Road tripping across Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Built in the mid-1800s by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Soo Locks raise and lower boats with a series of gates and chambers that are powered by the force of gravity alone. This ingenious engineering connects Lake Superior and Lake Huron and allows around 7,000 ships—including huge freighters—to pass from the Atlantic Ocean through the Great Lakes annually. See it yourself from the Soo Locks Park and Observation Deck in Sault Ste. Marie (pronounced Soo Saint Marie) or take one of two boat tours. The Famous Soo Locks Boat Tour offers a lighthouse cruise—a half-day, fully narrated voyage that traverses the St. Mary’s River through the locks and all the way to the entrance of Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. When you’re back on dry land, drop by the Baaweting Anishinaabe Interpretive Center to view culturally significant items donated by tribal members and the River of History Museum for a self-guided audio tour with stories of Native Americans, French fur traders, and others who shaped the region.

Tahquamenon Falls State Park encompasses nearly 50,000 acres of forestland and several waterfalls that crash into the Tahquamenon River before it flows into Lake Superior. Tannins leached from cedar swamps give the river its distinctive amber color and the park’s nickname “Root Beer Falls.” There are two viewing areas in the park. The Upper Falls is one of the largest east of the Mississippi, spanning 200 feet wide with a single, nearly 50-foot drop. Take the accessible 0.4-mile paved pathway through old-growth forest to view it from an observation platform. To reach the series of Lower Falls, walk the four-mile hiking trail or drive down and view them from the Ronald A. Olson Pedestrian Island Bridge or by rowboat. The park is also an ideal place to birdwatch and see wildlife—including a resident pair of moose—and offers 25 miles of hiking trails and four campgrounds to extend your stay.

Known as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast, Whitefish Point is home to more than 200 shipwrecks preserved in the surrounding waters. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and Whitefish Point Light Station are worth a visit to browse exhibits that include shipwreck artifacts, artwork, models, and maritime history programs. Admission includes a self-guided tour of the preserved 1861 Lightkeeper's Quarters, and the bell of the famous Edmund Fitzgerald steamer is on display. Walk past the museum to a boardwalk that leads to gorgeous Whitefish Point Beach. Sink your feet into fine dune sand, swim in Lake Superior's cold, clear water, and search for agates on the shore while seabirds and freighters coast by. For the truly adventurous, the Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve offers several extraordinary dive sights for viewing the shipwrecks up close, with underwater visibility ranging from 20 to 150 feet. The local preserve organization places mooring buoys on the major shipwrecks for intrepid and experienced divers to discover.

Set within a 50-mile stretch of Lake Superior shoreline, Grand Marais is a hiker’s and backpacker’s paradise. Trek along the Sucker River in the Grand Marais School Forest to explore scenic overlooks, waterfalls, bluffs, lakes, streams, and remote coves. Visit the Blind Sucker Flooding wetland in the Lake Superior State Forest for excellent bird-watching. The 7.3-mile Blind Sucker Pathway traverses a dense forest along the Blind Sucker River and the Lake Superior coast. The trail can be accessed at Blind Sucker No. 1 or No. 2 state forest campgrounds or the Lake Superior State Forest Campground. For a more leisurely day, head out to one of Grand Marais’ many beautiful beaches to hunt for agates, or hop on a bike to coast down quiet country roads where locals joke that five cars are a lot of traffic. Then head west to begin your journey to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore with Sable Falls and the Grand Sable Dunes, five square miles of incredible, pristine dunes perched at the top of the 300-foot-high Grand Sable Banks that were formed by the retreat of ice sheets thousands of years ago and offer an incredible view.

The small town of Munising is the gateway to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, which encompasses more than 70,000 acres and 40 miles of Lake Superior shoreline. The sculpted sandstone cliffs and formations are banded with orange, red, green, and blue hues from iron, copper, and other minerals and tower as high as 200 feet above the shore. There are 100 miles of forested trails, waterfalls, beaches, sand dunes, and scenic overlooks to explore in this beloved national park. Hike a 1.2-mile trail to see beautiful Chapel Falls, then continue another two miles to Chapel Rock, a solitary stack of Cambrian-age sandstone jutting up from the lakeshore with a lone white pine on top. Twelvemile Beach is a remote stretch of sandy shoreline that offers a clear, cold swim after a long day of hiking and a starry night at the rustic first-come, first-served 37-site campground. Get a bird’s-eye view from three overlooks at Miners Castle, one of the park’s most famous landmarks, and Grand Portal Point, the highest point along the ridge. To see the colorful striations up close, join a kayaking tour and glide through sea caves and the iconic archway of Lover’s Leap. Paddle even farther out or take a ferry to secluded Grand Island to spend the day exploring 13,500 acres of hardwood forest, pristine beaches, and inland lakes by foot, bike, or kayak.

