Book excerpt: From its humble beginnings as a trading route for Native Americans, Northern Michigan's Inland Route has become one of the most scenic and memorable voyages anywhere in America. As a series of interconnected lakes and rivers from Cheboygan to Conway, the Inland Route touches several Northern Michigan communities and links them through her winding rivers and vast lakes. After improvements to the waterway in the 1870s, bigger boats and log booms started drifting down the route; but what once was a necessity for fur traders and lumbermen, the meandering waterway soon blossomed with dozens of tourist boats, hotels, resorts, and cottages. The result was a memorable voyage filled with natural beauty, recreation, and socialization.