Photos Courtesy of Visit Keweenaw unless otherwise noted
Find the perfect outing for the water lover, the history buff and the outdoor enthusiast on Lake Superior’s Keweenaw Peninsula.
It’s the middle of a cold winter night. I’m riding shotgun in my fiancé’s 1980 Delta 88 (aka the ‘Landboat’) as we travel to his home in Upper Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. I had never heard of the UP and as the hours wore on, I thought I could understand why. It was dark, it seemed desolate, and it had no cell reception. I promptly drifted off to sleep — only to be awoken sometime later by the glare of flood lamps and the roar of chainsaws.
Welcome to Houghton — doorway to the Keweenaw Peninsula, and home to Michigan Tech University. It was the eve of the annual winter carnival, and the engineering students were out in full force putting the finishing touches on massive ice sculptures and castles. I knew right away that this place was unlike any I had ever visited before.
In the 20 years since (married, three kids, liveaboards on a 1980 Marine Trader trawler, Mazurka), the Keweenaw has confirmed this, over and over again.
Today, while this once-secret Giche-Gami island has become renowned for its excellent outdoor recreation, it’s also stayed a unique wilderness for visitors. Whether by water or land, heading into the Keweenaw Peninsula is good at all times of the year.
For the water lover
The Keweenaw is technically an island, united between Houghton and Hancock by the Portage Canal lift bridge. Boaters will find multiple marinas, both municipal and private, in the sister cities and all along the rocky shoreline; Ontonagon, Houghton, Hancock, Eagle Harbor, Copper Harbor, Munising, and Marquette all provide amenities for the private boater.
Water lovers traveling over land will find plenty of ways to get their fix. And since you’re on land, you can venture a bit below the Keweenaw, where the rest of the UP offers some amazing tours.
Alyson and Leo Jewett of Duluth enjoy the area so much they’ve returned with their now seven-year-old son, Kameron, to explore different sites each time, and return to some old favorites — especially Big Spring in Manistique, with crystal clear waters 40 feet deep. It’s fed by natural underground springs and stays at a constant temperature year-round, so it never freezes. This year, the Jewetts took a pulley raft into the spring for a stellar view of the water, fish and churning sand bottom. “It’s a special place that has a sense of awe,” she says.
On the same trip, the Jewett family stopped in Munising for the glass bottom boat shipwreck tour, especially exciting for their son to see two different shipwrecks below. The tour also explored the sandstone cliffs and caves and the lighthouse of Grand Island.
Lighthouse lovers will not be disappointed by the Keweenaw. If you have to choose just one, visit the iconic red brick Eagle Harbor Lighthouse, which still shines as a critical guide for navigating the peninsula’s rocky shoreline. The tour is up close and personal, giving visitors a good sense of the daily lives of the historical keepers. For the history buff
The name for the peninsula comes from the Lake Superior Chippewa word, Kee-wi-wai-non-ing, meaning ‘place where portage is made.’ The Chippewa reportedly came into the area in the 1600s, which was then occupied by the Eastern Dakota people. The French arrived not long after, followed by more European settlers attracted by the rich natural resources. The mid-19th century saw the discovery of the world’s purest copper, bringing more immigrants, particularly from Cornwall (who brought their hearty pasties with them). At one time the small town of Calumet was the center of the Keweenaw mining district and published newspapers in multiple languages. Now, the region is known for its large Finnish and Italian communities. Visitors will find a treasure trove of historical resources and preserved buildings to explore.
Quincy Copper Mine, in Hancock, will appeal to anyone interested in historic mines. “It gives you the foundation for the whole Keweenaw peninsula history, since the geography and copper mining industry are what shaped the entire culture of the Keweenaw,” says Alyson Jewett. “We heard the story of when the mine was in operation and got a first-hand look at what the miners endured every day to provide for their families. The cog wheel tram ride down the hill to the mine entrance was an added element of fun.”
Another historical must-see is Fort Wilkins Historical State Park near Copper Harbor, at the northern tip of the peninsula. Wander through Civil War-era buildings at the remote fort. Make sure to bake bread in the baker’s house and watch the doctor re-enactment outside the hospital, complete with details to make adults squirm and kids scream. The working canon is one of the best parts. If you camp in the park, get your reservations early in the season, as spots tend to fill up fast.
