Why visit West Branch
Townapedia lists 2 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 15 places to eat, 3 places to stay and 1 attraction in and around town.
Highlights include West Branch Cinema 3, Ogemaw County Museum, Irons Park and Tolfree Wellness Park.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; February lows average 10°F, and about 53 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in West Branch
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About West Branch
West Branch is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of and the largest incorporated settlement in Ogemaw County. The city had a population of 2,351 at the 2020 census, an increase from 2,139 at the 2010 census. West Branch is mostly surrounded by West Branch Township, but the two are administered autonomously.
From the Wikipedia article West Branch, Michigan (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do1
Museums and landmarks2
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Pat’s Pooch Park
Park · 0.6 mi
Fenced, off-leash dog area, divided into separate areas for large and small dogs.
Restaurants and cafes15
G's Pizzeria & Deli
Restaurant · Pizza
200 West Houghton Avenue, West Branch
Mo-Th 10:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-22:00; Su 11:00-20:00
Stone Mountain Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 0.8 mi
2091 South M-76, West Branch
Mo-Fr 06:30-17:00; Sa 07:00-16:00; Su 08:00-15:00
Sandbaggers Bar & Grill
Bar and pub · 0.7 mi
1905 South Fairview Road, West Branch
Mo-We 11:00-20:00; Th-Sa 11:00-23:00; Su 11:00-20:00
Tipsy Bear Bistro
Restaurant
503 West Houghton Avenue, West Branch
We 11:00-20:00; Th 11:00-20:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-21:00; Su 12:00-19:00
Colonial Village Bakery
Bakery
325 West Houghton Avenue, West Branch
Tu-Sa 05:30-14:00
Logger's Depot
Restaurant
314 West Houghton Avenue, West Branch
Mo-Su 09:00-24:00
The Harvest Grill
Restaurant
327 West Houghton Avenue, West Branch
Tu-Sa 08:00-14:00
Buck's Country Cookin'
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
105 Plaza Drive, West Branch
Cazadores Mexican Grill & Cantina
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
633 Court Street, West Branch
3 more on the map.
History
In 1875, a northerly extension of the Michigan Central Railroad was completed through present-day West Branch. The community, which originated as a station on the railroad, was named for its location near the west branch of the Rifle River, which flows southeasterly to Saginaw Bay, a bay of Lake Huron.
Ogemaw County was organized by an act of state legislature in 1873, with both West Branch and nearby Ogemaw Springs vying to become county seat. West Branch officially became the county seat in 1876. West Branch was incorporated as a village in 1885, and as a city in 1905.
From the History section of West Branch, Michigan on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship12
West Branch Seventh-day Adventist Church
Church · Seventh Day Adventist · 1.5 mi
2014 M-55, West Branch
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 0.7 mi
315 South Fairview Road, West Branch
First United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · 0.9 mi
2490 State Road, West Branch
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging5
Schools, colleges and libraries6
Alternative Educational Academy of Ogemaw County
School · 5.6 mi
2479 S M 76, West Branch
Healthcare6
DaVita Dialysis West Branch
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.5 mi
599 Court Street, West Branch
Wright Brace & Limb, Incorporated
Clinic and pharmacy · 0.5 mi
611 Court Street, West Branch
Map of West Branch
61 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 27°F | 10°F | 2.0 in | 14.7 in |
| Feb | 30°F | 10°F | 1.6 in | 11.7 in |
| Mar | 41°F | 19°F | 1.8 in | 6.9 in |
| Apr | 54°F | 30°F | 3.4 in | 2.9 in |
| May | 67°F | 42°F | 3.5 in | 0.1 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 52°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 80°F | 56°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 78°F | 54°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 71°F | 46°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 58°F | 36°F | 3.3 in | 0.3 in |
| Nov | 44°F | 27°F | 2.5 in | 3.8 in |
| Dec | 33°F | 18°F | 2.1 in | 12.6 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for W Branch 3Se (2 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
Ogemaw County has had 4 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for biologicals.
- 2026-06-30: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 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
Roscommon County Airport (HTL) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 22 miles away.
- St. Helen 10 mi northwest, about 17 min by car
- Prudenville 21 mi west, about 34 min by car
- Roscommon 23 mi northwest, about 37 min by car
- Gladwin 24 mi southwest, about 38 min by car
- Standish 25 mi southeast, about 39 min by car
- Mio 26 mi north, about 43 min by car
- Sand Lake 28 mi east, about 46 min by car
- Beaverton 30 mi southwest, about 48 min by car
- Au Gres 31 mi southeast, about 50 min by car
- Pinconning 32 mi southeast, about 51 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
- Downtown West Branch., Elevatorrailfan, CC BY-SA 4.0
Page built October 30, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.