Copper Harbor Michigan - Hiking, Camping, Travel Attractions. South Shore Lake Superior Circle Tour

An overlook of the village of Copper Harbor from the Brockway Lookout on
Brockway Mountain Drive.

COPPER HARBOR EVENTS

Winter Events & Festivals

-Calumet CopperDog 150 Sled Dog Race Mar 1 - 3, 2024

See More Winter Events and Festivals here

Keweenaw Scenic Fall Color Drives
Fall Color - Copper Harbor, Keweenaw
More Fall Color - Keweenaw Peninsula

Touring the Keweenaw Peninsula
- Houghton to Eagle Harbor
- Copper Harbor to Calumet
- Houghton-Hancock

KEWEENAW EVENTs Calendar

Near the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula is Copper Harbor - which began as a mining settlement in the 1840s. The value of the huge copper deposits that were discovered there gave rise to the construction of Fort Wilkins in 1844 to provide some law and order oversight (of the miners and of the ore asset). The natural harbor soon became an important port for shipping copper out and supplies in. The present lighthouse was built in 1867. Mining and commercial shipping is no longer a part of the harbor, but it is a port for trips to Isle Royale, an outpost for recreational scuba diving, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, and sunset cruises on excursion boats.

Hunter's Point Hiking - the spit of land projecting from the left in the above picture - is a favorite local hiking destination that residents have protected from development. Go here for more info on Hunter's Point.

Down by the lakefront

<<< This Google Maps satellite view shows the protected harbor.

Copper Harbor Lighthouse

The village is full of little craft and gift shops like the Country Village Shops whose old fashioned Jilbert's Dairy Bar is a popular attraction.

The nearby Estivant Pines trails offer a good hiking workout as well as seeing some magnificent specimens of old growth white pine. Sprinkled among the pines are some pretty impressive sized maples, oaks, and birches.

The Sanctuary totals 377 acres with some of the groves of trees located away from the designated trails. Backcountry hiking and camping is permitted.

Camping - Fort Wilkins State Park

We camped at Fort Wilkins State Park about a mile north of Copper Harbor off US Highway 41. A nicely appointed campground. Level, spacious campsites, paved park roads, ample bathrooms and showers, and a park store and gift shop - including a tasty selection of ice cream. The park occupies the isthmus between Lake Superior and Lake Fanny Hooe - a narrow clear water lake well suited for canoeing, boating and fishing. The fishery includes perch, trout and smallmouth bass. East of the park, US 41 just ends . . . at a roadless state forest.

The park hiking trails run the length of Lake Fanny Hooe. One of the trails allows you to hike to Copper Harbor. There is also a trail loop that runs along Lake Superior. The restored Fort Wilkins is an interesting tour of a 19th century military post (built in 1844) with 21 restored buildings and costumed interpreters.

Fort Wilkins State Park - Camping, Hiking, Other Attractions & Activities

The private campground, Lake Fanny Hooe Resort, is located at the southern tip of Lake Fanny Hooe and is within walking distance of downtown Copper Harbor. We stayed there in the Fall of 2008 and found the facilities clean and well-maintained.

More Keweenaw Peninsula Camping & Campgrounds

Some of our favorite Copper Harbor travel attractions

Touring the artisan and gift shops.
Dining at the Harbor Haus restaurant overlooking the harbor.
Visiting the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge; playing golf at the Keweenaw Lodge Course
Going to the Jampot near Eagle Harbor to get baked goods and jam made by the Monks of the Holy Transfiguration Skete. "They are truly monks when they live by the labor of their own hands." (Holy Rule, Chapter 48) .
Touring the historical Fort Wilkens restoration.
Rock Picking on the beaches.
Hiking the trails at Hunters Point & the Estivant Pines Conservatory.
See more at Copper Harbor Official Website

Copper Harbor Summer Fall Events & Festivals

- Keweenaw Migratory Bird FestivalApril - June
- Brockway Mountain Hawk Watch March 15 - June 15
- July 4th Cookout & Fireworks
- Keweenaw Tour & Car Show - July 21st
Art in the Park, Copper Harbor - Aug 18 - 19, 2018
Copper Harbor Trails Fest - Sept 1 - 2, 2018

Brockaway Mountain and Eastern Keweenaw Keweenaw Scenic Drive page

Going east through Baraga towards Marquette

Marquette, Munising and Pictured Rocks National Park . . . More waterfalls and hiking pages from the Keweenaw Peninsula through Tahquemenon Falls to Sault Ste. Marie.

Upper Michigan Travel Directory . . . Our directory to scenic travel along the Lake Superior Circle Route in Michigan's Upper Peninsula - Ironwood to Sault Ste. Marie.

SuperiorTrails.com - Reinhold Development - 2023