this summer, we're planning on heading to the Mackinaw Bridge, to the U.P. and heading clockwise around Lake Superior. We will be camping and staying in motels and are looking for interesting places to visit.
Basically, from St. Ignace MI, to Sault St. Marie (check out the locks), then westward to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Marquette MI, Copper Harbor, Porcupine Mountains, into Wisconsin (apostle Islands?), to Duluth, then up the Northern Shore of Lake Superior (lake SUperior Hiking trail), visit Ely MN, and Boundary Waters Canoe Area and into Ontario and back to NH.
We will bring the mountain bikes and maybe the canoe (or rent one). We looked at camping on Isle Royal National Park, but the boat ride out there is $140 per person!
Any suggestions from the locals or others who have vacationed in the area?
Musicians might want to stop at Elderly Instruments in Lansing.
Isn't there a survey museum somewhere in Michigan?
When you get near the Porkies, give me a call and we can meet for beers/dinner at the
Root Cellar if you are so inclined.
Might look up Christy Otching, she's on the UP.
-JD-
Perry,
Many moons ago (30± years) I went to Copper Harbor and took the ferry to Isle Royal. We spent a week hiking the island from one end to other. That was under special permit at the time due to the length of stay being over what was allowed. Not much to see or do there but at least the lento's had screen enclosures. The dump in Copper Harbor was good for watching some really big black bears but that is probably gone now. Locks at Sault St Marie are definitely worth the time.
Jim Vianna
nm.
Jeff
We might have to take you up on that. Lake Gogobic looks nice. We drove right by it a couple years ago on the way back from CO.
I actually know someone who lives along your path. She grew up a quarter mile to the south of me, but, was 12 years older. Now that she's an old geezer she lives on the north shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota roughly 60 miles or so from Canada. Her "cabin" is right on the lake. Meanwhile, her brother and her sister are my two nearest neighbors to the south. They had enough sense to stay in a moderate weather part of the country. We all blame her insanity on having graduated from Kansas University. Those Chickenhawks will do almost anything.
Do you know the simplest way to get a KU graduate off your front porch? Pay for the pizza they are delivering.
> Musicians might want to stop at Elderly Instruments in Lansing.
>
> Isn't there a survey museum somewhere in Michigan?
also in Lansing. No idea where the OP is or where he's coming from, but I would figure Lansing ain't exactly a convenient stop on the way to the UP.
I'm guessing he's traversing across Ontario on the northerly side of Lake Huron to approach Michigan.
Just fixed my profile so you can see I'm coming from New Hampster.
We'll probably head back through Ontario, so Lansing might be a possibility on the way to the U.P., but we generally avoid the cities.
Duluth has an iron ore carrier that you can tour, along with a Coast Guard Bouoy(sp)Tender/Ice Breaker. Also, between Duluth and Two Harbors, on the old Hwy is Betty's Pies, well worth the stop.
If you are in the UP down near Wisconsin, at Iron Mountain you can tour a non-working iron ore mine. It ceased production after WWII when the price of steel dropped.
I found it fascinating.
Scott
Hike up Eagle "Mountain", highest point in MN. I think It's off either the Caribou trail out of Lutsen or Gunflint out of Grand Marais. Then there's fresh smoked fish from the smokehouse on the lake at Grand Marais. Pidgeon Falls is beautiful. And don't forget to get the wife some semiprecious handmake jewelry made from stones fished out of the lake. I can't remember the name of those darn things, but the store is located between Lutsen and Grand Marais. My Aunt used to send us into the lake to mine for them (with a rope tied around us). Permits are needed to get into the boundary waters but there's lots of nice canoeing and trails just outside in the superior national forest. Split Rock lighthouse is interesting also, has edmund fitzgerald artifacts and native american stuff and history of the lake and area.
Jeff
Let's do it!
Any idea what month you will be coming through?
Between Lutsen and Grand Marais is where my former neighbor lives.
My grandfather ran a store at Lutsen. Jonviks store. Spent a lot of time in that area as a kid. The old store is still in the family but I haven't been there in years.
Make sure to check out Tequamenon Falls. theres a great hike between the upper and lower falls. totally worth it. My family has a deer camp in this area.. top notch.
