national lakeshore

Touring Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Visiting Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The final stop of our road trip around Wisconsin and Michigan was at Picture Rocks National Lakeshore. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located in Michigan's upper peninsula in the city of Munising. We did not get to see much during our visit. We arrived in the evening and were only staying for one night. 

Stopping At Canyon Falls

Before arriving at Pictured Rocks we had the chance to stop at Canyon Falls. We were driving from the Porcupine Mountains so it was right on the way. Canyon Falls is a small roadside park with a hiking trail that leads to the waterfall. This park is located in the town of L’Anse in Michigan’s upper peninsula. Canyon Falls is a large waterfall followed by a gorge. It has also been known as Michigan’s grand canyon. The waterfall was beautiful and definitely worth the 10-minute hike if you have the time.

Visiting Canyon Falls

Arriving At Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

We arrived in Munising (the town where Pictured Rocks is) in the early evening. Our tour of Pictured Rocks was scheduled for 7 pm so we had just enough time to set up our tent a get a snack before heading to our tour. We stayed at the Wandering Wheels campground. This is the only campground in the area and it is a KOA campground. This was actually my least favorite campground on the trip. Compared to the others we stayed at it was not as clean and seemed to be more crowded. The campsites seemed smaller and they were very muddy.

Touring Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

In order to get the best view of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, we went on a boat tour. We went with Pictured Rocks Cruises. Since we arrived in the evening we went on the 7 pm sunset tour. This tour provided us with amazing views of the lakeshore and information on the lakeshores history. I would definitely recommend this tour if you want to be able to see all the colorful rock formations that make Pictured Rocks special. Sadly it starting raining during our tour and we did not get to see a sunset. It gets very cold on the boat so make sure to bring a jacket even if it was warm outside. We went in the middle of July and I was freezing on the boat even with a large sweatshirt on.

A cute waterfall near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Things To Do Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

There are many great hiking trails and waterfalls to explore near Pictured Rocks. We had planned to spend the afternoon visiting some waterfalls before going home. When we woke up it was pouring rain and the water had leaked through our tent. We quickly packed our things and decided to go home instead of hiking in the pouring rain.

Have You Been To Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore?

Have you ever been to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore? What are your favorite hiking trails? What is the best waterfall to visit? Are there any other activities you would recommend I do there if I visit again?

Want To Hear About The Rest Of My Road Trip?

The first stop of my road trip was at Devil’s Lake State Park in Wisconsin. You can read about my experience camping and hiking in Devil’s Lake here. The second stop of my road trip was on Madeline Island in Wisconsin. You can read about my experience camping on Madeline Island and touring the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore here. The third stop of my road trip was in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan’s upper peninsula. You can read about my adventures camping and hiking in the Porcupine Mountains here. I hope you enjoyed reading about my road trip. It was a really fun trip and I enjoyed sharing my experience and tips with you. Where should I go on a road trip to next?

Visiting The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Camping On Madeline Island

Visiting Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and Camping On Madeline Island

The Apostle Islands National Lake Shore and Madeline Island were the second stop on my Wisconsin Michigan road trip. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is located on Lake Superior off the shore of Bayfield, Wisconsin. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore contains 12 miles of mainland coastline and is made up of 21 different islands. 

Arriving in Bayfield, Wisconsin

Stopping In Bayfield, Wisconsin

Bayfield, Wisconsin is the last town before getting to the Apostle Islands. It is known as the gateway to Apostle Islands since all Apostle Island tours and ferries to the islands leave from Bayfield. When we arrived in Bayfield we decided to do some grocery shopping before going over to Madeline Island. There was only one grocery store in Bayfield and it was very small with a very limited selection of items. I would recommend doing your shopping in a bigger town before heading up to Bayfield.

Getting To Madeline Island

While visiting the Apostle Islands we decided to camp on Madeline Island for the night.  We took the Madeline Island Ferry from Bayfield to get to the island. It was about a 20-minute ride and we were able to take the car with us. The ferry only costs $14 per person round trip and an extra $25 round trip to bring the car. The ferry comes every 30 minutes during the summer time so it is very convenient.  

Camping On Madeline Island

After arriving on Madeline Island we drove to our campsite so we could set up before exploring the island. We camped at Big Bay Town Park which was about a 10-minute drive from where the ferry dropped us off. Our campsite was very wooded and private which I liked. However, it was a far walk from the bathrooms so we had to drive to them. Of course, we had to set up the tent in our dresses. After setting up our campsite we walked to the beach area to enjoy the view and take some photos. The water was very cold and there were lots of rocks so it hurt my feet to walk in the water. There was also a lot of biting flies so we didn't stay for very long. We went in July so I am not sure if the flies are bad all of the time, but there were a lot of them.

Setting up our tent on Madeline Island in our dresses!
With the wildflowers on Madeline Island
The beach on Madeline Island

Exploring Madeline Island

After checking out the beach we decided to spend the rest of the evening exploring the downtown area of Madeline Island. We went into all of the cute gift shops and local stores. After visiting all of the stores we decided to have dinner at Beach Club. This restaurant was right next to all of the docks on Lake Superior. It was nice being able to enjoy the lake while eating my dinner. We sat at the outdoor tables next to the water but it eventually got cold and we moved our food inside. The food was good and reasonably priced. After dinner, we got ice cream at Grampa Tony’s and used the free wifi. The ice cream was good and they had lots of flavors to choose from.

Having dinner at the Beach Club restaurant on Madeline Island
The marina on Madeline Island

Touring The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

The next morning we took a boat tour of the Apostle Islands. Before leaving the Island we all got cute Madeline Island shirts at the Dockside Gifts. We went on the classic grand tour with Apostle Islands Cruises. I really enjoyed this tour because I got to see and learn the history of each island. I sat in the top row of the boat and was able to see everything very well. It was very cold out on the water though so make sure you wear a jacket during the tour. After our tour of the Apostle Islands, we stopped at a cute little coffee shop in Bayfield called Big Water Coffee Roasters. I had one of their seasonal lattes and it was pretty good.

Have you been to Madeline Island?

Have you ever been to Madeline Island or the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore before? If you have, what are your favorite things to do there? Is there anything you would recommend if I were to go back to  Madeline Island? 

What to read about the rest of my road trip?

You can read about the first stop of my road trip in Devil's Lake State Park here. I will be posting about my third stop in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park and my fourth stop in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore soon!