Writing about Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in one post is like trying to load your pockets with too many beautiful seashells – each is special, and you don’t want to leave any behind, yet you know there are some that aren’t going to make the cut. Another day, another time.
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I’m going to give you snippets, tips and highlights of our trip. There may very possibly be a follow up article going into more depth about the various destinations.
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Family Travel Memories
We traveled to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.) this summer in our camper, staying at Harvest Hosts locations and at an RV campground. It was an extra special experience because we had three generations taking in the sights together. My aunt joined my husband, son, and me and we all got to hike, kayak, and explore our way through Michigan’s northern wilderness, creating lasting memories.
Harvest Hosts is a unique program just for RV campers. Your yearly membership gives you access to over 4000 different locations across the United States: farms, wineries, breweries, museums, and businesses. You typically don’t have access to water or electricity but the big perk is it’s FREE to stay. The businesses do ask that you purchase something from their place in exchange for parking your camper. We love it because it gives us a great place to hang out in the evenings or grab something early in the morning depending on the location. You can use my referral code and get 15% off your first year’s membership!
Important Tips
Tip #1 Buy a Michigan atlas to have as a back up to your GPS. There were SEVERAL times throughout our trip where we found ourselves without a Wi-Fi connection.
Tip #2 Pack for any type of weather. The temperature literally dropped 20 degrees from the first to the second day we were there – and that was the first week of July. Ponchos, sweatshirts, t-shirts, sweatpants, shorts, bathing suits, water shoes, and hiking shoes are all needed.
Tip #3 Wear water shoes kayaking. They need to be comfortable enough to hike in as well if you take the long kayaking tour. There is a skirt on the kayak, but water still can penetrate into the interior.
Tip #4 A super cheap, easy, and small souvenir is a pressed penny. You’ll need two quarters and one penny for each crank of the wheel. These wheels are found all over Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Need a passport book to keep them in? Click here to order yours.
Tip #5 There are two Bigfoot/Sasquatch statues in Munising. They make great photo ops.
Tip #6 Buy the deer food at the Deer Ranch. It will add so much to your experience.
Tip #7 Having a physical address for the waterfalls is important because not all of them can be found by just typing in their name.
Tip #8 Get to the Chapel Falls parking lot before 9:00am. It is small and fills up quickly. You could easily double your hiking distance if not.
Waterfalls and Hiking
With over 300 waterfalls available in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, there is no shortage on finding beauty. Many waterfalls dot the landscape along the Lake Superior border, making it easy to drive, hike, gawk, repeat. Some are just a few minutes’ hike from the parking lot and others are a few miles. The hikes varied in difficulty, but overall, they were easy to moderate.
The following waterfalls are the ones we explored.
Tahquamanon Falls
You can rent a rowboat at the Lower Tahquamenon Falls and get an up close and personal experience. Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub, located at the Upper Falls, is a fantastic, outdoor themed restaurant sporting a large patio, live music, a gift shop and a small outdoor bar.
Both falls are very easy to access and are not very far from their respective parking lots. They do have two separate entrances, so you’ll need to drive from one to the other unless you want to hike the four-mile path that connects them.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park 41382 W. M-123 Paradise, MI 49768
Chapel Falls
You can access Chapel Falls (1.4 miles) and Mosquito Falls (1.1 miles) from the same starting point. You have an out and back option or the full 10-mile loop. The Chapel Falls trail is smooth with a very subtle incline.
Mosquito Falls
The hike has A LOT of roots growing across the path which make the terrain a bit challenging. It also goes uphill most of the time. The falls aren’t nearly as impressive as the others we saw.
Chapel and Mosquito Falls, Munising, MI
Laughing Whitefish Falls
This is one of my favorite falls because of the length and intensity. You can view the falls from the top as well as from the bottom.
Miners Falls
Miners Falls (0.6 miles) is a nice, relatively flat hike through the woods. The falls are impressive as is the walk with the birch trees popping up along the trail. You’ll also be able to see Miners Castle with an overlook viewing of Lake Superior.
Munising Falls
A great hike on mostly flat ground. You’ll see a lot of rock formations and vegetation along the way. There are two sides of the falls from which you can have a vantage point.
