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Isle Royale National Park
Address: 800 East Lakeshore Drive
Houghton, MI 49931
Phone: 906-482-0984
Fax: 906-482-8753
Overview. Isle Royale National Park is a lush, green island surrounded by the cold and sometimes unforgiving waters of Lake Superior, and its remote wilderness is untouched by cars, roads, or a lot of modern conveniences. Visitors come to the island to get away from the din of city traffic and the frenetic pace of modern life. The park receives fewer people in one year than Yosemite does in a day, but don't let this statistic fool you. During the peak season, backpacking trails can be crowded because visitors stay longer at Isle Royale than they usually do at more visited parks. The park is difficult to get to, demanding at least a day's travel time, so you should expect to stay a few days to get your effort's worth.
The 8.5-mile-wide, 45-mile-long island is home to hardwood and evergreen forests, wetlands, numerous inland lakes, fox, moose, and timber wolves. Although wolf sightings are very rare, soulful howls can sometimes be heard late at night and are an unforgettable experience for campers. The wolves and moose have been the subject of a 45-year ecological study; researchers have found that Isle Royale's self-contained ecosystem is a perfect place for scientific study. It is a U.S. Biosphere Reserve under the Man and Biosphere program, and 99 percent of its land area is designated wilderness.
What to see and do. If backcountry solitude and natural, rugged beauty appeal to you, this is the ideal place for hiking, backpacking, and camping. Located off of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the island is accessible by boat or floatplane, and the two entrance points are at Rock Harbor, at the northeast end, and Windigo, on the southwest end. Rock Harbor is the larger of the two and slightly more developed with a restaurant, lodge, supply store, showers, and laundry facilities. There is no lodging available in Windigo, but a small store sells provisions and camp supplies. Canoe and outboard rentals, showers, and laundry are available at both locations.
Day trips to the island are possible, but a two- to four-day backpacking trip is the best way to appreciate this remote wilderness. Hikers find 165 miles of trails crisscrossing the island, and individual and group campsites are available along the trails. All camping on Isle Royale is backcountry. No RVs are allowed on the island. Another way to get around the island is via the Grand Portage ferry, Voyageur II, which makes several stops. Ask about the schedule at a visitor center. Leeches make swimming in the inland lakes unpleasant, and Lake Superior is generally much too cold.
You can also experience Isle Royale from the water, either in a sailboat anchored offshore or by canoeing or kayaking along narrow inlets or inland lakes. If scuba diving is your interest, you might want to explore any one of ten sunken ships.
Note: According to the National Park Service, Lake Superior can create an unstable, unpredictable climate, and rough weather might delay transportation to and from the island. Be sure to allow extra time before and after your trip.
Keweenaw National Historic Park
Address: PO Box 471
Calumet, MI 49913-0471
Phone: 906-337-3168 or 800-338-7982
Fax: 906-337-3169
Overview. Situated on Lake Superior, the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan is said to have a 7,000-year-old mining heritage, the oldest in the western hemisphere. This area helped to foster the Industrial Age in America: rich, abundant supplies of copper were available for electrical and communications systems, as well as other modern developments. Today, many descendants of the first miners still live here and offer their stories to park visitors. The park consists of 1,700 acres in two units; most of it is privately owned. Keweenaw was designated as a historic park in 1992, and its development is ongoing. Public areas are limited and will include visitor and interpretive centers; property owners who want to start preservation projects on their land are eligible for government grants. The Park Service predicts that this private-public relationship will become more common at historic parks and sites in the future. What to see and do. The Keweenaw Tourism Council, located in downtown Houghton and in Calumet, currently provides information to visitors on behalf of the Park Service. At this time, there are no interpretive centers or visitor facilities, but there are "cooperating sites" operated by a variety of public and private organizations, which tell several parts of the copper mining story. Nature lovers can take advantage of the many hiking and cross-country skiing trails that are available at Porcupine Mountains, Ft. Wilkins, and McLain state parks. These parks are also cooperating sites, and they have modern campgrounds. In the Houghton-Hancock area a traveler's information radio station provides information on current activities at the park, throughout the Keweenaw Peninsula, and at Isle Royale National Park. It can be found at 1610 on the AM dial. The climate tends to be mild here year-round, even during abundant snowfall. Transitional seasons are brief; nights tend to be cool in summer. It's best to dress in layers; call ahead for a weather report.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
PO Box 40
Munising, MI 49862
Phone: 906-387-3700 or 906-387-2607
Fax: 906-387-4025
