Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and The Upper Peninsula
Way up north is a land virtually untouched and untamed. It's an area of the country blanketed in pristine beauty and surrounded by the largest of the Great Lakes. Up here is known as the land of the Yooper and this article will spotlight a small sampling of the wonders of Upper Peninsula Michigan.
While I have always wanted to go to the UP, the time we went wasn't originally on purpose. The year was 2020 and we had a phenomenal trip already booked by February that year. I had so many exciting stops planned over a 12 day trip. Duluth, Minnesota, Voyageurs NP, Grand Portage NM, Isle Royale NP, Apostle Islands NL were all stops for this itinerary and I couldn't wait. Then 2020 happened...
With everything canceled, I looked into other possibilities and that's when I came up with the idea to head north from Cincinnati, up through Wisconsin, and into the UP. Despite the nonsense surrounding that year, our family hopped in the van, ready for adventure. We chose the first week of October in hopes of witnessing one of fall's premier events, fall foliage and it didn't disappoint.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
The National Park System has 3 national lakeshores. 2 are situated on Lake Superior while the 3rd is on Lake Michigan. I have been to 2 of these so far, Sleeping Bear Dunes being the other, and not only are both parks compelling, they offer 2 wildly different perspectives of the Great Lakes. Between the 2 however, Pictured Rocks is defined by substantially fewer crowds, especially during the period we visited, but don't be fooled into thinking it's a lesser visited park. A lot of people still make the trek up here in all seasons.
How to Get There
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located on the north-central side of the UP along the shores of Lake Superior. It is not close to any major cities. The closest city with an international airport is Green Bay, Wisconsin, about 3 hours south so be prepared to do some serious driving unless you're from the area. I fully endorse making the effort to visit this national treasure so don't let distance scare you.
The park has 2 visitor centers which unfortunately were closed the year we went. No passport stamp for us... While I can't speak much for either one, the visitor center for any park is always a good first stop to get acquainted with the details.
Munising Visitor Center https://maps.app.goo.gl/BuYStMEo94GHACtm9
Grand Sable Visitor Center https://maps.app.goo.gl/qV7WxAWRFfxprdab9
Entrance fees are $25 per vehicle for the week.
Website - https://www.nps.gov/piro/index.htm
Where Land and Water Meet
There is much to explore in the wilds of the Upper Peninsula where the cold waters of Lake Superior embrace the rugged shoreline of cliffs, beaches, and hardwood forests. Prepare yourself for an experience not littered with the scars of development, but rather the natural land as it has alway been. You will have many opportunities to enjoy the landscape here and I am excited to promote the beautiful area known as Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Camping
Photo credit: nps.gov
The park has 3 campgrounds within its boundaries. Little Beaver Lake Campground, Twelvemile Beach Campground, and Hurricane Ridge Campground. All of these campgrounds are very small with only 8, 36, and 11 sites respectively. This means competition can be fierce to reserve so plan well in advance.
We stayed at the Little Beaver Lake Campground and even though it only has 8 campsites, it was never full when we spent 3 nights here. I believe the cool days and cold nights kept the majority of people away and that was fine by us! Highs during the first week of October when we went were around 50 with lows in the 20s. Chilly, but not unbearable.
I don't have any personal photos of the campsite itself, but overall it was pleasant. The tent pad was too small for our oversized tent, but other than that, we didn't have any complaints. It's a primitive campground so don't expect much. The campground was a bit too tight for large RVs so the few other campers there either had a tent or a small camper. One of the highlights for us was an elderly couple across the way who also happened to be from Cincinnati. They brought their guitar and auto harp along and ended up entertaining the kids several times with their bluegrass music. They are talented and are 2 of the founding members of Carter Bridge, a Cincinnati based bluegrass band. You can check them out here https://www.carterbridge.com/home-1
Rates are $25 per night and the season is only from May 15th to October 15th. Also of note is that the 3 mile access road to the campground is pretty rough. It's a gravel/dirt road full of holes, downed branches, and blind curves. Use caution when traveling to and from.
Hiking
With 100 miles of trails to explore, you'll have plenty of excuses to get back out and see something new. Short, medium, or long, you can tailor your excursion based on your needs and abilities. At the time, we were traveling with young children so we were limited to shorter hikes of nothing over 3 miles. This didn't prohibit us from seeing many scenic and historic sights!
Au Sable Light Station
A classic hike along the mighty Superior will take you from the Hurricane Ridge Campground area to the Au Sable Light Station in just 1.5 miles one way. It's flat and very easy to navigate as you listen to the waves lap at the rocks below. The lighthouse at the end of the trail was formally in commission from 1874 to 1958.
When you get back to the parking area, the beach there is very picturesque with softball sized stones mixed in with the sand and trees virtually touching the water. This is also an excellent area for kids to throw rocks in the water.
Log Slide Overlook Trail
This might only be about a quarter mile long, but the views here are superb as you'll see Lake Superior from atop the large dunes, Grand Sable Dunes, and the point that the Au Sable Light Station sits. Once upon a time, loggers had built a chute here to slide the logs down to the lake so they could be floated across the water. Today, the only evidence of this activity is the huge equipment used for carrying logs.
