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Antrim County is located in the northwestern part of the lower peninsula east of Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay, and is traversed by US-131. The county contains 480 square miles and is the 8th smallest in the state. The county seat is Bellaire. The Mackinaw State Forest covers most of the county's north central and southeastern parts. The county's economy is mixed with nearly equal dependence on agriculture, livestock, retail, and manufacturing. Hunting, fishing, and boating are popular recreational activities in the county. Antrim County is located in Northwest Lower Michigan. It is bordered on the west by Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay and on the east by the Mackinaw State Forest, also referred to as the Jordan River Valley. The county is covered with a rolling terrain with many lakes (45), 24 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and rivers encompassing 65 miles of waterways throughout the area.
Principal Attractions and Events
The county has nearly 44,000 acres of state forest land, the Grass River Natural Area and Wilcox-Palmer-Shah Nature Preserve. Most notable of the lakes is Torch Lake, considered to be one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. Torch Lake is on a chain of lakes that runs from Bellaire (the county seat) to Elk Rapids (recreational harbor facilities/Lake Michigan). North of Bellaire is another chain of lakes that goes from there through Central Lake and Ellsworth, with the largest of these being Intermediate Lake. Mancelona, located in the southeast corner of the county, on US-131, is home to the annual White Pine Stampede, Bass Festival and Deadman's Hill Scenic Overlook. The county also has 13 fine golf courses, is a major ski resort area, home to Shanty Creek Resort, and is very beautiful during the fall color season.
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Cities
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