high-season, there is a 6-night minimum (we encourage Sunday to Saturday!). During the off-season, there is only a 4-night minimum. Due to the effort involved in cleaning between guests, we are firm about the minimum stays, so please don't book and then ask for an exception.

The lake is clear and, on this side, shallow with great water for swimming, canoeing, sailing and all water sports. Features of Higgins Lake include an island, drop-offs, springs, sunken islands, a swimming raft [owned by the cottage Association], and the mysterious 'square anchor'. Not far around the shore is a marina, where you can rent motorboats, windsurfers, tubes, kayaks, and all sorts of water toys.

With no traffic, kids run free [supervised near the lake, please] and quickly make friends with lake-side neighbors they meet eating in the Dining Hall.

Life in the Cottage:
The cottage features a beautiful, two-story Living Room [the heart of the cottage] with a lakestone-lined fireplace and large Screen Porch, both facing the lake. [See photos.]

The view is even better from a large, two-level Private Deck right over the lake on a bluff, a few steps from the Screen Porch. A stairway down from the deck leads to a private sunbathing area [the Lido] and a private dock, exclusive to this cottage, where you can swim, nap, and attach boats. [Boats should be moored at anchors off the dock, when not in use.]

A private yard next to the cottage has a many Adirondack chairs and a pad for the outdoor ping-pong table.

A renovated Kitchen with granite counters and new dishes, coffee-equipment, kitchen-tools, and appliances including a dishwasher is open to one side of the Living Room. However, you won't cook much, as you'll enjoy the great food in the Dining Hall [from June through August].

Three Bedrooms are on the first floor: [1] a Master Suite with king-size bed and a private Bath with shower and two sinks in granite counters; [2] a back Bedroom with two queen beds and a sink [can sleep four in a pinch]; and [3] a small Bedroom with a queen bed and a separate entrance to the Porch. A second Bathroom with a claw-foot tub, a shower and two sinks in granite is off the first floor hall, as is a laundry closet with a new washer and dryer.

The second floor is reached from an indoor balcony overlooking the Living Room [and the lake]. Its glass door leads to a knotty-pine Bunk Room with four built-in bunks, which appeal to smaller teenagers and kids [but are short for all but the smallest adults]. The Bunk Room has its own half-bath.

This cottage does not have a TV or a land-line phone. [Recent guests have used their cell phones.] A cable connection provides free, password-protected WIFI. Many guests bring laptops, and some use them to stream their favorite shows and teams.

More to do Outside:
In addition to the buffet meals and a swimming raft, the twenty-cottage Association has a tennis court you can use for free and extensive bird-watching and single-track biking/hiking trails, which you can ride through the endless woods, if you bring or rent bikes.

Nearby activities off the lake include fishing, canoeing and tubing on the calm and beautiful Au Sable River [Rentals available at liveries, or bring your own craft.] and spectacular golf at Forest Dunes, Golf Magazine's No. 2 Public-Access Course in Michigan. Guided bird-watching tours leave regularly from Grayling and almost always spot North America's most endangered warbler, rarely seen [except by those in the know, in this part of Michigan], the very rare Kirtland's Warbler.

Google an aerial photograph to see Higgins Lake in its splendor. The cottage is on the north shore, the least developed and most secluded part of the lake. See the photos.

We have dogs and cats in our families, including small, well-behaved, clean ones] and we would love to bring them to stay at the cottage. However, other family members are allergic to them, so we board them in kennels or with friends, and we require our guests to do the same. Please don't make a reservation and then ask us to make an exception for your pets.