Sable Falls Trail
At less than a half mile long, the only hurdle you'll encounter are the 168 steps to go down (and of course back up) to the falls and eventually the beach where Sable Creek flows into Lake Superior. A very pretty area especially with the changing leaves!
Little Beaver Nature Trail
I didn't bring the camera for this one, but it's a nice "hike in the woods" of just 1 mile which is right by the Little Beaver Lake Campground. It was a good time killer with the kids while dinner was being made. There were some very muddy areas in the low spots, but otherwise a nice hike.
Miners Castle and Miners Beach
Miners Castle is easily the most photographed viewpoint in the park and it's hard to argue why. It's not much of a hike per say, but you can go to a few overlooks spanning roughly a quarter mile distance. When the sun came out, the colors really popped and the water clarity really showed itself. You also get a nice view of the famous cliffs dropping into the water.
The views of the cliffs on Miners Beach are similar, just lower. This is a really nice sandy beach and not rocky at all like some of the other beaches. Still, when you go in October, beachwear consists of coats and long pants.
Munising Falls
This is yet another very short hike and you'll be rewarded with a nice 50 foot waterfall at the end of the trail. The hike can't get any easier to get to as it's right behind the Munising Falls Visitor Center in town.
Beaver Basin Wilderness Loop...Sorta
From the campsite, I did part of this trail hiking through the woods, past cool cliffs, watched the sunrise from Little Beaver Lake and continued on to Beaver Lake where the leaves were spectacular. I didn't have the time to complete the loop, but the out and back was still worth the effort.
Pictured Rocks Cruises
If you really want to experience this park, one of the best ways to do it is via boat and Pictured Rocks Cruises is the concessionaire that will make this a reality. I was really looking forward to this tour, however, our reservations were for our last full day at the park and I had received a phone call the morning of, that 9 foot swells were expected and all tours were being canceled that day. What a bummer. I received a full refund and we walked around their gift shop before finding something else to do.
There are a few different tours available at different price points and tours run from mid May to Mid October. Their classic cruise is $44 for adults, Kids 5-12 are $14, and under 4 are $1.
A pin can be found here https://maps.app.goo.gl/6WDFTUr6R6xqJC2Q6
Website - https://picturedrocks.com/
While the boat tour didn't work out, we decided to fill the day checking out some overlooks and beaches around Munising. The winds were ripping at 40 mph here causing large waves.
Then we went inland a little to Au Train Lake which is just west of Munising. The winds were drastically lower here, but there wasn't much going on at the lake. I had purchased a fishing license for the trip and I gotta say that the fishing at Au Train Lake is killer...
We finished the day up by watching the sun set over Superior.
Lakenenland
This is probably one of the more unique and unusual things to do in the UP. A local Yooper has been collecting scrap iron for 25 years now and makes artwork with the metals he finds and welds it together. He then displays it for the public, free of charge. You can take a stroll through the woods on a trail he has made with over 100 of his various creations sprinkled throughout the forest. Bizarre, comical, and everything in between is what you'll discover, but one thing is for sure, he's creative! Kids love running around and checking out the next sculpture just as much as the adults do. This is a must stop if you're in the area.
How to Get There
Located in between Marquette and Munising, it's an easy stop right off of M-28.
A pin can be found here https://maps.app.goo.gl/hum8qy2KJRCTt5dq5
Once again, admission is free and the property is open 24/7.
Website - https://lakenenland.com/
Lighthouses
With the Upper Peninsula being surrounded by the Great Lakes, it means lots of lighthouses! We didn't see many of them, but here are a few of the different ones you can visit while up here on both Lake Michigan and Lake Superior. Many different shapes, sizes, and styles abound. Some are open to the public while others you can only visit from the outside or afar. Mainland Michigan has so many more, but that’s for another time.
Official Food of The Upper Peninsula
Photo credit: daringgourmet.com
Ask anyone up north what their go-to food is and they'll likely say, a pastie. What is a pastie? Traditionally, this is what miners from Cornwall, England ate who immigrated to the UP area. It's essentially baked dough filled with beef, potatoes, onions, and veggies. There are various varieties and flavors for the adventurous, but most people, especially the locals, stick to the traditional form. We of course had to try them on our visit and ultimately ended up going to 2 places. My honest opinion is they aren't spectacular, but they are still pretty good.
Miners Pasty Kitchen
Photo credit: sharinghorizons.com
If you're in the Munising area, check this place out. They have a ton of different types here although we stuck with the original ourselves. They even have ice cream.
A pin can be found here https://maps.app.goo.gl/twkf7R8zgGotRyeC8
Lehto's Pasties
Considered one of the top places in the UP, Lehto's Pasties has been making these since 1947. You can't go wrong here and the service is friendly. Located in St. Ignace, just north of the Mackinac Bridge, this will likely be your first or last opportunity to snag one depending on if you're coming or going.
A pin can be found here https://maps.app.goo.gl/Bp7vAxUpp2GEY7tw6
Website - https://www.lehtospasties.com/
Conclusion
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is one of the wilder spaces of the Midwest and if you go once, you’ll want to go back. It really is an experience in its own class, but don’t take my word for it. Stop making excuses, get on up there and explore!
As always, B.E. Adventurous!