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The "Bear Den" Betsie river waterfront Guest home.

Photo gallery for The "Bear Den" Betsie river waterfront Guest home.

Property grounds
Outdoor dining
Outdoor dining
Outdoor dining
twin beds in the loft

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 6

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Dog-friendly
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Air conditioning
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View in a map
Thompsonville, MI
  • Place, Iron Fish Distillery
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Place, Crystal Mountain
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Place, Mountain Ridge Golf Course
    ‪9 min drive‬
  • Airport, Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)
    ‪52 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 2

2 Twin Beds

Main bedroom

1 Double Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden

About this property

The "Bear Den" Betsie river waterfront Guest home.

Beautiful Betsie river front guest home main house also at times available as well to rent .HOLIDAYS REQUIRE 3 NIGHT MINIMUM. Great riverfrontage for canoeing and kayaking or great fishing for steelhead in spring and Salmon in fall. only 5 miles from Crystal mountain ski and golf resort, great location to tour the wineries or do a fall color tour in northern Michigan. A beautiful short drive to Lake Michigan in Frankfort or head to Traverse City, get your exercise by climbing Sleeping Bear sand dunes such a great view from the top any time of year!
Main house also on property see booking @ Vrbo.com/3482644

Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

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About the neighborhood

Thompsonville

Located in Thompsonville, this vacation home is in the city center and on the waterfront. Crystal Mountain and Iron Fish Distillery are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Lake Michigan and Misty Acres Preserve.
View more Vacation Homes in ThompsonvilleOpens in a new window
Map
Thompsonville, MI

What's nearby

  • Iron Fish Distillery - 4 min drive - 2.2 km
  • Crystal Mountain - 7 min drive - 7.9 km
  • Mountain Ridge Golf Course - 9 min drive - 10.1 km
  • Michigan Legacy Art Park - 10 min drive - 10.8 km
  • Misty Acres Preserve - 12 min drive - 8.7 km

Getting around

  • Manistee, MI (MBL-Manistee County-Blacker) - 30 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Thistle Pub & Grill @ Crystal Mountain - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Rosie's Country Cafe - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Waffle Cabin - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Iron Fish Distillery - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪The Yurt - ‬13 min drive

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 38 out of 40 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 40 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 40 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 40 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 40 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jasmine

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
The cabin was very cute and clean The owner was amazing would definitely go there again
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kevin M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Setting

We really liked our stay here.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Steve F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful little gem

Very cute cottage. Family of four really enjoyed our stay. Would be happy to rent it again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Angie

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
The Bear Den was incredibly cozy. Perfect size for the three of us. Felt newer, was very clean and you can’t beat the peace and quiet. Check In/Out was super easy.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Carey A.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Get Away

Nice cabin in one of our favorite areas.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Response from VrboOwner on Jun 2, 2025
Great to have you guys at the bear den thanks for taking care of the place but you had a good time and hope you come back soon
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Daniel B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Cabin on the Betsie

We had a great time fishing and sightseeing the area. Close drive to Lake Michigan
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrea S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute cabin

We picked this cabin because it was pet friendly, close to the places we wanted to visit and also had good reviews regarding cleanliness. We had a good time and would recommend to others.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Cheryl

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very very nice updated cabin.Comes with everything you need.Great fishing too
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heather D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Always wonderful!!

We are becoming regulars here at the Bear Den!! Love the location and quaint atmosphere. Well appointed and so very relaxing. Ski weekends are made so much better staying here when we come up.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

PAT S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderfull Weekend

Had the opportunity to get away for a few days with close family. Cabin and location were perfect. Had everything we needed to enjoy exactly what we were doing. This will likely be a yearly get away as everyond had a great time!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2022
Response from VrboOwner on Aug 10, 2023
Pat and the group where great to have! I am glad your Grandfather had such a good time fishing too!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amber D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Lovely!

We had a wonderful time staying at the Bear Den! Cabin was very clean, super cozy and had everything we needed. Loved going down to the river to watch the salmon. Hope to be back again!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome!

Super cute cabin, very clean, and nice amenities. Close to the Crystal- would highly recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heather D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

3rd stay!!

We LOVE this property. We stayed 3 times this winter and loved each visit. So close to Crystal Mountain. The perfect cozy getaway for our family. We will be back again and regular guests next ski season.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Melissa L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Labor Day Getaway

Booked this for a fishing weekend with our 8yo son. It was perfect for the three of us. A 1 minute walk to the River, clean, large parking area for truck and boat super easy check in/check out. Would love to book again with extended family on the main house!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Drew L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very nice stay

Very nice cabin, just the right location for what we wanted to do in nw northern Michigan. Host was very communicative and even offered to purchase age appropriate board games for our younger children. Everything in the cabin functioned well and was nicely updated. Would definitely recommend.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Katherine

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
incredibly Clean, adorable, and surrounded by nature. close to alot of great towns and Crystal Mountain. The host was kind and responsive. Check-in was seamless. will definitely be back!!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heather D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Another GREAT visit!

We have stayed at the Bear Den multiple times for our ski weekends at Crystal Mountain and absolutely love this tiny home. Perfectly wonderful every time! Going again in 2 weeks. Can’t wait!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

DEBBIE B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very clean and cozy cabin. Our host Chris was very attentive and communicated exceptionally well! We had a lot of adventures since we are very familiar with the area and all the surrounding cities.The bonus was being on a beautiful stretch of the Betsie River. Hubby had some great salmon catches during our stay. Before leaving we were allowed to check out the big house that Chris rents out. That was a beauty. Probably get that one next time for more room and a better view of the river from the back deck.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michael B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fishing and Skiing

Very clean and comfortable. 7 minutes from Crystal Mountain. Beautiful stretch of the Betsie River. Beautiful renovated cottage.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amy Y.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family vacation

This sweet little cabin was perfect for our family of four. Cozy, clean, secluded and within a reasonable driving distance from everything we wanted to explore while in Michigan. Chris was great and gave us a ton of suggestions on places to go and things to try. Thank you for the memories!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Theresa S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Clean, new, perfect!

The cabin was really clean and everything in it is new or newer. Only 200 feet from the Betsie River with a well maintained path, we had fun fishing and wading. Pets are allowed and that made this an outstanding stay. Lots of things to do nearby. The owner Chris is a delight to talk to and is a great communicator when we were booking it.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on Jun 17, 2024
Oh thank you you guys are the reason it's it is enjoyable to rent out the bear den house and it was great talking you. Hope to see you guys again
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Heather D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

2nd visit - wonderful stay (again)

This is our second time to this little cabin in the woods. It is the perfect size for the 4 of us and so close to Crystal Mountain! Had a great time skiing and spent our evenings warm and toasty playing games and watching movies in the cabin. We are heading up again to stay in 3 weeks. Can’t wait!!
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Danielle C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Overall the cabin was perfect for a couple couldn’t imagine more than that maybe a couple small children. Peaceful quiet. Seating was limited in living room area and the recliner was broken so that was disappointing since we spent time inside due to the rainy weather. I would have loved to open the windows but there were no screens. Other then that the place was as perfect as it could be.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sherette M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very comfortable and impressive

Perfect cabin for my daughter and I and her 2 dogs. Very comfortable. All the amenities we needed. We floated in the river right on the property during the day and had a fire at night. We enjoyed our stay so much we're figuring out when we can go back. There's so much to do.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Sara W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute little cabin

My family of 3. Two adults and our 7 year old son had a wonderful time. We also had our 2 dogs with us. It is a cute little cabin nestled in the woods. Very peaceful! My son went fishing for the first time on the Betsie River and although he did not catch anything he had a great time! We would definitely book again!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023
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