Sault Ste Marie to Muskallonge State Park, MI

[S-n-L]

Hello everyone,

We are planning on traveling from Sault Ste Marie to Muskallonge State park in the UP of Michigan and would like to get a recommendation for a route.

It looks like the safest route is 28 west to H37 North. Has anyone traveled through Paradise than west along the roads bordering Lake Superior? If yes can you drive a 45 foot coach towing a car? Are the roads paved along the lake or are they dirt? The legend on the Michigan map I have states these are unpaved roads.

Thanks for your help,

Stuart

[S-n-L]

Thanks everyone for your responses. We stayed on the major paved roads and arrived there without a hitch. On another note, once we arrived at Muskallonge Lake State park it took us three attempts to find a site that was level enough for us. It was a bit harrowing navigating tight turns, low tree branches and other campers but we were successful with site #123, a pull through. On the positive side we did offer lots of entertainment to our neighboring campers!!!!

We are having a great time in the area.

Stuart & Leslie

[Parrothead_Mike]

If you want to head further west from Muskallonge Lake you need to get back to M-28 and head to Seney. From there head north on M-77 to Grand Marais. There's a nice campground there, Woodland Park, a municipal park that doesn't take reservations, but it has about 150 sites and doesn't usually fill up, although weekends can be busy.

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/Michigan/Grand_Marais.html

From Grand Marais you can take H-58 to Munising. It's been fully paved and is a nice drive. East of Grand Marais, the road that goes to Muskallonge Lake, turns into gravel and can be like a washboard at times.

[guitargeorge]

the road from paradise to muskellunge is paved but if you head to grand marais the road turns to gravel and sand along lake superior if going to grand marais head back to newberry and stop at oswalds bear ranch then take 123 to M28 and head east to M77 to grand marais. enjoy our great U.P.

[fiveeyes]

stay on the main road!! those 'roads' that are on the map are at best 'two-tracks'.. some less than that.. 5

[2gypsies1]

You didn't state where you're coming from but to get to Paradise (doable with your 45'), only come in from the south on 123 from Eckerman. However, I'm not sure where you would stay up there with your 45'. Definitely try to stay somewhere else other than Paradise and just drive you towed vehicle to the Paradise area and visit the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum at Whitefish Point just beyond Paradise. Tahquamenon Falls is at Paradise, too. Both are worth a visit and you'll get great views of Lake Superior.

To get to Muskallonge Lake St. Pk. only come in from the south from Newberry 123 to CR407.

Don't try to go from Muskallonge west to Grand Marais along the lake, that's gravel.

You don't want to use any gravel roads - too narrow.

If you want to visit Pictured Rocks Nat'l Lakeshore, 28 to Munising is where you want to end up. Personally, if you want to see the lake, skip Muskallonge and head to Munising.

If you're traveling across the Upper Peninsula, the Houghton area is great. Have a good trip.

[tatest]

I would not take a 45-foot motorcoach, towing or not, on any of the U.P. roads marked as "unpaved." Some are gravel and wide, others narrow, and a few degrade to dirt tracks that ford streams rather than bridge them. There are also seasonal variations, depending how recent the maintenance.

I used to do field work on those county roads, forest roads and mining trails. It was too easy getting into trouble with a van or 4x4 Suburban, no way do you want to be there with 40,000 pounds of motorcoach that can't back up because it is towing.

[past-MIdirector]

I would try to contact the ranger at the State park on size restrictions. The only road I'd use is the entry from 123 just North of Newberry! A lot of those roads are dirt and after the winter we've had could be real ruff still.

[TubaPete]

If the legend says unpaved, I would stay on the state routes. While MOST unpaved roads are passable, they can be unpleasant for long distances. The roads sometimes have a sand base and can get soft.

You definitely don't want to take the unpaved road west of Muskallonge to Grand Marais.