Entire home

SPORTSMAN/COUPLES RETREAT. Close to Lakes, Rivers, & Beautiful Ludington

Lakefront cottage with kitchen and patio

Photo gallery for SPORTSMAN/COUPLES RETREAT. Close to Lakes, Rivers, & Beautiful Ludington

Exterior
Bathroom
Small bedroom
Full size bed in smaller bedroom
Large bedroom

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 6900 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Kitchen
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

View in a map
Custer, MI
  • Place, Pere Marquette River
    ‪5 min drive‬
  • Place, Amber Elk Ranch
    ‪18 min drive‬
  • Place, Ludington Waterfront Park
    ‪22 min drive‬
  • Airport, Manistee, MI (MBL-Manistee County-Blacker)
    ‪44 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Double Bed

Common area 1

1 Double Sofa Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden

About this property

SPORTSMAN/COUPLES RETREAT. Close to Lakes, Rivers, & Beautiful Ludington

Historic cottage, former Walhalla train depot. Very clean and recently renovated. In a shady setting within 2 miles of the Pere Marquette River (Branch, Walhalla, IndianBridge and Custer bridge access), 1000s of acres of National Forest, and 12 miles from Lake Michigan/Ludington. Plenty of space to park your boat, hang a hammock, yard space for kids to play.

Depot Cottage welcomes you. Great location for HUNTERS FISHERMAN and Canoeing/Kayakers !Enjoy the comforts of home at this 2 Bedroom, 1 Bath home located in the Huron-Manistee National forest.

This 2 bedrooms and 1 bath single family lodging located on 10 acres. It has a great circle driveway perfect for your truck, boat, or trailer. A nice patio sits off the kitchen. A peaceful location where you can sit & drink your morning coffee .
It includes 2 bedrooms. (Queen bed in bedroom in one and full bed in the other bedroom) The living room has a sleeper sofa.
Inside you will find a nice living room, reading nook & kitchen. A smart TV in the living room will allow you to use your phone as a mobile hotspot to access YouTube, Hulu, or login to your Netflix etc. NO Internet. Plenty of table space with both a kitchen table and another table in an additional room. Feel free to use the cooking utensils & other cooking supplies to cook your catch.
Did you forget something? Dollar General is just a 2 miles from your door. Need gas or quick supplies Pioneer Party and Gas station is just a mile away. Thirsty or hungry ? The Rendezvous Grille and Tavern is just a mile away & Cardinal Restaurant & Branch Grocery's Pizza is just down the road.
Depot Cottage is on US10, which is the main highway in the area. Ludington is located approx. 12 miles west & Baldwin about 15 miles east. This home is just minutes from many great fishing lakes & rivers. The Pere Marquette public river access for Fishing, Kayaking & Canoeing is just down the road. Many wonderful golf courses in the area.
Gas Stations, Stores, Restaurants, & Bars within a short distance from the cottage.
Thank you for considering staying at our cottage.

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Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 18
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 3 total)
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Return the keys
Please wash dishes.
Leave key on the kitchen table.
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is no carbon monoxide detector on the property, but there are gas appliances; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts

About the area

Custer

Located in Custer, this cottage is in a rural area and on a river. Amber Elk Ranch is a local attraction and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Huron-Manistee National Forest and Pere Marquette River. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and fishing nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hunting.
Map
Custer, MI

What's nearby

  • Pere Marquette River - 5 min drive - 6.8 km
  • Eden Lake - 15 min drive - 18.6 km
  • Amber Elk Ranch - 18 min drive - 21.3 km
  • West Michigan Fairgrounds - 18 min drive - 24.9 km
  • Ludington Waterfront Park - 22 min drive - 28.9 km

Getting around

  • Manistee, MI (MBL-Manistee County-Blacker) - 37 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Rendezvous - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪North Country Cafe - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Fin's Beach Club - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪Charlie's Bar - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Country Diner - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is SPORTSMAN/COUPLES RETREAT. Close to Lakes, Rivers, & Beautiful Ludington pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 3 total).

How much is parking at SPORTSMAN/COUPLES RETREAT. Close to Lakes, Rivers, & Beautiful Ludington?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at SPORTSMAN/COUPLES RETREAT. Close to Lakes, Rivers, & Beautiful Ludington?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at SPORTSMAN/COUPLES RETREAT. Close to Lakes, Rivers, & Beautiful Ludington?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is SPORTSMAN/COUPLES RETREAT. Close to Lakes, Rivers, & Beautiful Ludington located?

