Riverbend Lodge on the banks of the Betsie River at dusk

Thompsonville · Northern Michigan

A Quarter Mile of River. Eleven Acres of Quiet. Room for Everyone.

Eleven private acres, 1,200 feet of Betsie riverfront, and room for eighteen — minutes from Crystal Mountain. Trails from the driveway. Book direct and save 10–14%.

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Sleeps 18 2 king suites + 2 bunk rooms Private Betsie riverfront Trails from the driveway 10–15 min to Crystal Mountain From $499/night

private acres

1,200 ft

of river frontage

people, sleeping in real beds

8 mi

to Crystal Mountain

The Lodge

The property that shouldn't exist.

Some places you rent. Riverbend Lodge, you claim.

Set on eleven private acres in the heart of Benzie County, this modern architect-designed lodge commands nearly a quarter mile — 1,200 feet — of the Betsie River, one of Northern Michigan's storied trout and salmon waters. Soaring vaulted ceilings, walls of glass, and a steep-pitched roofline give the great room the feel of a boutique mountain resort; the oversized island kitchen and deep leather sectional make it feel like home by the first night.

Eighteen of your favorite people fit here without a single air mattress: two king primary suites for the trip planners, two big bunk rooms that kids and cousins fight to claim. Mornings start with coffee on the deck over the water. Days go wherever you point them — kayaks and tubes are waiting at the river, ATV and snowmobile trails start at the end of the driveway, and Crystal Mountain's slopes, spa, and alpine adventures are just minutes up the road. Nights end at the fire pit under more stars than the city ever showed you.

Lake Michigan beaches, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and Traverse City wine country round out the map. Book direct, save the fees, and start the tradition.

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On the Water

Private riverfront isn't an amenity. It's the whole point.

The Betsie is one of Michigan's original state-designated Natural Rivers — clear, cedar-shaded water protected since 1973. Drift it on the lodge's kayaks and tubes in summer, cast for resident trout in the quiet stretches, and come late August, watch thousands of salmon push upriver from Lake Michigan in one of the Lower Peninsula's most famous runs.

Fall salmon run · late Aug–mid Oct Kayaks & tubes provided

Kayaks and tubes are yours to use — at your own risk; life jackets and river sense required.

One lodge. Four seasons.

Summer

River days, long light, and the fire pit going past dark.

Float the Betsie Alpine slide at Crystal Fire-pit nights

Fall

The salmon come to you, and the color tour starts at the front door.

Salmon run at Homestead Dam M-22 color tour Ride the trails

Winter

Groomed trails from the driveway and night skiing minutes away.

Ski Crystal Mtn Snowmobile from the driveway Fireside nights

Spring

Steelhead in the river, morels in the woods, and the quietest mornings of the year.

Steelhead season Morel hunting Quiet river mornings

The Betsie Valley Field Guide

You're in the middle of everything good.

0 ft — your backyard

The Betsie River

A state-protected Natural River with kayaking, tubing, trout water, and one of the Lower Peninsula's most famous fall salmon runs.

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10–15 minutes

Crystal Mountain

59 runs and night skiing in winter; alpine slide, bike park, golf, pools, and spa in summer — a full resort without the resort commute.

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~35–45 minutes

Sleeping Bear Dunes

400-foot dunes over Caribbean-blue Lake Michigan — the Dune Climb, Pierce Stocking Drive, and Empire Bluff are all an easy day trip.

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See the full field guide →

Rachel and Blake's family at Riverbend Lodge

Our Story

It all started with a dream…

"A place to slow down. To gather. To breathe a little deeper and stay a little longer."

Before there was a house, there were tents. We camped on this stretch of the Betsie with our three daughters, falling asleep to the sound of the river and waking up to mist rising through the trees. The dream grew into Riverbend Lodge — a place built to unplug, reconnect, and make space for the moments that matter most.

Whether you're here for a long-awaited family gathering, a weekend with friends, or a quiet escape, our hope is that Riverbend becomes a place you return to, just like it is for us.

— Rachel & Blake

Rates

Honest prices, posted right here.

Off-peak from $499/night Summer $719/night Book direct & save 10–14%

Sleeps 18 — that's roughly $28–40 per person, per night.

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Book Direct & Save 10–14%

Your stretch of the river is waiting.

Request your dates — we confirm within 24 hours.

Request to Book Questions? Email us.