The twin cities of Houghton and Hancock, connected by the iconic Portage Lake Lift Bridge, are together considered the gateway to the Keweenaw Peninsula. Houghton is the fastest-growing city in the U.P. and home to Michigan Technological University. Drop into the Carnegie Museum, which showcases the region’s cultural and natural history in a classic revival building and offers free admission, with donations appreciated. The A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum at Michigan Tech exhibits the world’s finest collection of minerals from the Great Lakes region, and the Finnish-American Heritage Center at Hancock’s Finlandia University houses historical and family archives for the Finns who settled here in the 1800s and hosts cultural events. Pop on a hard hat and take a two-hour guided tour of Quincy Mine, home of the largest steam hoist engine in the world, to learn about the mine’s fascinating history and ride a rail-cog tram. Check out the events, activities, and gallery space at the Copper Country Community Arts Center, or catch a theater, music, or dance performance at the Rozsa Center for the Performing Arts. When you get hungry, head over to the Library Restaurant, where books decorate the walls and tables overlook the canal, or try the pannukakku, a custardy oven-baked pancake served with raspberry sauce, and other traditional Finnish dishes at the Suomi Restaurant. Or grab a flaky meat or root veggie hand pie at Amy J’s Pasty (that’s PASS-tee) to go, and stroll along the Portage Canal boardwalk where flower gardens bloom and secret art installations are waiting to be discovered.

Stop in the small town of Ontonagon to load up on supplies and chat with friendly locals before embarking on a great adventure in the Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park, a.k.a. “the Porkies.” Michigan’s largest state park encompasses 60,000 acres of hardwood forests, waterfalls, rivers, and pristine Lake Superior beaches. Hike up into the Summit Peak Observation Tower, the highest point in the park at nearly 2,000 feet above sea level, for a panoramic view. On clear days, you can see as far as the Apostle Islands and Isle Royale. Copper Peak offers the highest unobstructed vista in the Midwest, and its viewing platform is accessible via an 800-foot chair lift ride. There are great mountain biking trails at Copper Peak as well, including some heart-pounding descents. Lake of the Clouds is a sparkling blue gem ringed by lush green forest that’s one of the most photographed features in the U.P. You can drive to the accessible overlook to view it from above and snap your own photo or hike down the Big Carp River Trail or the Escarpment Trail. The lake offers catch-and-release bass fishing, but there are no boat rentals—you’ll need to carry light watercraft in or use waders. Ontonagon is also home to the Porcupine Mountains Music Festival. It’s held annually the weekend before Labor Day and features bluegrass, Americana, folk, rock, country, and blues acts over two days.

Beautiful Escanaba is a top contender for Walleye capital of the world. The Bays de Noc on Lake Michigan make one of the best freshwater fishing locations in the U.S., as more than 20,000 fish have been planted to sustain the fishery, and major professional fishing tournaments are held here. There’s also excellent fly fishing in the Escanaba River and ice fishing in the winter. The region is also a burgeoning wine country, thanks to new cold-hardy grapes designed to survive freezing winters. Drop by the tasting rooms at Northern Sun Winery and Leigh’s Garden Winery for a chance to try the U.P.’s own estate-grown wines. For a caffeine fix, Up North Roast has you covered, and be sure to grab a pint of Yooper Ale in the taproom at Upper Hand Brewery, a division of Michigan’s famous Bell’s Brewery. Dobber’s and Gram’s rule the pasty game in Escanaba and are both worth a visit. The Stonehouse Restaurant has been voted Escanaba’s best restaurant for 30 years and features an impressive array of dishes “from the water” as well as other substantial meals. The Escanaba Farmers Market has been a town staple for more than 100 years. Wander through the stalls and shop for locally grown fruit and vegetables, fresh baked goods, jams, meats, locally foraged mushrooms, and crafts. In July, check out the country and rock Northern Lights Music Fest at the Upper Peninsula State Fairgrounds. The inaugural 2023 festival features headliner Keith Urban.

Step back in time at Fayette Historic State Park on the shore of Lake Michigan’s Big Bay de Noc where a historic 19th-century townsite is beautifully preserved. The industrial community of Fayette was founded in the 1860s by Fayette Brown, a manager of the Jackson Iron Company, and it housed approximately 500 people, mostly immigrant workers and their families. The iron ore the company smelted was shipped to the lower Great Lakes where it was converted into railroad rails and steel during the Second Industrial Revolution. Wander through the park on a guided or self-guided tour to see the 150-year-old buildings, including the hotel, town hall, blast furnace, machine shop and school, and learn about what life was like here. When the company stopped smelting operations in 1891, most residents moved away, leaving the town to stand as an exhibit of Michigan history. The park also encompasses a modern campground, swimming area, and five miles of trails that offer views from 90-foot limestone cliffs surrounding Snail Shell Harbor.

Head to beautiful Manistique to wander between the sweet downtown shops and admire the latest mural on Cedar St. Grab a bite at Cedar Street Cafe and Espresso Bar or the Upper Crust Deli, then stroll the wooden boardwalk bordered by dune grass for a panoramic Lake Michigan view with the bright red Manistique East Breakwater Lighthouse in the foreground. Manistique is a perfect jumping-off point for short excursions, and it’s only a 1.5-hour drive from the Mackinac Bridge. Visit Palms Book State Park to see Kitch-iti-kipi, “The Big Spring,” which is indeed big at 200 feet across and 40 feet deep, where over 10,000 gallons of water gush per minute from fissures in the underlying limestone. Check out the crystal-clear water up close from a large, self-operated raft. Bring your binoculars to view migratory birds and other wildlife in the lush marshes, swamps, bogs, grasslands, and forests of Seney National Wildlife Refuge, a 96,000-acre protected wetland area with diverse habitats and species managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The pretty Colwell Lake Trail in the Hiawatha National Forest makes a nice day trip from Manistique with an accessible 2-mile loop around the lake.