Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Park &
Munising, Michigan
Waterfalls, Hiking & Camping - South Shore Lake Superior Circle Tour

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - Munising Area

Pictured Rocks is backpacker and backcountry hiking paradise. In addition to back country camping, there are 3 drive in campgrounds. While these have picnic tables and tent pads, amenities are minimal (no showers or flush toilets). Yet the beauty of the area makes these minimalist campgrounds quite popular. No reservations, first come, first served. So plan to arrive early in the morning.

Pictured Rocks Park Map 9 (click for larger view)

For the casual visitor who wants to "see" some of the Pictured Rocks beauty without a lot of effort, visit the Miners Castle and the Miners Beach. The road to the Castle is paved and there are handicap accessable trails to various overlooks. The trail to the beach is short and there is a road that goes down there also.

Miners Castle is one the most popular drive-in Pictured Rocks Attractions.

The best way to see the famed Pictured Rocks themselves is from
a Pictured Rocks Boat Cruise.

Camping, Hiking Trails & Waterfalls

There are also a few more accessible day hiking trails at the western (Munising) portion of the park. And some of them can be reached by paved roads and allow pets on leashes.

• The Sand Point Marsh Trail is handicap accessible and located a few miles out of town along the lakeshore east of Munising.
  
• The Munising Falls Interpretative Center and the trail to Munising Falls is at the entrance to the park along H58 from Munising.
  
• On the way to Miner's Castle is the trailhead for the trail to Miner's Falls, an easy 1+ mile hike to an impressive 60 foot falls.

Miners Falls

Miners Falls

Munising Falls

The Munising Falls Visitor Center, features "displays on the rich natural and cultural history of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Exhibits on early iron smelting, geology, forest history, rare and endangered species, logging, and recreation portray the diversity of our nation's first national lakeshore."

Because the park is stretched out along the lakeshore with minimal road accessibility, it takes several days to really get an appreciation of it. But this changed in 2011 when the complete paving of H58 was completed which joined Munising and Grand Marais. There still are some unpaved sand spur roads to some of the campgrounds and trail heads.

Pictured Rocks Camping and Campgrounds - 3 drive-in campgrounds exist within the park providing water, tables, grills and toilets. There are no showers nor electric hookups so RV campers will have to dry camp. No reservations are accepted; occupancy is first come, first served. Also know that the most access is via unpaved sand roads.

In addition there are 13 backcountry campsites sprinkled along the Lakeshore Trail and 7 group sites. These are very rustic - wilderness style camp sites: no potable water and only a few have toilets. Camping is allowed only at designated sites and pets are not allowed on backcountry trails or in backcountry campgrounds.

As of August 2019 all campgrounds in the park are now by online reservation ONLY-- this includes Hurricane River, Twelvemile Beach, and Little Beaver Lake. pictured rocks - recreation.gov

Link to Pictured Rocks Campgrounds website.

Just south of the park are several more campgrounds located in Lake Superior State Forest, but are also limited in terms of services like electricity and showers.