Upper Peninsula of Michigan

Growing up in suburban Chicago we frequented lake Michigan, whether is was hanging out at Glencoe beach or going out to hook that big Coho Salmon. The state of Michigan was never on my radar screen, in fact all I really knew about Michigan was Detroit and who wants to go there (no disrespect to any local Detroit residents). Besides, we would have to go through Gary Indiana to get there. So naturally when people in my RV traveling circle started talking about how nice Michigan is I thought nay that’s not for me. Then an RV rally brought us to northern Indiana and we had a couple of weeks afterwards before we were scheduled to be in New England, so we figured let’s see what all the hype is about and headed to the U.P. of Michigan.

Let me start by saying that driving the RV across the 26,372 feet of Mackinac Bridge was probably the scariest RV driving experience I’ve had. It’s High, it’s long and its narrow. Oh, did I mention the whopping 18″ tall guardrail? But we made it, and it didn’t take too long for the color to appear back in Shannon’s face.

Anyway, we made three stops in the U.P. along the shores of Lake Superior, covering the Pictured Rocks, Porcupine Mountains and the Tahquamenon Falls/Mackinac Island areas. So, was it worth it? Well, I guess, you’ll have to keep reading to find out.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Our first stop was outside of Munising at a small RV park in Christmas Michigan. Munising is one of those big small towns so offered convenience for just about everything we could need. It also put us a very short distance to the entrance of the Pictured Rocks region. Although most of the 45 mile road traverses just inland from the shore, there are multiple access roads to get to the lakeshore. It can be difficult seeing it all in a day, especially if you’re hiking, so its best to split this up over a couple of days or so if you have the time. Our first stop was right to the popular Miners Castle overlook, but on the way we stopped at Sand Point Beach. I immediately realized that I grew up on the wrong side of the Great Lakes. Beautiful soft sand beaches lead to crystal clear waters, where you can walk out onto the sandbars. It was nice to take our shoes off and get some good beach time, but it was time to move on.

Miners Castle is probably the most iconic spot of the Pictured Rocks. I thought I was transported to the Caribbean somewhere. This was not the Michigan I expected. The turquoise water encased in a crescent bay of tall rock cliffs is one of the most beautiful sites of anywhere we have been. And if that wasn’t enough, a short hike takes you to a magnificent waterfall.

The beauty certainly doesn’t end at Miners Castle. The entire 40 miles of lakeshore offers sprawling sand beaches, cliff edge overlooks, waterfalls, sand dunes and multiple hiking options. However, you still can’t get the full appreciation of just how beautiful the Pictured Rocks are, until you see them from a boat.

A sunset cruise along the same shoreline that we explored from land was next. It’s always interesting seeing where you where on land and then getting the water perspective. This was special because we were up close and personal with the amazing tall cliffs and could appreciate the colors and why they call them the Pictured Rocks, even on somewhat of a cloudy afternoon. There is just so much more to see from the water that can’t be seen from land. The captain and crew of Pictured Rocks Cruises made this a memorable experience

We took a side trip to Kitch-iti-kipi, about 45 miles south of Munising, near the northern shores of Lake Michigan. This is a small natural spring literally at the end of the road in a very remote area. A raft is constructed on a pully system which allows for a self-served tour back and forth across the spring. The crystal clear 40-foot turquoise waters are amazing. You can watch all the fish and the 45-degree water coming up from the spring as you traverse back and forth. We appreciate the original owner of this land donating the site to the state to be enjoyed by all.

We all like those quirky stops along our travels from time to time. We found a really cool one called Lakenenland, approximately halfway between Munising and Marquette. It is a heck of a metal art display, and very entertaining. Most of it is a drive through tour but some areas to walk as well. Definitely a worthwhile stop.

A trip to the Pictured Rocks would not be complete without a stop at Cap’n Ron’s Fish ‘N’ Chips. This roadside food truck in Munising serves up the freshest Whitefish and Walleye in the area, and it is wonderful.

Porcupine Mountains

Our next stop in the U.P. was about 150 miles to the West in Ontonagon, our access to the Porcupine Mountains. Although only 150 miles away, this area couldn’t be more different from Pictured Rocks, but in a very good unique way. This area of the state is much more remote and although the Porcupine Mountains is a state park, it was not very crowded. This makes sense since the U.P. contains 29% of the land area of Michigan but only 3% of its total population. The lakeshore is absent of rolling sand dunes and replaced with beautiful colored rocks. We found the water to not be quite as clear in this area, but that could have been from the current weather conditions.

Clearly the highlight of the Porkies (as the locals call them) is Lake of the Clouds. We took the Escarpment trail which traversed across sheer cliffs and provides amazing views of the lake below. You do feel like you’re in the clouds. As a preview, or to cheat if hiking isn’t your thing, you can take the road to the end where there is a scenic overlook. However, the hike is so much more gratifying.

