Hey Slim, I think your best bets would be the Ausable or Manistee
Rivers. They are tame enough for novices and both have great overnight
opportunities. From Toledo Ohio where I live (one hour south of
Detroit) Grayling is 235 miles, 3 hours and 15 minutes, I do boogie on
the road, no stops no eating and no potty breaks. From Grayling you can
head west on the Manistee or east on the Ausable. You could launch on
the South Branch of the Ausable in Roscommon and pick up the main stream
on the second day.

I've done both and I think the manistee is a more wild and pristine
river, very few cabins over all while the Ausable is more built up. John

Rotation Slim wrote:
I am leading a group of Boy Scouts, looking for a canoe trip in Lower
Penninsula Michigan, Northern Ohio or even (close to Michigan)
Ontario.

Looking to do a lengthy trip, over 50 miles. Want it to be 4 or 5
days. Want to (to the extent possible) wilderness camp along the
river as we go.

We are supposed to travel only 3 hours from Metro Detroit (our
chartering organization puts us under that restriction, we can sneak
out to maybe 4 hours.)

Looking for as wilderness experience as possible, a little fast water
would be nice.