A genuinely unusual stop near Cadillac with 15 tree species and a zip line alongside the petting zoo -- both cut-your-own and choose-and-cut are offered, and the season reportedly starts unusually early, in the first half of November.
Dutchman Tree Farms, near Manton and Cadillac, stands out in this batch for sheer variety – both in what it grows and in what there is to do once you’re there. The farm’s own site lists 15 tree species, a number well beyond the typical four-or-five-type lineup at most regional U-cut lots, including several spruce and cedar varieties (White cedar, Eastern red cedar, Serbian spruce, Colorado spruce) that don’t show up on most other farms in this list at all.
Unlike most farms in this batch, which pick one model or the other, Dutchman offers both cut-your-own and choose-and-cut. That flexibility is worth knowing about if different members of your group have different preferences – one person can grab a saw while another opts to have staff handle it.
A zip line and a petting zoo set this farm apart from a simple cut-and-go operation, positioning it closer to a family destination than a quick errand. Wagon rides and a Santa visit round out the on-site activities, and hot cocoa is available too. If you’re building a full day around the tree-cutting trip rather than squeezing it in, this is one of the more activity-rich options in the northern Michigan cluster.
A regional Traverse City-area parenting guide put the 2025 opening date around Thursday, November 9 – well before Thanksgiving, and notably earlier than most farms in this batch, which typically open the weekend after the holiday. If that pattern holds, this could be a good option for visitors who want to get an early tree without competing with the post-Thanksgiving crowds that hit most other farms. We can’t promise 2026 repeats that exact date, but it’s a real, sourced data point rather than a guess.
The farm’s hours run Thursday through Saturday, 9am to 7pm – there’s no confirmed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday access in what we found. If your available time to visit falls outside that three-day window, this farm won’t work for your schedule without further confirmation.
No pricing was published for trees, and nothing indicates whether the zip line carries its own fee separate from the tree purchase. Both are worth a direct question to the farm before you build a budget around this stop.
For sheer variety – in tree species and in on-site activities – this is one of the standout entries in the northern Michigan batch. Build your visit around the Thursday-Saturday window, and go early in November if the described opening date holds, to beat the bulk of the regional rush.
Thursday-Saturday, 9am-7pm, starting as early as Thursday, November 9 based on a 2025 secondary-source estimate -- notably earlier than most farms in this batch, which tend to open around Thanksgiving weekend.
2-2.5 hours if you add the zip line and petting area to a tree cut; 1 hour or so for a simple cut-and-go
Because the farm's hours only cover Thursday-Saturday, all visitor traffic concentrates into those three days. An early-November opening, well ahead of the traditional post-Thanksgiving rush, may mean the first couple of weeks are quieter than later in the season.
Not specified in available sources.
Not specified. A zip line and petting area suggest a larger, more spread-out property than a basic tree lot.
you specifically want a farm open beyond Saturday -- the published schedule only covers Thursday through Saturday, with no Sunday-Wednesday hours found.
Little E's Trees, also in Manton, is a much smaller, lower-key alternative nearby if you want to contrast a big attraction farm with a simple neighborhood lot.
Both options are offered here -- the record lists this as both cut-your-own and choose-and-cut, so you can choose which experience you want.
An unusually wide list of 15 species per the farm's own site, including Black Hills spruce, Balsam fir, Blue spruce, Concolor fir, Douglas fir, Fraser fir, Grand fir, Scotch pine, White pine, White spruce, Colorado spruce, Norway spruce, Serbian spruce, White cedar, and Eastern red cedar.
Yes, along with a petting area, wagon rides, and a Santa visit, based on the farm's own site and a regional roundup. Whether the zip line has a separate cost wasn't specified.
A 2025 secondary source put the opening around Thursday, November 9 -- notably earlier than the Thanksgiving-weekend start typical of most farms in this batch. Confirm current-season dates before planning around this estimate.
2026 dates had not been published when we last checked. In past seasons it has run: Thu-Sat 9am-7pm starting Thu Nov 9 (2025 pattern per secondary source). Check with the farm before driving out.
Pricing was not published when we last checked.
Yes. It's cut-your-own and choose-and-cut (staff cuts it for you).
9689 W Walker Rd, Manton, MI 49663, in Wexford County. It is one of 11 farms we track in Northern Michigan.
We track 11 farms in Northern Michigan, 8 of which let you cut your own tree. The farm has not published a starting price, so it cannot be compared on cost — call before you budget.
What sets it apart locally: it has a cocoa or cider stand, a petting area, a hayride or sleigh ride, which most Northern Michigan farms on our list do not.
One caveat worth repeating: this farm had not published its 2026 dates when we last checked, while 1 of the 11 farms we track in Northern Michigan had. Treat any date you see elsewhere as last year's until the farm confirms it.
There are 2 other farms we track in Wexford County. All Northern Michigan farms →
Map pin is set to the town centre. Navigate to the street address above, not the pin.
dutchmantreefarms.com · myupnorthkids.com
Checked August 2026.