Michigan UP Lake Superior Circle Tour Travel Planner
Houghton-Hancock to Marquette & Munising , Michigan
Michigan Upper Peninsula Travel

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Baraga, Michigan (see pictures & more info here)
Tourism Website: www.baragacountytourism.com

From Houghton-Hancock, it’s about 28 miles to Baraga via Hwy 41. Nice drive with views of Portage Lake or Lake Superior most of the way. Camping is available at Baraga State Park and in the town park across the bay in L’Anse. There are some nice waterfalls and hiking trails in the area if you plan to stay for a while. But if you are headed straight through, make a stop at the Canyon Falls wayside park about 12 miles south of Baraga on the west side of the highway. It is only about a 15 minute hike down to the falls from the wayside parking lot. Total time from Houghton to Canyon Falls wayside is about 45 minutes; figure another 30″ for Canyon Falls hike.

Baraga to Marquette, Michigan (see pictures & more info here)
Chamber Website: www.marquettecountry.org

Staying on Hwy 41, from Canyon Falls it is about 22 miles to the Village of Michigamme. Worth a stop if you like artisan shops, otherwise continue on. It’s another 22 miles to Ishpeming. From this point to Marquette there will be lots of motels, places to eat and tourist attractions. One place we’ve been by several times but never stopped is “Da Yooper’s Tourist Trap.” We’ve been told it is a blast and worth a visit – so next time we are in the area we’ll hit it.

From Ishpeming, it is about another 15 miles to Marquette. Hwy 41 runs along the southern edge of the city so you don’t get a taste of Marquette unless you detour off the main drag. We like the downtown area and the harbor park is nearby. If time for a breakfast, lunch or dinner stop, do it here to give you excuse to see more of the town than you see from Hwy 41. Total time from Canyon Falls to Marquette is about 60 minutes; add some to that if you stop at Da Yooper’s Tourist Trap.

4 miles south of Marquette, Hwy 41 and 28 split. Hwy 28 stays along the lakeshore about 35 miles to Munising. Along the way you pass Gitchee Gumme campground, a unique campground recommended to us by a fellow SuperiorTrails traveler. A few miles before Munising is Bay Furnace campground, a very nice National Forest facility on Lake Superior. Total time from Marquette to Munising is less than an hour; total time from Baraga to Marquette is two and half hours, with the Canyon Falls stop.

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One of many colorful pictured rocks in Pictured Rocks National Park near Munising
One of many colorful pictured rocks in Pictured Rocks National Park near Munising

Munising, Michigan and western part of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (see pictures & more info here)
Munising Chamber Website: www.Munising.org

Munising is a popular destination area due to its lakeshore, area waterfalls, Grand Island National Recreation Area, and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Non-camping travelers will find a number of decent motels for lodging options. RV campers should check out Bay Furnace. Camping is also available in Pictured Rocks Park and several national forest campgrounds south of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore park. In general these are more rustic campgrounds better suited for tent camping. Figure to spend at least 4 hours in the Munising area seeing at least some of the sights.

Recommended places and things to do:

  • Visit the Munising Falls Interpretative Center for information on Pictured Rocks as well as other Munising area visitor attractions.
  • Waterfalls – Wagner Falls, Munising Falls, and Miners Falls.
  • Easy nearby hikes in the western side of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Miners Castle, Miners Beach and Sand Point Marsh Trail.
  • Take an excursion boat for a Pictured Rocks cruise, probably the best way to see the “Rocks.”
  • Hikers or Mountain Bikers will enjoy taking the Passenger Ferry to Grand Island for hiking or biking; there is also a bus tour of the island available.

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