UP Exploration Continues

Wow, how did it get to be October already? Last time I posted was early September. As I sit here writing this, we are currently parked in Shane’s parents’ driveway about to head south to Indianapolis for a visit with more family and friends.

With our second tour of the UP complete I have much to share and it’s time I catch you all up. (What can I say, blogging falls to the wayside when you are exploring a place as awesome as the UP).

Hiawatha National Forest

We found this great boondocking spot near Munising in the Hiawatha National Forest. With a nice combination of shade and sun it was the perfect spot for a few days of exploration. The close proximity to Munising made it easy to head in to our favorite pizza place, Pictured Rocks Pizza. The place was very busy so we headed over to By George Brewery for a few brews to let things settle down. They were still busy but we had a nice evening outside on both patios with Josie (both are dog friendly – our kind of place). They have this cute patio with flowers and yard games. I recommend this place if you are in the area and it is worth the wait!

Our time spent here was pretty laid back. We decided against going back to the Pictured Rocks area as the only time the weather was nice was on a weekend. Unfortunately Pictured Rocks is a bit touristy with more people than we wanted to deal with. Plus we enjoyed exploring the area last year through the week.

Instead we explored a nearby park with boardwalks and a crystal clear pond. Josie enjoyed running around exploring each of the individual boardwalks that led to nice viewing platforms.

The UP has some cooler nights even in the middle of summer as is evident from this photo of Josie. No she is not spoiled one bit. We have determined Josie rules, we are just along for the ride.

Michigamme

This was a spot we stayed at last year in the little town of Michigamme. After meeting and talking to a local, at one time Michigamme was a thriving town with restaurants and bars lining Main Street. Today there are no bars and only one restaurant, The Moose Drop Inn. Also a stop for us as they have delicious sourdough crust pizza.

There is a county park with free camping right across from Lake Michigamme. With beautiful views and a nice spot to park it while we ventured out to explore surrounding areas. All of which were new to us this year.

As you can see below, Josie settled in right away.

During our weeklong stay we went out exploring. The Sturgeon River was first on the list. That day did not disappoint.

We found a spot to boondock right along the river, for the next time we visit the UP.

I loved this sign especially the first paragraph. “Where man is but a visitor and nature continues it’s cycle.”

This area has plenty of wilderness, hiking, and the powerful Sturgeon River Falls.

It flows from here into the Prickett Lake with this huge dam and on it flows to Lake Superior.

Another day of exploration included Canyon Falls, Quartzite Falls and the Mouth of the Huron. Canyon Falls is another section of the Sturgeon River. This spot turned out to be the best roadside park. With a short hike out to the falls it’s a great place to stretch your legs with beautiful scenery or to spend an hour exploring like we did.

Quartzite Falls was a nice little gem. We spent the afternoon sipping on a few beers and playing in the creek and falls. I left my camera behind for most of it but managed to snap a few photos of this beautiful spot.

By the time we arrived at the Mouth of the Huron, our last stop on a day of exploration, this camera gal went off duty. We found a great spot to camp on Lake Superior so we will be back another time. I’ll make sure and grab some photos on that return trip. For now here is Josie spent on the beach after hiking, playing in the water, and exploring all new places.

I am spent putting this post together but I do have one more special spot to share before I close this one out. Craig Lake State Park, is Michigan’s most remote state park. The road in is, well I’ll let the sign explain.

With Eddie, our Jeep, we found the road to be fine. But it is not paved so it may not be for everyone. However, Craig Lake is a kayakers dream. In order to access the lake you must walk in your kayaks 1/4 mile down a gravel path. I’ll let the pictures tell the rest.