MICHIGAN ROADTRIP: The Ghost Towns of Route 426

In the lower mid-section of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Route 426 cuts a path that takes you through some cool, fascinating old towns. Old lumber towns, some ghost towns, some with only one or two buildings, some with no buildings at all!

Start your roadtrip in the disappearing village of Cornell. From there, 426 takes you through Hendricks to Watson.

Watson is without a doubt, one of the COOLEST ghost towns in Michigan you will ever see. Check out a separate link with more Watson photos by CLICKING HERE.

After Watson, your 426 roadtrip takes you to Mashek. There are no stores in Mashek, and hardly any homes, but there's a huge school. Where are the students coming from?

A few feet down the road is the "town" of Arnold, also known as Lapalmes Corner, mainly because of the lone store that sits on the corner. That's all there is of Arnold,

Next up is a town called Reade. There is nothing there, and no way for you to know it's a town. If you look hard at the road signs, you'll know when you're there; it's at the junction of 426 and County Road SP. Otherwise, you'll drive straight thru, oblivious to the fact that this hunk of nothing is an actual town.

A little further is the town of Northland. There's more to see here, but you'll have to get off 426 to see it.

Down even further is the town of Alfred, another town that is completely non-existent.

Approximately 9 miles from Alfred is the town of Ralph. You'll know you're in Ralph when you see Hunter's Bar on the right hand side of the road. On the left is an old log building which very well could have been the 'old' Hunter's Bar.

That's it. You can either turn around and go back or explore a little further. You can't go wrong with either decision. If you have never taken a Michigan roadtrip, especially in the north, it's an experience you will want to do many times. Explore the hundreds of backroads, side roads and dirt roads that lead to more ghost towns, lumber towns, non-existent towns, and small towns...you won't regret it.