Peace, quiet and trails galore: Immersive wilderness, privacy key for $1.2 million U.P. paradise

GOETZVILLE, MI — Dreams of living in the Upper Peninsula can become a reality with this immaculate estate.

Gray Stone Manor epitomizes the style, craftsmanship and unique setting that define a true Northern Michigan hunting ranch.

Located at 8050 E. Sand Ridge Rd., this gem is listed at $1.2 million through Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors — Cedarville with real estate agent Ted Ottaway.

This one-of-a-kind property is MLive’s House of the Week. Homes across the state of various architectural styles and prices are showcased every Wednesday.

“You’re going to have your peace and quite and some truly beautiful terrain to experience,” Ottaway said. “It’s designed to be a luxury hunting camp. I see it more as a wilderness retreat with a main home and a guest house on 80 private acres, which is adjacent to 1,500 acres of state land along the south boundary.

“It’s very remote, and would be inaccessible to anyone who isn’t neighboring it, providing incredible privacy with quality craftsmanship.”

The property is named after the intricately constructed stone exterior adorning both residences, with the main home offering three bedrooms and the carriage house an additional two bedrooms plus loft.

The main home is distinguished by a vaulted living room, floor-to-ceiling fieldstone fireplace and locally harvested cedar mantle; both structures feature rosewood flooring, maple window frames and floor trim, and artisan-made metal stairway railings, each with its own theme that exemplify two of the owners’ passions — wilderness and automobiles.

The homes are built to optimize the sunset with the floor-to-ceiling custom Bavarian-inspired windows in the living rooms of both residences facing southwest.

The windows are overlooking a three-acre clearing, which attracts a lot of wildlife including deer, bear, fox, turkey and ruffed grouse and other sport birds.

There are naturalistic flourishes to many light fixtures, hallway sconces and also a moose-antler chandelier.

“Everything was crafted in order to provide an authentic lodge experience. There’s an artisan made stairway railing in the main home with wildlife renderings,” Ottaway said. “If you really like exploration and riding trails, it’s a mecca for trail and horseback riding. You could easily put a barn and a fenced in riding pen and ride horses all day. It has more recreational ideals than just hunting.”

The stunning originality of the two residences are only matched by a location that is equally unique in its immersive and authentic wilderness setting.

A multi-acre clearing adjacent to the property creates a park-like feel, framed by massive hardwoods, a planted red pine forest, and features a custom fire pit that is the ultimate place for family gatherings at sunset.

The 80 private acres on site offer outstanding terrain for hunting or riding horses, and the land neighbors a state-maintained snow and ATV trail along its southern border.

“This is like a trail paradise,” Ottaway said. “You have the state snowmobile trail that brushes up against the southwest side of the property, seasonal roads, unmarked trails for a 20-mile radius, that are perfect for horseback riding, snowmobiles or ATVs.”

There are 1,500 acres of state forest directly adjacent to the estate’s south boundary, with pre-existing trails connecting the parcels, which allows for even greater exploration of the diverse ecology and indisputable beauty of this still-undiscovered, spectacular region of the Eastern U.P.

The property is only about a 20-minute drive from the quaint shorefront communities of Cedarville and Hessel.

It’s also only 25 minutes from the Chippewa International Airport, making it a destination for those seeking it as a vacation property, a roughly 45-minute drive northeast from the Mackinac Bridge, and 20 minutes from Lake Huron.

“You have the ability to access shops, restaurants, grocery stores, coffee shops and other services and also fly in and out of town close by as well,” Ottaway said. “For the final mile and a half drive into the property, you will not see a structure.”

Scroll down to see 10 of the images from the photo gallery for a glimpse inside this home to see why it’s MLive’s House of the Week.