Property manager

Carl Geupel & Ava Geupel

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Breakfast available

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 30
Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
Encouraged! No traffic;bunks;neighbors

Events

No events allowed
Family-reunions, w/ kids and grandparents are fine

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
We are super-cautious about fires in the old woods
A Dining Hall serves meals to all guests from late June to late August. ~$33/day/adult, less for kids, but required. Please read full description.
Bells announce meals at fixed hours for buffet service, including vegetarian &gluten-free offerings, taken to your private table. No meals Wednesdays.
ATV's are not permitted. The cottage is on a private road among footpaths and fire-roads, where motorized recreational vehicles may not be used.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Note from host: Family-reunions, w/ kids and grandparents are fine

We should mention

A car is required for transportation to and from this property

About the area

Roscommon

Located in Roscommon, this cottage is in the city center and on the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at North Higgins Lake State Park and Huron-Manistee National Forest, while AuSable Artisan Village and Crawford County Historical Museum are cultural highlights. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

What's nearby

  • North Higgins Lake State Park - 5 min drive
  • South Higgins Lake State Park - 17 min drive
  • AuSable Artisan Village - 18 min drive
  • Au Sable River - 19 min drive
  • Houghton Lake - 21 min drive

Restaurants

  • McDonald's - 11 min drive
  • Nibbles - 19 min drive
  • Matt's Lake St Grill & Pizzeria - 12 min drive
  • Silver Dollar Bar - 9 min drive
  • Subway - 11 min drive

Reviews

5

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 5 - Excellent. 43 out of 45 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Good. 2 out of 45 reviews" "
Rating 3 - Okay. 0 out of 45 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Poor. 0 out of 45 reviews" "
Rating 1 - Terrible. 0 out of 45 reviews" "

4.8/5

Cleanliness

5/5

Check-in

5/5

Communication

5/5

Location

5/5

Listing accuracy

Reviews

5/5 Excellent

Steve S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
5 guys
Great location ,if you want to fish recommend finding a guide. Very quiet and peaceful that’s why we came in September 😀👍
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

5/5 Excellent

Eric T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great weekend
This property is a perfect example of the beauty, comfort and joy of visiting Higgins Lake. It's a wonderful lakefront home with all the right amenities and a terrific vibe. With our children and grandchildren, we had a great time.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

5/5 Excellent

John T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A Slice of Heaven
The property is incredible, the dining is first class and the lake activities and the views it provides always exceed expectations. Finally, the hosts, including the entirety of property patrons are warm and welcoming.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

5/5 Excellent

John T., West Bloomfield, MI

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing Again
Once again, our stay was amazing in every way. The people, hosts, overall atmosphere, outstanding food, gorgeous lake and the property itself all made our week long stay a memorable and special experience. A magical place, indeed. Thank you for sharing it with us. See you in 2023!
Stayed 8 nights in Jul 2022

5/5 Excellent

Tiffany R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Paradise in Higgins Lake
This Higgins Lake house was all we hoped for and more. The historic cabin is set in a forested area with walking paths to enjoy nature, and to view the beautiful homes along the lake. The deck was easily accessible, even for the grandparents. Thank you for hosting
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

About the host

Hosted by Carl Geupel & Ava Geupel

Host profile image
My brothers and I grew up in Indiana but return to this cottage almost every summer, and some winters, too. Like my brothers and cousins, I now travel further to come back here every year with my wife and son, from Massachusetts, in our case.

Why they chose this property

My grandmother began visiting cottages at this part of Higgins Lake in the 1930's; my grandfather bought this cottage in the '40's; and I started coming in the 50's. Everyone who comes wants to come back; it's very special, private and yet part of a community.

My sister-in-law renovated its interior to a very high level a couple of years ago, but retained its backwoods character. It's nothing like a typical suburban house and has almost no artificial surfaces or materials. Please look at the photos; it's very special --not like home.

Also, it's in the right spot. Check out Higgins Lake and other wonderful lakes in Michigan on a tenbest list. You can find aerial photos of all of them, and locals rank them all.
https://www.aerialgraphics.com/pages/

What makes this property unique

The Dining Hall, where all meals [except Weds. dinner] are served, makes this spot a great vacation for families: all your time on the beautiful lake; no shopping, cooking or clean up.
The private, single-lane, unpaved road with no traffic means kids run free. They'll meet new friends in the Dining Hall.
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