Munising Falls 1505 Sand Point Rd. Munising, MI
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is known for its rainbow of jaw dropping colors sliding down the sides of the sandstone cliffs. Water runoff brings each color to the face of the cliffs, showcasing the elements that have been carried along. My favorite is the teal streaking down the cliff. Reds, oranges, blues, greens, and whites are all found in different sections.
Next to the 50’-200’ cliffs, lies the ultra-clear, blue-green waters of Lake Superior. Being out on the water is by far the best way to view the cliffs and the shipwrecks. We opted for an eight-hour kayaking trip with Uncle Ducky’s Paddling that took us along nearly 10 miles of amazing cliff views.
Marquette
A college town bustling with businesses and natural beauty. Marquette is about an hour west of the Pictured Rocks area. The downtown is a pleasurable area to shop, have coffee, play VR games, eat, and admire the architecture.
Black Rocks
When driving around the park loop, there will be a narrow road that V’s back making a sharp right turn. Down this short drive is where you’ll find the famous black rocks. Whether you want to jump off of them or not, you’ll want to walk over them and savor the view of both the rocky ledge and the water crashing onto them.
Huron Mountain Bakery
This place knows pastries and knows them well. A local favorite, Huron Mountain Bakery sells HUNDREDS of donuts, croissants, and muffins every day. Some of their specialty items are so beautiful I was reluctant to bite into them, but hey, I hated to see them go to waste.
You can also find Huron Mountain Bakery’s pastries at Babycakes, a super cute coffee shop, in downtown Marquette.
Huron Mountain Bakery 1301 S. Front St. Marquette, MI 49855
Babycakes 229 W. Washington St. Marquette, MI 49855
Lakenenland
In between Marquette and Munising, you’ll find Lakenenland on the south side of the road. This free display of art is not to be missed. A man with a lot of imagination began creating these huge, comical pieces of art over 20 years ago. You can stay in your car and drive through the sculpture park, but I recommend actually getting out and having fun with the pieces.
Lakenenland 2800 M-28 Marquette, MI 49855
Kitch-iti-kipi
Michigan’s largest freshwater spring, Kitch-iti-kipi or the “Big Spring”, is so clear you just won’t believe you’re looking down at a depth of 40’. You can count the fish as they swim by the self-guided observation raft that takes you out to the middle of the lake. You’ll also be able to clearly see the water bubbling out of the many fissures and the sunken logs slowing decomposing.
Palms Book State Park Manistique, MI 49854
Oswalds Bear Ranch
Have you ever wanted to safely hold a bear cub? You can do just that at Oswalds Bear Ranch. In addition, you can view the males, females, and young bears in their respective enclosures. Our favorite was watching the nimble cubs wrestle with each other and frolic in the pond.
Oswalds Bear Ranch 13814 County Rd. 407 (H-37) Newberry, MI
Deer Ranch
Many people see deer prancing through the bean fields or even through their yards, but how often do you get to hand feed them carrots? The females are super tame and will come right up to the fence to take advantage of your generosity. If you visit during the summer, you’ll get to see the bucks’ velvet still on their antlers. When you purchase your admission tickets, ask when the fawns will be bottle feeding. This is so cute to watch, and you might even be able to feed one yourself.
Deer Ranch US-2, right beside the Mystery Spot
Mystery Spot
You can only imagine the puzzled looks on the faces of the surveyors when they would try time after time to create something level, only to be told their ‘straight’ line was crooked. The reason for this is still yet to be determined, but you’ll have fun figuring it out. Standing straight but looking like you’re leaning, not being able to get up out of a chair, and feeling woozy while you walk the plank are just some of the entertaining activities you’ll get to participate in while on the tour. After our tour, we had a great time ziplining and playing putt-putt golf.
Mystery Spot N916 Martin Lake Rd. St. Ignace, MI 49781
Camping in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
As I mentioned in the beginning, we pulled our camper and utilized our Harvest Hosts membership as we made our way up to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. While in the Pictured Rocks region, we stayed at the Pictured Rocks RV Park and Campground. The campground was a good in between spot between Munising and Marquette.
Pictured Rocks RV Park and Campground E-7781 W. State Hwy M-28 Christmas, MI 49862
Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is an outdoor lover’s paradise. So many of the activities are free and the list is unlimited. The peninsula might look small on a map, but it’s full of entertainment.
You can find additional destination ideas by reading the following articles:
