Why visit Kalkaska
Townapedia lists 1 museum or landmark, 6 parks and trails, 10 places to eat and 4 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Kalkaska Historical Museum and Twin Birch Golf Course.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 79°F; February lows average 10°F, and about 132 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Kalkaska
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Kalkaska
Kalkaska is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Kalkaska County. The village had a population of 2,132 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Kalkaska, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks1
Parks, trails and playgrounds6
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Restaurants and cafes10
Nico’s Pizza & Grinders
Restaurant · Pizza · 0.8 mi
606 North Cedar Street, Kalkaska
Mo-Su 10:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 10:00-23:00
Burger King
Fast food · Burger · 0.9 mi
812 North Cedar Street, Kalkaska
Mo-Th 06:00-23:00; Fr,Sa 06:00-24:00; Su 07:00-23:00
Where to stay4
All Seasons Resort
Motel and hotel · 0.6 mi
760 South Cedar Street, Kalkaska
Camp M'orr Campground
Campground · 1.4 mi
2231 Robinson Drive Northeast, Kalkaska
History
In 1872, Albert A. Abbott arrived here from Decatur, and the following year, platted his land and became the first postmaster. In 1874, Kalkaska became a station on a new Pennsylvania Railroad line from Walton to Petoskey. Today, this line is part of the Great Lakes Central Railroad.
On July 5, 1908, a fire began in the middle of the business block and burned most of the stores. Local photographer E. L. Beebe took a number of photographs of the fire; the resulting postcards were widely sold and can still be found today. Two years later, another fire started in downtown Kalkaska. Again, in 1925, downtown Kalkaska was devastated by the largest fire since the fire of 1908.
In 1916, noted author Ernest Hemingway visited and fished in Kalkaska, and later immortalized the town in his story "The Battler". A historical marker has been placed at the nearby Rugg Pond, on the Rapid River, where Hemingway reportedly fished one night from the power house.
From the History section of Kalkaska, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship14
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 1.2 mi
1128 North Cedar Street, Kalkaska
Coldsprings Christian Fellowship
Church · Nondenominational
532 South Cedar Street, Kalkaska
Shopping2
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries7
Healthcare2
Map of Kalkaska
52 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26°F | 11°F | 2.0 in | 38.3 in |
| Feb | 28°F | 10°F | 1.5 in | 24.8 in |
| Mar | 38°F | 16°F | 1.7 in | 13.7 in |
| Apr | 51°F | 29°F | 2.9 in | 6.8 in |
| May | 65°F | 41°F | 3.3 in | 0.7 in |
| Jun | 75°F | 51°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 55°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 77°F | 54°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 70°F | 46°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 56°F | 36°F | 4.2 in | 1.0 in |
| Nov | 42°F | 27°F | 2.9 in | 17.1 in |
| Dec | 31°F | 18°F | 2.2 in | 29.7 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Kalkaska (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Kalkaska County has had 5 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2025-07-22: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-27: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2005-09-07: Hurricane Katrina Evacuation (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Antrim County Airport (ACB) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 18 miles away.
- Elk Rapids 16 mi northwest, about 25 min by car
- Bellaire 17 mi north, about 27 min by car
- Traverse City 21 mi west, about 33 min by car
- Grayling 24 mi east, about 38 min by car
- Chums Corner 24 mi west, about 38 min by car
- Central Lake 24 mi north, about 38 min by car
- Greilickville 24 mi west, about 39 min by car
- East Jordan 30 mi north, about 49 min by car
- Boyne City 34 mi north, about 55 min by car
- Cadillac 36 mi south, about 57 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Kalkaska, Gpwitteveen, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kalkaska, MI village hall, Notorious4life ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC0
- Kalkaska Township (Kalkaska), MI, Notorious4life ( talk ) ( Uploads ), CC0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.