Visiting The Porcupine Mountains
The third stop on my Michigan Wisconsin road trip was in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The Porcupine Mountains are located in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in the town of Ontonagon, Michigan and is 60,000 acres of woods and waterfalls. We camped in the Porcupine Mountains for two nights.
The Porcupine Mountains Campground
We stayed in the Union Bay campground. The campground had a small beach area but we did not visit it. This was our favorite campground that we stayed in. The bathrooms were clean and there were nice private shower rooms. The sites were open and had a few trees. However, the campsites were close together. We got to the Porcupine Mountains late on the first day. We only had time to set up our campsite before it got dark outside. Everyone at the campground was really friendly and were willing to help us when we had questions about things. This campground also had a camp host. The camp host couple had games, hot chocolate, coffee and area information available to share.
Porcupine Mountains Outpost
Right outside of the campground was the Porcupine Mountain Outpost. This is the shop for the Porcupine Mountains. They sold ice, firewood, ice cream, and gift items. I purchased a sweatshirt and a long sleeve shirt. I also got some magnets and a cool coffee mug. After our hike, we stopped by the Outpost again to get some soft serve ice cream before heading back to the campsite for the evening. An important thing to know is that there are no other shops nearby.
Hiking In The Porcupine Mountains
Before going on any hikes we went to the visitor center to get a map of all the different trails. The visitor center was about a 5-minute drive from the campground. An important thing to know is that you have to drive to all of the different trails.
Hiking In The Porcupine Mountains: Lake of the Clouds
The first hike we did was to the Lake of the Clouds overlook. It was an easy 5-minute hike to the overlook point. There is a parking lot nearby so it is very accessible. We chose to do the overlook instead of hiking down to the Lake of the Clouds because it was shorter and gave us more time to go on other trails too. The overlook provided a beautiful view and we were able to see the whole lake.
Hiking In The Porcupine Mountains: Presque Isle River
We also hiked the Presque Isle River trail and saw the waterfalls. The Presque Isle river contains the Manabezho, Manido, and Nawadaha waterfalls. There is a parking lot near this trail and all of the waterfalls are close to the start of the trail. There is also a nice viewing platform on the trial to view the waterfalls from.
Hiking In The Porcupine Mountains: Summit Peak
The last hike we did was Summit Peak. This is an observation tower and is the highest point in the Porcupine Mountains. To reach Summit Peak it is about a 15 min hike to the observation tower. This trail is pretty easy and flat but its long. Once you reach the observation tower there are lots of stairs to reach the top. If you have trouble with stairs then this is not the trail for you. The view at the top of the observation tower is amazing and makes all of the stair climbing worth it. From the top of Summit Peak, you can see all of the Porcupine Mountains and Lake Superior. On clear sunny days, you can see the Apostle Islands and Isle Royale from the top of Summit Peak. We were able to see the islands on the day we went.
Have You Been To The Porcupine Mountains?
Have you ever been to the Porcupine Mountains? What are your favorite hiking trails there? Is there anything you would recommend I would do if I go back to the Porcupine Mountains
