Tips for Michigan Upper Peninsula?

[melindamcmul]

My husband and I are fairly new Airstream owners Michigan residents who are loving our mini-adventures (1-2 week) through all that Michigan has to offer. So far, we've spent time in Holland, Travers City and Interlochen State Parks. We'd like to continue our journey next Spring or Summer -- this time hitting the Upper Peninsula.

We prefer would appreciate any recommendations for State Parks or suggested itineraries. Thanks in advance!

[Lily&Me]

Drive the shore, stay in the little city parks that are right in the Lake, take the ferry from Bayfield, WI, to Madeline Island and stay over there a night or two.


Maggie

[karenjude]

We like the town of houghton rv park. Full hookups and righton the portage ( canal that connects 2 parts of Lake Superior.) beautiful views and breezes from your site. We normally are state park type campers but find the state parks in Michigan are too crowded, noisy and chaotic. From Houghton, its a nice drive to Copper Harbor and Houghton is a nice college town - Michigan Tech. Go to the Keweenaw Brewing company downtown. Our son works there and they have great brews. Have the Finnish pancakes at Suomi. The UP is a beautiful area!

[rdepas]

We loved going to MI state parks. Our two favorites were J.W. Wells State Park between Menominee and Escanaba. Try to get a site along the water and it is hard to beat.

The other is the Straits State Park just over the Mackinac Bridge. at night you can stroll up the trail and get a fantastic view of the bridge with all the lights on. From there you can grab a ferry over to Mackinaw Island or take a day trip up to the Soo Locks and watch the big ships go through.

As said in an earlier post, Copper Harbor is a fantastic place as well. Can't remember the campground I stayed at there. If I remember right, we had to drive up on a hill to get cell reception but I would go back in a heartbeat if I still lived in WI. Long trip from WA.

[Lily&Me]

Also, don't miss Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore....first come, first served, so you've got to get in there and snag a site when someone is leaving, but it is spectacularly beautiful.


Maggie

[A W Warn]

We spent a few nights at Munising, MI this summer, on the shore of Lake Superior. We stayed at the city campground, just west of town. An ok campground and very busy. Reservations are a must if you want lakefront.

We enjoyed the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, just east of town, both by driving into the park to take short hikes and taking a boat tour along the shore (really the only way to see the rocks). We also enjoyed the several waterfalls in the area, some a short hike from pavement.

There are only a few good restaurants, and they are pretty "rustic". Being from the south I had never heard of pasties (a locally made meat pie) so I thought I would try it. When I asked for a pasty (incorrectly pronounced payst.. instead of past..) I got a big laugh from everyone within earshot ;-) And, my wife has that southern belle drawl so we both got a lot of strange stares at first, but we were made to feel very welcomed.

view from the boat tour

view from our campsite

[crazylev]

If you are up that way, maybe head over to Porcupine Mt. Wilderness area. Really pretty. We saw a couple of bear there. Can't remember which campground we stayed in but it did have electric and we missed black fly invasion by a day or two in early September. Lots of great places to eat- super clubs and such. Also head over to Marquette. Whole area really nice.

[tvketchum]

Ft Willins State Park in Copper Harbor. The literal end of the road, as US 41 ends at a cul de sac just past the park. Brockway Mountain Drive is very scenic, the fort is from the pre civil war years and offers a unique view as to army life at the time. Fresh fish right off the boats. Other nice spots are McLain SP, close to Houghton and Hancock, home of the Superior sunset, and it's near the Keewenaw National Historic park, the birthplace of the Gipper, ghost towns, and thimbleberry jam! There are great township parks, too. In L'Anse, the township park offers great sites overlooking the bay, electric hookups, clean bathhouses, if a bit dated, and fun events, concerts, for free in the summer.


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Tom
TVKetchum

[AWCHIEF]

The 2017 WBCCI International Rally will be held in Escanaba July 22-29, 2017. 600 plus Airstreams will be attending. I am starting to research and make plans now. There seems to be much to see and do in the area. Looking forward to the journey.

