Great
Outdoors
MICHIGAN ' S UPPER PENINSULA
The Upper Peninsula is truly an outdoors person ’ s destination . There is not a single place where you won ’ t experience the splendor of nature and how it strengthens relationships with family and friends .
Last year was the 100 th anniversary of the National Parks Service and one outdoor adventure you can do to mark the occasion is the North Country National Scenic Trail . The trail stretches from North Dakota to the Finger Lakes region of New York , and goes across the U . P . from Ironwood to St . Ignace before continuing south through the Lower Peninsula . As you hike across the U . P . you can visit Laughing Whitefish Falls ( considered one of the most spectacular in the Midwest ); Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore , Muskallonge Lake
State Park , Tahquamenon Falls ( second largest waterfall east of the Mississippi ), the Hiawatha National Forest and the Mackinac Bridge where a shuttle will take you across the Straits of Mackinac . Happy hiking !
Truly Wild While there are several national sites throughout Michigan , our state only has one national park , Isle Royale . This archipelago wilderness ( a chain of islands ) in Lake Superior is one of our country ’ s 10 least visited national parks . That ’ s what makes it wildly wonderful .
Where it ’ s located : Isle Royale is 53 miles north of Copper Harbor . Of its 133,782 acres , 132,018 are designated wilderness . It is one of the few places in Michigan where you could see moose and gray wolves .
What you can do : Backpacking , hiking , paddling , boating , fishing , scuba diving and taking awesome photographs . The park also offers junior , youth and adult ranger programs and guided tours .
How to get here : Four ferries and one seaplane provide transportation services to and from the island . Reservations are highly recommended between late July and mid-August .
Where to stay : There are 36 campgrounds located along the Lake Superior shoreline and inland ; two rustic camper cabins in Windigo ; and Rock Harbor Lodge and cottages .
154 | Spring 2017 | Adventure Outdoors