Overview. Multicolored sandstone bluffs sculpted by wind and the waters of Lake Superior rise 50 to 200 feet above this lakeshore park. Weathered into spires and towers with castle-like crenellations above and shallow underwater caves below, the cliffs extend for 15 miles along the northern coast of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, leaving over 25 miles of beaches and sand dunes for swimming, fishing, and hiking. Dense hardwood forests, historic lighthouses, and a host of waterfalls add to the attraction of this remote and beautiful park. Offshore, divers can explore the underwater caves and remarkably well-preserved shipwrecks protected by the Alger Underwater Preserve. Every season brings with it a fresh perspective along the Upper Peninsula lakefront. Spring blankets the park with wildflowers, while the lush verdure of summer rarely gives way to uncomfortable heat. Autumn paints the trees in colors to match the rocks, and an average snowfall of 200 inches covers the park with a quiet mantle of white, perfect for winter sports. What to see and do. Stop by one of the visitor centers and acquaint yourself with the lakeshore's many recreational activities. If your plans include a backcountry hike, this is the place to get your permit. The visitor center in Munising is operated jointly with the Hiawatha National Forest and is open year-round, Monday through Saturday from 9 AM to 4:30 PM. Sunday hours are added between May and October, and the center stays open later in the day. Grand Sable Visitor Center, near Grand Marais, is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10 AM to 5 PM, and park headquarters in Munising is open on weekdays from 8 AM to 4:30 PM, year-round. The Grand Marais Maritime Museum is open as staffing permits. Swim or boat along the shore of Lake Superior, or at one of the many lakes and streams farther inland. Fishing and hunting are permitted with the proper state license. Hikers can choose from short self-guided nature trails to the 42-mile-long stretch of the North Country National Scenic Trail that passes along the shore. Primitive campsites are located at two to five mile intervals along this trail; you'll need a backcountry permit to camp there. Shorter trails lead to beautiful waterfalls and secluded forest glades. The Pictured Rocks that give the lakeshore its name may be reached on foot or over a paved road to a lakefront overlook. One of the best ways to see them, though, is from the lake itself. Private companies offer sightseeing boat tours from Munising daily between June and October. Private companies also offer boat rides out to the Alger Underwater Preserve for scuba divers who want to explore the fascinating world beneath the surface of Lake Superior. The caves along the Pictured Rocks are shallow and easy dives, and several shipwrecks, such as the schooner Bermuda (1870) and the steamer Smith Moore (1889), provide divers with a glimpse of the lake's unpredictable power. Winter activities include cross-country skiing on over more than 20 miles of groomed trails, snowshoe hiking, ice fishing, and winter camping. There are three campgrounds in the park, operated on a first-come, first-served basis. There are no hookups, but water and vault toilets are provided. There are no food or lodging concessions in the park; the local communities of Munising and Grand Marais provide these amenities.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Address: 9922 Front St M-72
Empire, MI 49630
Phone: 231-326-5134
Fax: 616-326-5382
Overview. Shifting sand dunes, 400-foot-high bluffs, remote islands, calm rivers, and dense forests make this park, along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, a recreational paradise. Named by the Ojibway, who fancied the mounds of sand resembled a mother bear grieving for her cubs whose graves were North and South Manitou islands, massive Sleeping Bear Dunes comprises only a portion of the 35-mile coastline protected by the park. The combination of bluff and beach ensures both scenic beauty and coastside fun, while the placid waters of the Crystal and Platte rivers increase the recreational options. Access to a historic lighthouse, submerged shipwrecks, and local museums adds a dash of culture into the mix.
What to see and do. Outdoor enthusiasts can indulge in all types of activities at this lakefront park. Swim at the lakeshore or in the rivers, where canoeing and inner tubing are also popular pastimes. Several inland lakes provide additional opportunity for swimming and other water sports. Fishing and hunting are allowed with the proper permits. Hikers will find a wide variety of trails both on the mainland and on the two uninhabited islands. In winter, 55 miles of trails are available for cross-country skiers. You'll want to tackle the somewhat strenuous Dune Climb for the challenge and the breathtaking view from the top.
In season, drive along the seven-mile Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive and visit the Maritime Museum and the Cannery Historic Boat Museum in Glen Haven, open between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The park maintains two campgrounds that operate on a first-come, first-served basis and offer a range of amenities, from fairly primitive sites with vault toilets to more modern arrangements with electrical hookups and coin-operated showers. The campgrounds are open from May to November. Modern campsites are available year-round. The visitor center features exhibits on the area's natural and human history, and a short slide presentation. It is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer, to 4 p.m. the remainder of the year, and is closed on off-season holidays. A bookstore is located near the Dune Climb. Leashed pets are permitted.
North and South Manitou islands are accessible by private boat year-round, and by ferry from Leland daily between May and October. There is a lighthouse, museum, and small visitor center on South Manitou Island. The ferry concessionaire offers vehicle tours of the South Manitou Island historic farming district. Scuba divers can search the waters surrounding the islands, part of the Manitou Passage State Underwater Preserve, for remains of shipwrecks such as the Walter L. Frost (1905) and the Francisco Morazan (1960), which lie directly off the coast of South Manitou Island.
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