Munising, Michigan
The Au Sable Lighthouse.
Season III - Chapter 1
The U.P. and Heading Down...
“What goes up ⬆️... must come down. ⬇️”
Munising, Michigan
Season three begins with our “Big Rock.” The big Pictured Rocks, to be specific, in Munising, Michigan. All last year we were encouraged to go the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, the U.P. for short. We realize why now. Every mile the we journeyed north we watched farmland yield to forest, and those forests surrender to lakes... Great Lakes! Lake Michigan through Illinois and Wisconsin has an enjoyable shoreline that we must part ways with... for now, in order to visit her big sister to the north.
The KOA Pictured Rocks will be our home for the next few weeks. The central location of Munising allows easy access to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the welcoming Sandy Beach of Lake Superior, and the peaceful uninhabited roads of this remote treasure.
The hiking trails here are very accessible, well marked, and rewarding. Munising Falls, the Log Slide, and the longer loop of Chapel Rock provided countless views of Superior and her deepest blue waters. The ship wreck coast is aptly named with well over 100 vessels lost in the last century alone. The most famous of the these was the Edmund Fitzgerald whose 29 souls remain deep below it’s icy waters.
Our favorite hike here was, without hesitation, the Sunset Hike to Au Sable Lighthouse with Ranger Emily. Leaving one hour before sunset gives us time to walk through the forest and down to the waters edge where our guide brings us to the hull of one those many shipwrecks whose skeleton still juts in and out of this water all the way to the shoreline that it rested against with it’s load of Iron Ore in the 1800’s, a victim of a summer fog thicker than than Northwoods itself. With the cargo long lost, all that remains is the keel and the warning it tells. We watch the amber sun sink slowly into Superior to the West from the iron walkway of the lighthouse, a memory that will blaze as bright as the sunset itself. Heading down the dim, circular spire we are greeted with kerosene lanterns to light our way through the dark Northwoods home. What a night!
The trip to the U.P. would not be complete without a visit to it’s largest city, Marquette, all 20,631 strong. Now only a fifth of it’s peak, we enjoy the bike trails around this vibrant community whose new identity is outdoor recreation and microbrews.
Besides the ability to rest, reset, and rejuvenate we were able to sneak trips to Escanaba, Kitch-Iti-Kipi, and Whitefish Bay.
Now, for something new this season... John felt the need to explore each areas culinary contributions, so don’t leave the U.P. without enjoying a pastie. Miner’s, Dobbie’s, and Hall’s all rated high enough not to pick a winner... we did split them, in order to enjoy a variety. 😋
“What goes up ⬆️... must come down. ⬇️”
Thank you for joining us!
John and Caroline 🍀
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Points of interest:
1. Cruise Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Seeing Pictured Rocks by foot, boat, or kayak is a must. Hike : Munising Falls to Sandy Beach on day one, Chapel Rock / Mosquito River Loop on day two, and rent a boat on day three. Amazing!
2. Bike Munising: The mountain bike trails in Munising may be some of the best maintained biking trails that we have encountered.
3. Hike Au Sable Lighthouse and Sunset Tour with a ranger. We registered through the National Park website.
A view from above Pictured Rocks and Lake Superior.
4. Bike Marquette. Unload the bicycles at the visitors center just before entering the town of Marquette for several miles of biking. Located on the Northern Michigan University campus is the Superior Dome, the world’s largest wooden dome. Be sure and stop for a selfie at the Historic Iron Ore Docks located on the bay.
5. Swim: Sandy Beach on Lake Superior: If you sit along the beach on a warm day it is possible to sneak in to the water and get used to frigid waters. 64 degree water the day we visited.
Scenic motorcycle routes:
1. Whitefish Point: The Edmund Fitzgerald lies just off the coast of Paradise, Michigan at the tip of Whitefish Point. When you ride motorcycles with John you have to be prepared to listen to his singing any song that matches the day. Today it is the ever popular song by Gordon Lightfoot “The Wreck of Edmund Fitzgerald.” Yes, it is an ear worm of a song, but his singing makes for an entertaining day!
2. Escanaba and Manistique: Roads in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan tend be more straight so using our motorcycles as a means to a destination is the best reward. We stopped for a quick visit to the Big Spring at Kitch-Iti-Kipi... say that three times real fast! Floating over the clear water spring you can see the 10,000 gallons flowing in per minute. A local favorite.
3. Grand Marais: Such an easy ride out to Grand Marais along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. We stopped at every pullout along the way, hiking in to the waterfalls or lakes for whatever view was available. Tahqualamenon Falls was one we chose to bypass but is recommended by many other travelers. We can’t do everything....
Our canopy of trees for the month of July.
RV Location:
Munising / Pictured Rocks KOA Journey
E10102 M-28
Wetmore, Michigan 49895
We made this video for the Pictured Rocks KOA Campground… it turned out pretty good!