Situated on a river, this cottage is steps from Huron-Manistee National Forest and 1.5 mi (2.5 km) from Pere Marquette River. Dockery Lake and Mobey Lake are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 56 out of 70 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 12 out of 70 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 70 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 70 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 70 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Amenities

9.6/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jerry M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Awesome little place.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Claude F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We enjoyed our stay in this calm relaxing place with our dog Kiba. The cottage is as described.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jacob K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Property was amazing just like it is every time we come up....clean nice and cozy and in a great location to fish the beautiful pere Marquette River or just relax and unwind in Ludington just down the road.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Nan M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Loved the central location for the places we wanted to visit. Felt secluded
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Jarrett W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Had a great time but someone left salmon carcasses in the in the big ditch they started to stink
Stayed 9 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dean D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect. Exactly as advertised and was a wonderful stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Owen C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very pretty house, very nice kitchen and bedrooms no complaints. Was nice and quiet good vibes very homey felt like a home away from home
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Thomas O.

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

Wonderful hidden gem

Our family loved this place. Very clean and had everything dishes games 2 bedrooms etc. loved it
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Candace L.

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

Moms getaway

Nice small place, quiet but not too far from downtown ludington or beach
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brittney G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property is very nice and clean. The kitchen had everything we needed to prepare breakfast for the family. The property is very quiet and peaceful on a nice strip of nature. The host was also very responsive!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

LaDonna S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Kitchen space was good for 2 people. Comfortable living room. Would have been nice if TV had an antenna since there is no wifi. Beds were difficult to get into because they are not accessible from both sides, but queen bed was comfortable. Outdoor space was spacious, great for pets. No outdoor covered space in the event of rain. Be careful of parking spot, it's under walnut trees. If looking for a place to stay out of town, this is it. Advertised as an old depot, would have liked to see pictures of original structure.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kristy C.

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

Great location, cute place

Paul's place had everything we needed--comfortable beds, lots of kitchen supplies, and even a very friendly cat. Great location close to the Pere Marquette River, Ludington State Park, and a day trip away from Sleeping Bear Dunes. We had a great time here, and the boys even caught several fish in the river. Thanks for the tips on where to fish!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michelle A.

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

Fantastic Cabin

We stayed here the weekend of a large event at the fairgrounds. Plenty of room for Trailers. We had two trucks with two car trailers! Was nice to have a quiet place to come back to after a few busy days!
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Darron D.

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

Great location!

Nice cozy and quiet location. Will stay here again.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Jeff F.

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

Nice little cabin

We enjoyed our stay. Nice quiet little cabin not to far from ludington.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jacob K.

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

Amazing

Location is amazing and the cabin is so nice and cozy....prime location for all river anglers!!!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Derek P.

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

Weekend getaway

Great place to stay. Close to rivers for fishing and close to Ludington for shopping and site seeing.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Missy S.

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

Great hideaway

Love the location right on the main rd but back away from traffic. Hosts are great and cabin is always clean and well stocked. Will be staying again next trip up
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Harley

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Very nice clean, quiet property close to Ludington. It’s a great place to relax and there are plenty of DVDs after the sight seeing day is done.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Christina B.

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

Perfect escape

We love the quiet and abundance of wildlife that show up at this cabin. It's close to things we love to do and a short trip to Ludington.
Stayed 9 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Cpt_slap_a_hoe_7

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

Perfect fishing cabin

Paul made it easy for us to stay here overnight so we could be up early to get fishing!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Dirk H., Lansing, MI

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

Great location!

Great location near a lot of activities, nice house interior that felt modern. Great cell signal for working.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Keri M.

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

Memorial Day Weekend

Cute little cabin, perfect for a nice weekend getaway. The location is perfect
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jim D.

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

P.R. Fishing trip

We were meet by the son of the owner and he couldn’t have been nicer and more welcoming. Very clean and cozy
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Renee P.

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

Weekend in Ludington

Cabin was perfect for us. It was clean and the beds were comfortable. Hosts were great! My friend left her phone charger and they sent it to her without even being asked.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

About the host

Hosted by Depot Cottage

Host profile image

Languages:

English, French

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests