Heading out this week for Michigan UP for 2 weeks of rest and relaxation (hopefully)with the family. Spending 5 nights in Fayette Historical Park and 5 more in Tahquamenon SP. Looking for ideas of things to do and see in the area with 2 teenaged boys (and 2 dogs). Any good hiking or mountain biking trails? Kayaking or fishing areas? Must see tourist things? We've done some google searching but want to make sure we don't miss anything. Thanks.

OK Camp, Hang on here... I can't help you on the hiking, biking and fishing I don't know how you will get there from London (wife has family there), but however you cross, try to plan a stop at Saulte Saint Marie. There are two good campgrounds in town a bike it the way to get around. As soon as you can, get to the locks visitor center and see when the next ship is due through. Plan to watch them flush at least one. Also in town are the museum ship Valley Camp and the River of History Museum (close Sundays) the ticket may include the tower. Don't pay extra for it. From there go up through Paradise to the Whitefish Point Museum. (I liked what I saw, but can't go there again. I lost friends on the Fitz and it still hurts.) The boys should love it. Parking a rig is kind of tough some times, I have been told. You have Tahquamenon in the plan, that is good. Do both. Munising Falls is fun, and a pretty good walk to get to see it. We have always managed to not be able to do the boat tour of the Pictured Rocks. On the road west of Marquette is the Iron Museum. It was small, but interesting.About then we have already blown by the route to the Garden Peninsula (where Fayette SP is) and I am not sure how much father afield you will want to go. Matt

Was just up there last week, and I think a stop at Iroquois Point Lighthouse is worthwhile, especially if making the drive between Soo and Whitefish point.

You might want to stop at Kitch-iti-kipi (big springs) at Palms Book State Park near Manistique on Indian Lake. It's right on your way.There is hiking, biking and fishing all over the UP.

How about a boat ride thru the Soo locks which, as I remember, allows one to disembark on the Canadian side for awhile. Why would the locks be protected by US troops during the 2nd World War?

Dick_B wrote:How about a boat ride thru the Soo locks which, as I remember, allows one to disembark on the Canadian side for awhile. Why would the locks be protected by US troops during the 2nd World War?We did the Locks dinner cruise about a month ago which was cool but we did not get off the boat in Canada but did go in Canadian waters and then back thru the Canadian lock. The locks had troops stationed there during the war to protect from sabotage as so much iron ore and such came thru there. No locks meant boats had no way to get thru. Thats how I understand it. They have armed security there now to get inside the visitor center.Dan

Michigan UP things to do? | Good Sam Community

dodge_guy
Explorer II
Sep 06, 2018
Glad you had a great trip and sorry about the border issue. I know they have to watch everything, but come on!

Its a beautiful area up there. I want to go back. hopefully next time it will be warm. we had lower 60`s when we went in mid July. next time it will be mid to late August!
camp-n-family
Explorer
Sep 05, 2018
A bit late responding but better than never. We had a great trip but as usual not long enough to fit everything in. It almost ended before it even started. We got stopped and denied entry at the border because of our 3 month old French bulldog puppy. We had all his paperwork including a vet check that very morning but he didn’t have his rabies shot yet because he was still too young. We booked the trip before we had the puppy so this issue hadn’t even crossed our mind. They’ve never asked anything about our dogs before, including our 160lbs mastiff puppy in the back seat, but we always carried all their papers. After 1.5hrs in the customs office they let us continue with a warning. Phew!

The Fayette historic village was a great little area. Enjoyed the history, marina and hiking/biking the trails. Kayaking from the boat launch around to the marina and back was a good way to see it as well. The campground was a little snug, especially on the weekend where trailers and cars lined the roads of the small sites. I had to ask 3 people to move their vehicles just to get our tt into the site.

We toured around Little Bay de Noc to Escanaba for a rainy day trip, checking out the little towns on the way. Found our way to Kitch-iti-kipi spring as well. Boy would I like to be able to cast a line there. Those fish are huge.

Made our way through Newberry on the way to Tahquamenon Falls sp. (still have to think how to pronounce it properly). Toured the upper and lower falls and paddled 7 miles of the river. Great hiking trails (enjoyed them on the bikes too ;)). Toured through Paradise and up to Whitefish Point. Great time at the lighthouse museum and at the beach. Did some fun off-road exploring too but most roads were more suited to UTVs than my big truck. Never did make it to Pictured Rocks. Couldn’t find anywhere close to drop the kayaks in and the boat tours were too long of a day to leave the dogs in the tt.

All in all a good trip. Thanks for the ideas.
Dog_Trainer
Explorer
Jul 25, 2018
On your way up a stop at fort Mackinaw is well worth it. A lot of history there and not too expensive a great place for young people as well. By all means take a boat tour at the pictured rocks you will not know why they call them pictured rocks until you have seen them from the water. Grand maris is a good sight and the road between there and Munising is a very nice drive.
Hammerboy
Explorer
Jul 18, 2018
camp-n-family wrote:
Is it possible to kayak to Pictured Rocks or do you have to do the guided boat tour?

Here is a company that does kayak tours. We seen lots of them when we went in June

Dan
BarabooBob
Explorer III
Jul 18, 2018
We took in the Copper Peak Ski Flying Hill last summer. This is not a regular ski jump. they call it ski flying for a reason. To get to the top, you take a ski lift to the top of the hill, get on an elevator that takes you up 120 feet, and then you climb the stairs to get to the top. The top of the jump is about 237 ft above the top of the hill. At the top you can look straight down through the steel mesh that you are standing on and see that the jump is cantilevered off of the top of the hill and you are standing above the ground behind the hill. It is breathtaking.
https://copperpeak.net/
drsteve
Explorer
Jul 17, 2018
camp-n-family wrote:
Is it possible to kayak to Pictured Rocks or do you have to do the guided boat tour?

You can, but it's s bit of a trek. The boat tour takes 3 hours and is a 40 mile round trip. Pontoon boat rentals are also available.
camp-n-family
Explorer
Jul 17, 2018
Is it possible to kayak to Pictured Rocks or do you have to do the guided boat tour?
Gjac
Explorer III
Jul 17, 2018
Just to add to your suggestions you have already with two teenage boys I would do the hike to pictured rocks, you see more from the boat but the hike is nice. Also I enjoyed snorkeling the north shore by Gooseberry SP, found a wreck just off shore in about 30 ft of water, good visibility for a lake but very cold, 20 mins is all I could take. Also found some agates in the water along the shore. Furnace Bay CG right on Lake Superior is nice with and old iron furnace on site, we saw the northern lights there a few years back. Also biked that whole area, nice light house near Gooseberry SP.
doxiemom11
Explorer II
Jul 17, 2018
Pictures Rocks - they have a boat tour also. Mackinaw Island - take a ferry boat over to the island - no automobiles allowed. Walk, rent a bicycle to tour.
drsteve
Explorer
Jul 17, 2018
Stop at the Big Spring, Kitch-Iti-Kipi. It's located at Palms Book State Park near Manistique, right on the way from Tahquamenon Falls and Fayette.

https://cityofmanistique.org/big-springs-kitch-iti-kipi/