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Porcupine Mountains, Michigan

Introduction

Located at the western end of Michigan's Upper Peninsula is a wilderness area known as the Porcupine Mountains. Managed as a state park, the Porcupine Mountains are preserved for current and future generations.

The mountains would be classified as mere bumps when compared to the Rockies, Andes, Alps or even the Appalachians. However, what they lack in vertical splendor, they make up for in character, beauty, accessability and variety. The Porcupines are located on the southern shore of Lake Superior, providing a mixture of environments mixing and crashing into each other. Many miles of hiking trails are available for the backpacker. To encourage year-round activity, there are numerous cabins in the park to sleep in. Even in the dead of winter the park is active with skiers and snow-shoers. Two regular campgrounds on either end of the park provide traditional camping options and there is even a ski-slope overlooking Lake Superior. Motel accommodations are nearby.

I've been visiting the Porcupines since I was a child. Vacationing in the U.P (Upper Peninsula) was a favorite for our family and we'd travel here as often as every other summer. Now that I have a family of my own, we try to get here as frequently as possible too.

Photographic Opportunities

Access to the "backcountry" is excellent and every part of the park is reachable in a single day's hiking--although the more remote parts would be best served by an overnight. The park is bordered on the north by Lake Superior, but road access to the other three sides is provided along with a couple of roads that penetrate in to the highest points in the park. The most famous views are of Lake of the Clouds. This inland lake is rimmed by the hills and escarpments and is not unlike the glacial lakes in the northern Rockies. Sunrise and sunsets are highly recommended times to visit the Lake of the Clouds overlook.

Water in various forms is everywhere in the Porcupines. The shoreline ranges from rocky to sandy with little to no human evidence. Lake Superior remains very cold--even in late summer. Don't plan on swimming in it without painfully and rapidly turning skin blue. Rain is typically frequent and streams are plentiful.

On the west boundary is the Presque Isle River (shown here on the right) with multiple waterfalls, rapids and rock outcroppings. Again, accessibility is excellent. The Presque Isle River remains a rapids right down to the mouth at Lake Superior and sometimes extends a hundred or more meters out into the lake. Within the last mile there are multiple waterfalls.

Vegetation rules. There is a wide variety of plant life in the Porcupines and you don't have to travel very far to see most of it. The above photograph was taken on a "nature hike" near the visitor center.

Animal life is abundant and if you are lucky you may actually see bear. This bear made it's appearance along side the road just outside the park boundary. She was keeping a pretty close eye on her cub which had just ducked into the brush behind her. Usually, though, you won't see any bears as they are pretty shy and the campgrounds rarely have visits anymore.

Lake of the Clouds, pictured above, is a must-visit. However, unlike this particular morning, it is better when you are not battling high winds and rain at the ridge.

Conclusion

A visit to Porcupine Mountains is highly recommended. The peak times are in late September and early October during the color change. About the only negatives (depending on who you ask) about the area is poor cell-phone coverage and almost as poor radio reception. Winter visits have the added draw of skiing (both downhill and x-country) and snowmobiling. Also, for those so inclined, the fishing isn't too shabby.

Wave Sequence, Minolta A1