Torch Lake Cannabis Guide: Summer Vacation and Dispensary Planning

Getting from the lake to the store

Torch Lake is a large, deep inland lake in northern Michigan with clear water and sandy shores, and summer is the peak season. Distances to the store depend on where you are staying. Alden is about 13.5 miles by road from Olswell Kalkaska, and the community of Torch Lake is about 25 miles. Set your GPS to the store address from your lodging. The Olswell Kalkaska store page has hours and directions, and the driving guide covers the routes.

Where to stay

• Waterfront cottages and homes. Torch Lake has cottages and waterfront homes for weekly rental through Airbnb, VRBO and rental companies. Check each listing for current rates and rules.
• Kalkaska. Hotels, motels and vacation rentals in town work if you do not need lake frontage.

Before you book, confirm the property's cannabis policy. Some explicitly prohibit it, and others allow it in private areas. Read the listing and ask the owner.

Summer on the lake

• Paddleboarding and kayaking on calm mornings
• Boating along the shoreline
• Fishing
• Beach time on the sandy shores

The Sandbar is a shallow area where people anchor boats and gather in the water. It can be busy on summer weekends, so a weekday morning is quieter. It is a public place. No cannabis on the Sandbar and none on a boat. Michigan does not authorize public consumption, and nobody should be operating a boat after using cannabis.

Kalkaska itself has shops and casual places to eat, and there are smaller lakes and rivers nearby if you want a break from the big water.

Stopping at Olswell Kalkaska on the way in

The easiest approach is to order ahead on the Kalkaska live menu and pick up in store when you pass through. You pay cash at pickup, and there is an ATM on-site. Orders are held until the end of the business day. Olswell does not deliver. Inventory rotates, so check the live menu for what is in stock.

• Bring a valid government-issued photo ID showing you are 21 or older.
• First-time customers get 25% off their first visit.
• Kalkaska's Happy Hour takes 20% off the whole shop on Monday 5-9 PM and Thursday 9AM-1PM. If your trip includes one of those windows, you can plan around it.
• Weekly deals change, so check the live menu.

New to dispensaries? The first-time visitor guide for Kalkaska walks through the visit.

Using cannabis at the cottage

Michigan allows use on private property, not in public places. If you use cannabis during your stay:

• Do it only at your rental, never on a public beach, the Sandbar or a boat.
• Do it only after you are done for the day, with no boating, swimming or driving left.
• Start lower than you would at home. New settings and unfamiliar products can hit differently.
• Give edibles an hour or two before deciding you need more.
• Follow your rental's rules.

A sample long weekend

• Day 1. Arrive, pick up your order in Kalkaska, settle into the cottage.
• Day 2. Paddleboard in the morning, lunch at the cottage, beach or boat in the afternoon.
• Day 3. Fishing or kayaking, a picnic at a quiet beach, then pack up.

Keep the water days sober. Plan any evening use for the cottage once everyone is done for the day.

When to go

• Summer (June to August): peak season, busiest on the water and at the Sandbar. Book early.
• Fall (September to October): fall color and fewer crowds.
• Winter (November to February): cold and snowy. Most summer visitors are gone, and snowmobile riders arrive instead. See the Kalkaska snowmobile guide.
• Spring (March to May): cold water and unpredictable weather.

Your next step

Order on the Olswell Kalkaska live menu and pick up in store on your way to the lake.

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For adults 21 and older only. Must present valid government-issued photo ID. Please consume responsibly.

Sources: Michigan Cannabis Regulatory Agency