After experiencing Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore along with the Leelanau and Mission Peninsulas near the ever popular Traverse City, Michigan, we bypassed Northern Michigan and headed straight to the famed Upper Peninsula.

Upper Peninsula (UP)

Our visit to the Upper Peninsula started when we crossed the Might Mac at the beginning of August 2023. There were many, many worthwhile stops so I won’t go into detail on all of them but the true HIGHLIGHTS were:

The town of Newberry was our first stop at the family owned Kitters Campground where we did day trips to the following:

Tahquamenon Falls State Park. The park is home to multiple campgrounds, overnight lodging facilities, a boat launch, more than 35 miles of trails and multiple overlooks to the Upper and Lower Falls. We opted to take the boardwalk path which is easy and pleasant. If it is a warm day, feel free to take a dip in the lower falls. The brewery within the park had tasty brews and some satisfying eats.

Also, while in this area be sure to check out Crisp Point Lighthouse, Grand Marais, Michigan where they have a beautiful hike called Blind Sucker Pathway and Whitefish Point Lighthouse at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.

Crisp Point Lighthouse was rather difficult to reach. It requires a 12 mile drive down a very rocky bumpy road, so be prepared. Once you are there, they have a nice parking area, a visitor center and of course the lighthouse that has a nice beach that you can walk for miles if you want. We waited around for the sun to set, and we were glad we did.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Munising. There are only three National Lakeshores in the United States; Apostle Islands in Wisconsin, Sleeping Bear Dunes and Pictured Rocks in Michigan. We hit 2 of them while in Michigan. We will see Apostle Islands in 2024.

Pictured Rocks is beyond describing with their sandstone cliffs, beaches, waterfalls, sand dunes, inland lakes, deep forest, and wild shorelines that beckon you to visit. The power of Lake Superior shapes the park’s coastal features and affects every ecosystem, creating a unique landscape to explore. 

Since Pictured Rocks is best viewed from the water, kayaking gives paddlers intimate views of the sandstone cliffs, sea caves and rock formations. We were able to fit in 2 separate kayaking trips during our 14-day stay at Munising Tourist Park Campground.

Trip #1 was through Pictured Rocks Kayaking for their 5-hour tour for $168 per person. This was definitely worth the expense.

Pictured Rocks from the Water in our own kayaks. We were able to find a day when the wind speed and direction was perfect for our own tour. We put in at Miners Beach and paddled 5-miles to Lovers Leap and then back. It was the PERFECT day!

While in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the following hikes & beaches were our favorites:

Hikes and Overlooks

Hurricane River to Log Slide Overlook. This is a marvelous and easy 7.5 mile out and back trail in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This trail leads you along through mature hardwoods to the western edge of the Grand Sable Dunes where logs once slid down to the lake. This overlooks Lake Superior, the Grand Sable Dunes and Au Sable Lighthouse. Rated 5-STARS by me!

Chapel Rock From the trailhead, hike 3 miles to Lake Superior to reach Chapel Rock and Beach, with views of Chapel Lake and beautiful Chapel Falls along the way.

Mosquito Falls and Chapel Falls Loop Trail is a 10.2 mile that combines several smaller hikes to encompass many different scenic spots along the shoreline. Highly recommend, the only difficulty is the mileage.

Castle Rock Overlook is a short paved wheelchair-accessible trail leads past interpretive exhibits to two breathtaking overlooks of Lake Superior and Grand Island. Stairs and a steeper trail lead to the lower overlook adjacent to Miners Castle. 

Beaches

Miners Beach is a beautiful, nearly mile-long stretch of sand and some rocks with a boardwalk leads from the parking lot through the jack pine forest and picnic area to a small platform overlooking the beach.

Mosquito Beach is a popular day-hike destination, about 4 miles roundtrip from the parking area at the end of Chapel Road. Beautiful sculptured sandstone terraces leading up to the higher cliffs are adjacent to this sand beach. The mouth of the Mosquito River is also here. 

Cruise Tours

Pictured Rock Sunset Cruise. This is a MUST! Check it out and you won’t be disappointed.

RipTide Ride. This 90-minute high powered tour is a perfect balance of nature and adventure! You’ll see 25 miles of breathtaking Pictured Rocks Cliffs along the Grand Island coastline. It is a blast you won’t soon forget!

Waterfalls

Waterfalls visits were plentiful in this area, just to name a few:

Sable, Au Train, Munising, Chapel, Wagner, Scott and Miners just to name a few of the beautiful falls within a short distance of Munising.

MARQUETTE

Just a mere 45 minutes from Munising, is Marquette located in the forested Upper Peninsula on the shores of Lake Superior, Marquette harbors a community distinguished by its natural surroundings, there is no shortage of outdoor adventure. After a day immersed in nature, Marquette’s charming and historic downtown, filled with local breweries, restaurants and shops lends the perfect spot to unwind and trade stories of adventure.

With a history deep in the mining of ore, their historic and still functioning Iron Ore Docks were fascinating.

Biking

If you like paved biking, the Iron Ore Heritage Trail is a multi-use 47 mile trail that passes through five towns, includes various terrain, views from historic mining areas, wetlands, follows the Superior Shoreline and is great for all skill levels. If off-road is your thing, Mike really enjoyed the Noquemanon Trail Network were just his speed as it caters to all skill levels. If you are more skilled and want of a challenge you would likely enjoy the Marquette Mountain system.

