Where Does “Up North” Really Begin in Michigan? Here’s My Answer

As Michiganders, we've all heard the phrase, "I'm going up north for the weekend." But, where exactly is "up north"?

Sure, the person uttering the phrase might say exactly where they are going. Or better yet, go full Michigander and whip out their palm to point to where.

Why "Up North" Means Something Different to Every Michigander

However, that still begs the question, where is up north? Or better yet, where does "up north" start? Because that phrase can mean different things to different people.

READ ALSO: 7 Things You’ll Never Hear a True Michigander Say

If you live in Southeast Michigan, in a place like Detroit, Dearborn, or Canton, "up north" could mean St. Johns. However, If you live in a Mid-Michigan place like St. Johns or Lansing, you've got to go way further north to be "up north". But, do we have to go all the way to the Upper Peninsula for it to be "up north"?

What Makes a Place Feel Like "Up North"?

What are some of the things that make a place feel "up north"?

• Lake life
• More wooded areas
• Hunting
• Less big city, more small town

But we should also look at a map of Michigan...

a picture of a map of Michigan that shows where up north is meant to start

If we take a look at where the dark green becomes more prominent than the lighter green, that's where we start to see more woods. I would say that's the start of "up north".

So...Where Does "Up North" Actually Begin?

And when you zoom in to see where the dark green becomes more consistent, that happens near Harrison, Michigan.

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Hey, I don't make the rules. I'm just trying to figure things out. If you have a better answer, I'm all ears. But for now, I'm going to say that once you get to Harrison or anywhere north of it, you're officially up north in Michigan.