There’s A Creepy Abandoned Motel In These Woods Near Gaylord, Michigan

Imagine walking in the woods in a remote area of Michigan and you stumble upon an abandoned motel. It sounds like something out of a horror movie but it's actually a real thing. In the middle of the woods in Johannesburg, MI, near Gaylord, lies the remnants of the Echo Valley Resort. This was once a stay in the area but has long since closed. LostInMichigan gives a detailed description of this lost relic:

Hidden deep within the northern Michigan forest is an old stone motel style building. It looks as if it has not been used for a long time with the moss-covered steps and roof. The forest motel is the remains of the old Echo Valley Resort on Johannesburg Lake. It is in the back of what is now the Louis M. Groen Nature preserve near the town of Johannesburg. I did not go in the building as it was roped off with a no trespassing sign. Hopefully, the nature preserve will eventually be able to do something with the old building.

It's interesting to know that Mr. Groen, who the preserve is named after, was said to have invented the Filet-O-Fish sandwich for McDonald's in Cincinnati in 1961. Apparently, there are plans to restore the old sawmill that once was in operation as well. On the other side of the state, near Mattawan, someone discovered the old chimney in the middle of the Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery.

Editor's Note: Always respect private property rights and admire abandoned structures from public roads and rights-of-way.