Growing up in Michigan, when we travel to the northern part of our state, we say that we’re “going up north.” While I have been to the northern part of New York to see Niagara Falls, I did not learn of the term “going upstate” through the many times we vacationed there; instead, I learned it from the HBO hit show “Sex and the City.” I’m kind of embarrassed to admit that, but it’s true!
The term “upstate” came up in an episode where Carrie (the main character) was dating that guy Aidan, and he was a lumberjack kind of a guy with a very (very) rustic cabin upstate. Carrie was determined to visit him there as she was trying to work on their relationship and do some things with him that he loved. She thought, “How rustic could it be?” Well, if you watched the show at all, you would know that Carrie was a quintessential “city girl” who was most definitely out of her comfort zone in that upstate cabin in the woods.
To make matters worse, while she was vacationing with him, there was torrential rain for three days straight. Meanwhile, a nearby river began to flood. That flood would claim that Albany rustic cabin as its own unless some drastic measures were taken. Fortunately, Aidan was adequately prepared for the three-day downpour and saved his little upstate New York cabin. So, to answer our question…yes, Albany is considered an area included within the upstate New York territory.
As far as what is considered upstate New York, Wikipedia explains it well, “Upstate New York is a geographic region of New York that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area of downstate New York. Upstate includes the upper Hudson Valley, the Capital District, the Mohawk Valley region, Central New York, the Southern Tier, the Finger Lakes region, Western New York, and the North Country.
Major cities across upstate New York from east to west include the state capital of Albany, Utica, Binghamton, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo,”.
For Michigan, we “lower mitten”/“trolls” consider up north to be anything north of Flint, although that line has been slowly moving north over the last thirty-some years. Some consider that once you pass over the Zilwaukie Bridge in Saginaw, you will be officially up north.
The Zilwaukee Bridge is a high-level, segmental concrete bridge spanning the Saginaw River in the state of Michigan in the U.S. The river serves as the boundary between Zilwaukee Township and the city of Zilwaukee at this point, which is approximately 5 miles north of downtown Saginaw.
Furthermore, Upper Peninsula folks consider any territory south of the Mackinaw Bridge “downstate” or, as they affectionately (not sure how affectionate?) call us “trolls.”
What qualifies as up north Michigan?
Since I am a Native Michigander who has traveled up north for outdoor adventures since I was a wee babe of six months old, I consider myself somewhat of an expert when it comes to our beautiful Pure Michigan state.
Through my research, I found that a lot of people agreed with me on the Zilwaukie Bridge in Saginaw being the official line that defines the up-north territory. The Detroit Free Press did a survey and an article on this topic. Many people chimed in and gave their input. Out of all the respondents, this definition is by far my favorite. They defined Michigan’s up north territory as, “It’s a mindset. Going to Caseville from anywhere south of Imlay City is up north. Could be even less. Going up north means either going to a smaller town to a cabin-type residence, going camping, or a mix of the two. There can be a beach on a lake included. You can also travel 20 miles to a bonfire and consider it up north,”.
Let’s see what Wikipedia says again. Wikipedia’s definition of up north Michigan states, “Residents of Northern Michigan generally consider it to lie between Grayling and the Mackinac Bridge. The southern boundary of the region is not precisely defined. Some residents in the southern part of the state consider its southern limit to be just north of Flint, Port Huron, Grand Rapids, or Mount Pleasant, though those in Northern Michigan refer to this are as Mid Michigan,”.
Up north Michigan places to visit
From the time I was two months old (or so I have been told), I have experienced camping all over the state of Michigan, in private campgrounds, State Parks, and National Forest land. As an adult, I have taken my sons camping since they were only a few months old as well. We have camped mostly in State Parks and National Parks across Michigan. I’m not necessarily a fan of private campgrounds as they don’t have the same standards held at the state and national levels.
Below are some of my favorite State and National Parks in “up north” Michigan to visit:
- Huron Manistee forest in Oscoda, on the Au Sable River
- Manistee National Forest, Manistee, footsteps from Lake Michigan
- Ludington State Park, on the shores of Lake Michigan
- Lakeport State Park, on the shores of Lake Huron
- Proud Lake State Park, on the Huron River (close to home)
- Seven Lakes State Park, for Halloween camping (close to home)
- Algonac State Park, on the shores of Lake Huron (great pier fishing)
- Burt Lake State Park, on Burt Lake (which connects to the Indian River, connecting to Mullet Lake, which feeds into the Cheboygan River, which leads to Lake Michigan) Great boating and swimming
- Mears State Park, on the shores of Lake Michigan, minutes away from world-renowned Sleep Bear Dunes
I am so excited about this summer’s up north plans as we get to go camping in Mears. We’re planning to ride the dunes one day, see the magnificent Lake Michigan sunset each night, and enjoy some touristy attractions in downtown Mears. This will be the first time I have taken them camping on my own since the divorce from their father. It will be an adventure for sure! Thank goodness they are both older teenagers who are strong and capable of helping their mom.
Is Albany considered upstate New York?
In conclusion yes, Albany is considered part of New York’s upstate territory. Have fun and be safe with your fires when visiting the outdoors, whether it is upstate New York or up north Michigan! As Ranger Smokey Bear says, “Remember… Only YOU Can Prevent Forest Fires.”