There are so many great hikes and waterfalls in the park. We really enjoyed the Presque Isles area and the West River Trail. Its a beautiful hike with a series of three waterfalls rolling streams, and a lot of stairs to climb. Another must do in the Porkies is the Summit Peak. This is a short trail to an observation tower which you can climb to the top of. The views of Lake Superior and the surrounding areas is amazing.

As a side trip we drove up to the Keweenaw Peninsula to check our Hungarian Falls. This was a bit of a scavenger hunt trying to find the trail head, which we finally did down a remote gravel road. We almost threw in the towel on this one but we were glad we didn’t. It ended up being a very cool hike with a series of three waterfalls, which we and the dogs loved. We were able to climb down into the middle falls where there is a small pool of water which provided a great swimming hole for the dogs. It made for a long day, but we were glad we did it. The dogs took a nap on the way back to the campground.

Although there’s not much in the town of Ontonagon, we did love the Olde Swing Bridge Roasters. It’s a really cool gift shop with fresh roasted coffee. We met the owner and he gave me a tour of his coffee roasting room and explained the whole process. Very impressive. And the coffee was amazing.

Tahquamenon Falls, Sault Ste. Marie and Mackinac Island

Our third and final stop in the U.P. was in the far eastern area to check out Mackinac Island, the Tahquamenon Falls and Sault Ste. Marie and the Soo Locks. We set up camp in the Brimley/Bay Mills area which was central to our intended targets.

We were again delighted with great views of Lake Superior and the Canadian shoreline across Whitefish Bay. The best views of all came from the Mission Hill Cemetery Scenic Overlook, up a winding road, a short distance from Bay Mills. The Point Iroquois Lighthouse was also very picturesque and seemed like something you would see in Cape Cod rather than Michigan.

The Soo Locks in Sault Ste. Marie are really something to see. This is one of the busiest waterway systems on the planet and to see how the water level is raised and lowered by 21 feet in the locks to allow large cargo ships to traverse the St Mary’s River between Lake Huron to Lake Superior is quite magnificent. Speaking of ships, there’s a bulk cargo ship, Valley Camp, in port that has been turned into a museum that you can tour. This was a lot of fun and educational, touring everything from the engine room to the captain’s quarters. There’s also a lot of memorabilia of the Edmund Fitzgerald tragedy. For a better vantage point of the entire Sault Ste Marie area, take in the view from the 210-foot Tower of History. Yes, there is an elevator. After some fresh fish at the Lock View Restaurant, we called it a day.

We heard a lot about the Tahquamenon Falls and wanted to see them for ourselves. They are so unusual with the copper-colored water due to the cedar-stained effect. You can spend quite a bit of time exploring the falls. The upper falls area is where the larger 200-foot-wide falls with a 48-foot drop are located. There are boardwalks to get close and stairs to get an even better vantage point. Down the road is the lower falls, or actually a series of several falls. This area is stunning and you can hike along the paved paths and onto a small island to enjoy the beauty from many vantage points. These falls are something special and can be enjoyed by everyone.

Last but certainly not least, is our trip to the historic Mackinac Island. It might only be 3.8 square miles of land but there is a lot of history and nostalgia in this little island along the eastern edge of Lake Huron. To get there you will have to take a short ferry ride from either St. Ignace on the U.P side or from Mackinaw City on the southern side of the bridge. You won’t need your car, rather you can’t bring your car, because automobiles are not allowed on the island. Once you reach the island you feel like you’ve taken a big step back in time. There are three means of transportation: your feet, a bicycle, or by horse drawn carriage. Even the Amazon packages get delivered by horse drawn carriage!

We started out touring on foot with the clackity clack of horses drawn carriages passing by. There are so many historic places to see, so you will need a full day here. We did a tour of the Grand Hotel which was magnificent, including its 660 foot porch, the largest in the world.

The best way to see the rest of the island is by bicycle, which there are plenty of places to rent. It’s an 8-mile trip around the island and you don’t have to worry about cars! there are plenty of places to stop along the way and take in the view, but none better than Arch Rock. You’ll have to climb a number of stairs to reach it, but the view of this geological feature is amazing.

Mackinac Island is truly a special place and we have been told the best experience of its natural charm comes in the evening when the last ferry has departed and crowds are gone. Maybe next time we will spend the night.

TIP: Take the Mighty Mac trip to Mackinac Island. It costs the same but it takes a more indirect route and goes under the Mackinac Bridge. They only do this trip at certain times of the day so check the Shepler’s Ferry schedule.

Although not in the U.P., I would be remised not to mention Sleeping Bear Dunes. These natural dunes on the northeastern shores of Lake Michigan are incredible. On your way to the U.P., stop in the area for a few days and check out the dunes and surrounding areas, maybe even search for some Petoskey stones.

Our only regret with the U.P. of Michigan was not spending more time there, so yes it was certainly worth it. We might just come back again and spend a month or two… in the summer months of course.

Be sure to check out all of our pictures of the U.P. of Michigan