Tours

While in Marquette, we enjoyed a Mine Tour at The Cliffs Shaft Mine Mining Museum in Ishpeming that was the largest producer of hard specular hematite in the US. This was particularly interesting to Mike, who is an OSHA / MSHA instructor for safety so for him to witness the “safety” measures or lack thereof back in the day before such organizations, he was astounded.

Hiking

If your up to a spectacular hike, you won’t want to miss the Wetmore Shoreline Trail. This 3.6 mile out-and-back hike along the beautiful shores of Lake Superior features views of rocky shoreline, cliffs, and beautiful beaches. Most of this hike follows the North Country Trail through a forest that includes large pine trees. 

Another popular hike in the area is the Sugarloaf Mountain. This short but sweet 1.4 mile out-and-back scenic hike is popular among locals and visitors alike, for good reason. Standing at an elevation of 470 feet, Sugarloaf Mountain in Marquette, MI offers a unique rocky terrain and Superior views.

Moving North West, we made it to the famed

Keweenaw Peninsula

Beaches

Agate Beach Park is a lovely area to walk the beach and admire the agate rocks along the shoreline of Lake Superior.

Waterfalls

Waterfalls visits were plentiful in this area, just to name a few:

Agate Falls. Considered one of Michigan’s most picturesque waterfalls. A half-mile trail provides access to an observation platform with views of the top of the falls. The trail passes through a tunnel under M-28 and you can also view overhead railroad trestles.

Bond Falls. A popular waterfall is created as the middle branch of the Ontonagon River tumbles over a thick belt of fractured rock, dividing it into numerous small cascades. Total drop of the falls is approximately 50 feet. An accessible boardwalk with six viewing locations, roadside parking and picnic tables are available.

Canyon Falls is an impressive and easy to visit falls, and the gorge is quite impressive by Michigan standards. A scenic trail along the Sturgeon River to a series of rapids and small waterfalls before you reach Canyon Falls. “Grand Canyon of the UP”. The river slides nearly 30′ over a large chute of smooth black rock into a box canyon.

Hungarian Falls is a unique waterfall in that a local community fundraising project in 2013 kept part of it open to the general public. Hungarian Falls is located in Hubbell, Michigan not far from Houghton/Hancock and is separated into three different drops.  The upper falls and the surrounding 10 acres was put into a land trust that saved it from being bought up by a private party.  Now the waterfall is able to be seen by visitors and their posterity down the decades.

Historic Sites

Historic Sites for us included:

Fort Wilkens is a historical fort with a living history program, two 1860s lighthouses on Lake Superior. Well worth a look-see and is connected to a state park with a campground and trail system.

Calumet Mining Museum and Town. The Keweenaw Heritage Sites are official partners of Keweenaw National Historical Park, but are privately owned. Each site interprets and preserves an important aspect of the area’s copper mining history and provides a unique visitor experience.

Quincy Mine Historical Tour. Nestled in the quiet town of Hancock, MI. Part of the Keweenaw National Historical Park, Quincy Mine offers guests the opportunity to step back in time to the copper boom that swept through the area starting in the early 1840s. This was by far, the most interesting and in-depth tour we engaged in during our Michigan escapades. Highly advise.

Lighthouses

Our tour of Copper Country’s Keweenaw Peninsula Lighthouses included :

The current Copper Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1866. Located at the east point of the Harbor entrance, this lighthouse is now a part of the Fort Wilkins Park Complex.

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1851 as an octagonal brick tower with an attached dwelling. It is still an active light and the keeper’s dwelling is operated as a public museum. The Keweenaw County Historical Society operates a fascinating nautical and historical museum in the lighthouse and surrounding buildings.

Sand Point Lighthouse has guided ships through squalls and shoals throughout its colorful history. A fire in 1886 destroyed the structure, but the lighthouse was rebuilt and served the sailing public until its decommissioning by the Coast Guard in 1939. Today an electronic club light guides boats into the harbor, and the lighthouse has been restored as a maritime museum.

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park features 60,000 acres of old-growth forest, roaring waterfalls, Lake Superior shoreline, rivers, trails, and ridges, the park’s incomparable vistas make Michigan’s largest state park a popular destination for camping, hiking, snowmobiling, fishing and more. We took a day to traverse the popular Escarpment Trail and highly recommend this relatively easy 4.4 mile out-and-back hike with spectacular views.

Our last stop before, sadly, leaving the Upper Peninsula was a one night stay at Northland Outfitters Campground to visit Benny the Beard Fisher one of Thomas Dambo’s famed trolls made of recycled and repurposed materials. They are popping up all over the world making a hit and the quaint town of Germfask has one of their very own that draws fans from near and far.

In Closing

This encompassed our 36 days in the Upper Peninsula of the “Great Lake State”.

Our next stop would be the Northern Area just on the “troll” side of the Mighty Mac so be sure to check out that post for more interesting adventures that include the Northern Lights, Mackinac Island, Silver Lakes Sand Dunes and more.

If you’ve enjoyed these adventures, please tune in for more as our 2024 season will encompass Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Missouri and more!

Dream Big….Travel Far….Live Well

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