Plan your trip
Visit Keweenaw
visitkeweenaw.com
Upper Peninsula Travel & Recreation Association
UPTravel.com
For the outdoor adventurer
You may want to bring your bikes, because more than 90 miles of single-track mountain biking in the Keweenaw are simply first-class fun. In Copper Harbor alone there are almost 40 miles of trail through diverse Lake Superior wilderness and terrain, which is why the tiny town is home to an epic Trail Fest in late August every year. Marquette is another Mecca for mountain biking with its trail festival each June.
And if you’re into the outdoors from a more cultural point of view, come earlier in August for Copper Harbor’s annual Art in the Park weekend. Make sure to stop by Grandpa’s Barn, one of the best independent bookstores in the region. You may just meet an author and illustrator hanging out on the front porch, ready to chat you up. The owner, Lloyd Wescoat, will know just the book you’re looking for — even if you’ve never heard of it.
Hiking and swimming? The options are endless. If you have to narrow it down, try Cliff View Trail at Mount Bohemia. Under two hours and somewhat easy, it’s a joy with its jaw-dropping views, but bring bug repellant. Afterward, take a gorgeous swim from the beach at Bete Gris, near beautiful Lac la Belle. If you’re looking for more of a stroll, Alyson Jewett recommends the walk out to Black Rocks in Marquette’s Presque Isle Park. “We did it on a weekday morning when they close the road loop around the park to vehicles and leave it accessible to pedestrians,” she says. “There were beautiful views of Lake Superior, large rocks to explore, and access points to the lake on rocky shores. It is a popular cliff jumping spot, but it was quiet when we visited in the cooler misty morning.”
For those kids who love the outdoors and a really good playground, Houghton’s Chutes and Ladders is top of the list. It’s so much fun even the adults won’t want to leave.
“At sunset we visited the Portage Canal, and the Chutes and Ladders park along the water,” she says. “Our seven-year-old had a blast running, climbing and sliding down the large chutes. It took some bravery to overcome his nerves with the longest slide, finally letting go at the top just to jump out at the bottom and rush to do it again.
After, they walked along the water to see the Portage Lake Lift Bridge and the steep hills of Hancock on the other side. As a family, they also enjoyed geocaching in the Keweenaw, which brings a new element to finding hidden gems everywhere. “Geocaches add an element of fun and challenge along the way, and brings you to even more places you might not find otherwise,” she says.
And in many of those places, you might not have cell reception, but that merely forces a little more adventure. You have to trust the road, look a little harder at a map, pull over at a random stop. It’s fun to discover things along the way like waterfalls, beaches, and beautiful overlooks. It’s a beautiful place that wants you to slow down and enjoy the adventure.
Thinking back to my first visit to the Keweenaw on the cold winter night, and all the things my family has seen and done since that first visit, I’d be remiss not to mention the outdoor extravaganza of winter that many find here (check out the Keweenaw County Snow Gauge to see just how much snow is waiting for you. The region gets between 200 and 300 inches of snow each year). You’ll find snowmobiling, fat tire biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing options to enjoy, or you can try your hand at climbing a frozen waterfall at the annual Munising Ice Fest, where elite and novice climbers alike ascend the varied routes of Pictured Rocks.
In early March, the annual CopperDog sled race will see more than 350 dogs racing through the Keweenaw. And of course, you can always just cozy up to a fire somewhere nice and warm, sip a strong cup of Finnish coffee, eat a pasty with ketchup, and read that book you bought at Grandpa’s Barn last summer.
And if you’re ever cruising into Houghton on a cold winter night to the welcome roar of chainsaws, stick around because the annual winter carnival is an outdoor festival not to be missed.
Keweenaw Autumn Perfection
If there’s only one thing to do in late September, take the 10-mile drive up Brockway Mountain. Every curve will have you oohing and aaahing at the heart-stopping views of the big lake. On a crisp fall day, you can even see as far as Isle Royale. Picnickers will want their baskets, and mountain bikers will definitely want their bike for the ride down.
If you get there before mid-October, make sure to stop by the nearby Jampot, run by the monks of the Holy Protection Monastery, known for its many gourmet wild berry creations, especially the much-coveted thimbleberry – as unique as the Keweenaw Peninsula itself.
Jampot photo courtesy Pure Michigan
