The Pictured Rocks Lakeshore Trail is one of the best coastal hikes in the United States. This 42 mile trail has been called one of the crown jewels of America’s longest National Scenic Trail, the North Country Trail – a trail that runs from North Dakota and will soon terminate in Vermont. The Lakeshore Trail includes a variety of coastal features including sand dunes, a remote wilderness beach, and impressive cliffs high above Lake Superior. The trail is located in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula between Munising and Grand Marais.

Pictured Rocks and the Lakeshore Trail offer a unique hiking experience in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

A Pictured Rocks Journey Begins

The journey began on a crisp October day at the Grand Sable Ranger Station. Surprisingly, there were no other vehicles in the backpacker parking lot. My father joined me and we planned to take our time to enjoy the scenery, taking five days to complete the hike. Initially, the trail brought us inland to a pleasant beaver dam that reflected the fall colors from the trees above. We then came to a brief section involving a road walk along the shore of scenic Grand Sable Lake, but soon returned to peaceful forest walking and reached the edge of the Grand Sable Dune, rising 300 feet above the water below.

Here we read about the history of the log slide dating back to the 1800s, where there once was a wooden structure to transport timber from inland forests down to Lake Superior for transport within the Lake Superior region. There was the opportunity to descend the log slide to the beach but we decided to continue to the lookout platform, and could see the dunes disappearing into the clouds on the horizon. Looking in the opposite direction our next destination was visible, the Au Sable Light Station.

Here there was an informative tour of the lighthouse and lightkeeper’s residence, including an 87 foot spiral staircase climb to the top of the lighthouse for a great view. This lighthouse is unique because it still has the original multi-section fresnel lens used to focus the oil lamp’s light out over the water. According to the tour guide the original lens was discovered in Chicago, purchased, and then reinstalled in the lighthouse. Nearby on the beach, we examined historic shipwrecks, including the Sitka and Gale Staples, freighters that sank in the early 1900s. After hiking through the sparsely populated Hurricane River Campground and some forested hiking, we came to our camp for the night, Benchmark. It was located on some low dunes above the beach. We had the place all to ourselves and cooked up a hearty meal as we enjoyed the sound of mighty Lake Superior.

After a rainy night and morning, we slept in hoping the rain would cease. Eventually it decreased and we packed up camp. The temperature was chilly and the sky cloudy, but it was a great day for hiking. As we hiked, the trail was parallel to Twelvemile Beach, offering exceptional views. Twelvemile Beach, like the name suggests, extends for miles of isolated scenic beauty and is included in the Beaver Basin Wilderness. If we wanted to, we could have simply hiked on the beach, but we opted for the stable tread of the trail with the beach nearly in constant view. Throughout the day we heard the roar of the waves, which reminded us that we were beside the largest freshwater lake in the world. In the distance we began to catch a glimpse of the Pictured Rocks cliffs. We crossed a scenic bridge over Beaver Creek near the Coves, our campground for the next two nights. In the evening, the sun broke through the clouds for the first time all day. We were captivated by it for five minutes as it enveloped the beach before it quickly disappeared. We planned to take a day off near the Coves to explore Little Beaver and Beaver Lakes. The day was relaxing in this pristine and remote location and the fall colors were near their peak. We looped back to camp walking on the beach.

The next day we made it to the Pictured Rocks section, and experienced some of the finest hiking in Michigan. The sandstone cliffs stretch for 15 miles of shoreline. The cliffs are named “pictured rocks” because of red, orange, green, blue, black, and white hues which arise from mineral seepage out of cracks in the cliffs. The trail stays fairly close to the cliff edge, with countless scenic views. We were in awe the entire day. Our first highlight was Spray Falls, which was pouring off a 70 foot cliff into Lake Superior more voluminously than usual due to the recent rain.

Next was Chapel Rock, an isolated sandstone formation with a tree perched on its column with its roots extending back to the shoreline. Chapel Rock was initially an arch, but it collapsed in the 1940s, leaving only the roots spanning the gap. Our feet then led us to Chapel Beach, a place named by early European explorers. As we continued on we could look back and still make out Spray Falls splashing into the lake. The cliffs became higher as we approached Grand Portal Point, the highest point along the Pictured Rocks with an impressive partially collapsed arch. From the Point we had the unusual experience of walking on a sandy beach 200 feet above the water, and felt quite small with the immensity of our surroundings, including the height and the endless view across Lake Superior. Continuing on, in the distance we could see Lovers Leap, an impressive arch with water flowing under it.

After an eventful day, we reached the Mosquito Campground and set up camp near the Mosquito River a short distance from Mosquito Beach. Fortunately there were no mosquitoes nearby. As we went to get water, we noticed that there was a sliver of cloud-free sky on the horizon and excitement grew for the upcoming sunset. It was a special sunset for me. During the past month and a half I had hiked several hundred miles, combining different scenic hikes in the Lake Superior region including hikes on Isle Royale, the Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route Trail, Kekekabic Trail, and in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. This was my last night of the entire adventure and experiencing the sunset shining on the nearby cliffs was the perfect way to spend my last evening on the trail.

The Last Day

The next morning we awoke to near freezing temperatures and made our way to Miner’s Beach. There were still plenty of exciting cliff-top views and even some interesting inland cliffs, and we discovered a small waterfall along the way near the east end of the beach. Crossing the Miner’s River we had the biggest climb of our hike on the way to Miner’s Castle, the most famous formation of the Pictured Rocks due to its easy accessibility. From Miner’s Castle the trail was mainly forested with occasional views across to Grand Island, another scenic backpacking destination in Lake Superior. We arrived at the Munising Falls Visitor Center and continued to Munising Falls, a 50 foot waterfall from an inland sandstone cliff. Our memorable hike was complete. In the evening we took a Pictured Rocks sunset cruise for a new perspective of the cliff section of this national treasure that we had just hiked.

The diversity makes the Lakeshore Trail special. In a relatively short distance the trail includes towering dunes, a lighthouse, decaying shipwrecks, remote sandy beaches on Lake Superior, dramatic colorful sandstone cliffs with unique formations, and majestic waterfalls. All the while, the trail is well maintained and has minimal elevation gain. It is a great hike for both beginners and experienced backpackers alike.

Need to Know

Information

Permits are required and reservations may be necessary. I was able to get my permit from the ranger station in Munising the day before without a reservation. Camping is only allowed in designated campgrounds. Backpacking is not necessary to reach the most spectacular cliff sections. The Chapel Loop is a great dayhike including waterfalls; Chapel Rock, Grand Portal Point, and Mosquito Beach are also good options.

Best Time to Go

October was ideal for me with no bugs, few crowds, and beautiful fall colors. Others may prefer warmer temperatures for swimming to get the best of Lake Superior’s chilly 32-55 deg. F surface temperature range.

Getting There

The closest airports are Marquette, Escanaba, and Sault Ste. Marie. More information on shuttle service can be found here.

Maps

The park's backcountry planner is useful, and a topo map is available for purchase at the visitor center.

Books

Backpacking in Michigan by Jim Dufresne as well as Hiking Michigan's Upper Peninsula.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in Issue 22 of TrailGroove Magazine. You can read the original article here for additional photos and content.