[SSquared]

I'm partial to the Keweenaw Penisula--historic sites, and great scenery. Estivant Pines is a nice nature preserve with old-growth forest near Copper Harbor. Hungarian and Houghton falls (and by the way, don't trust the map at http://www.uptravel.com/waterfalls-of-the-u.p.-59/ , they have the marker for Hungarian falls in the wrong place).

If you like rocks and minerals, Michigan Tech has a well-regarded museum in a new building south of the main campus.

In the Eastern UP, Pictured Rocks, Tahquamenon Falls and the Sault Locks are worth visiting.

[JCWDCW]

If you are entering from Mackinaw-St Ignace, two really comfortable spots are Trout Lake County park $22 night electric only but you can fill the tank upon entering. Sites are right in the lake, nice sand beach: and Newberry North Country Campground where you can get the full range of utilities from elect only to EW and EWS. This one is close to Tahquamenon Falls State Park's 50,000 acres on the Tahquamenon River with its waterfalls.We've stayed at both as a stop over on the way into or out of UP. Both very reasonable rates
JCW

[Rgentum]

Alta & I have just returned from a 9,000 mile/6 week outing from Seattle directly to the Lewisburg, WV rally & thereafter wandering back home. As native Puget Sounders (where the annual temperature range is 30 to 80 degrees), our response to Lewisburg, at 95 to 100 degrees, was "North, North, North." From Milwaukee & the Harley museum, we drove to Green Bay & the Packers museum, & then to Escanaba, Mackinaw City, & Cheboygan, where we stayed three nights. From there we drove to Marquette & Hancock/Houghton, stayed three nights at Hancock city park (which I heartily recommend), & took day trips, one to the various mining museums & another to Traverse Bay, Lac La Belle, Copper Harbor, Eagle River, Calumet, etc. I have become a Yooper-wanna-be (except for their 20 to 40 below winters, which I just can't handle). Go, go, go --- I doubt you will regret it.

[Relaytest]

If you like history in a wonderful setting, don't miss Fayette Historic State Park near Garden Mich.

[banderabob]

Ditto what AWCHIEF said. We've never been to an International Ralley, but we have signed up. Join us in Escanana, it looks great from our 100 degree site today in Fredericksburg, Texas.

[transplant]

along with the cccold weather is about 350 inches of snow. they don't plow the snow just pack it down so the road is a few feet higher than summer.
have been there many years ago b4 airstream, used tent hoped for no black bears or motorcycle groups. had bad rain one yr and it flooded the campsites. we had to find place to stay then had to clean up tent full of mud
we still love the UP hope y'all will too

[Portage to Caravan]

If you're into Boondocking, look for Sparrow Rapids Campground, in the Ottawa National Forest. There are only 6 campsites with no services, other than fire pits and out houses. The last time we were there we witnessed some workers removing the hand pump well, so bring your own water too.
Sounds really appealing so far?
There are some nice hiking opportunities and a very natural setting. In the fall, bare in mind it's also hunting season, so wear blaze orange or bright colours. Believe me the scenery is worth the price of staying here, and more. Oh did I forget to mention; it's free!

Jim

[SSquared]

Originally Posted by transplant

along with the cccold weather is about 350 inches of snow. they don't plow the snow just pack it down so the road is a few feet higher than summer.
have been there many years ago b4 airstream, used tent hoped for no black bears or motorcycle groups. had bad rain one yr and it flooded the campsites. we had to find place to stay then had to clean up tent full of mud
we still love the UP hope y'all will too

Actually, the do plow the roads, even the side streets. But except for the main highways, they do not usually get the pavement bare. So yes, most roads are covered by packed snow/ice for several months of the year.

[tvketchum]

Also, homeowners are very cognizant of where their snow blowers discharge the snow. They don't dare let one flake land on the neighbor's yard, as they need that space for their own snow.


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Tom
TVKetchum