Hammin' It Up in the "Porkies"

This year during our fall color tour of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P for shore), we are spending a couple of days exploring the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park - "Porkies" for short.   

Park Map

The 59,020 acre park was established in 1945 to protect a large stand of old-growth forest. In 1972, Michigan passed the Wilderness and Natural Areas Act. This act gave the “Porkies” a new name - the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. In 1984, the park was designated a National Natural Landmark due to its natural and historical value. It is one of 12 such designations in the State of Michigan.

If you are like me, you can’t help but wonder how places get their names and the Porcupine Mountains certainly begged to be asked that question. If you didn’t know, here’s the answer …

According to Wikipedia, “The Porcupine Mountains were named by the native Ojibwa people, supposedly because their silhouette had the shape of a porcupine.”

Small Carving on the Back of a Park Bench

With over 90 miles of trails, rustic cabins, modern campgrounds, a winter ski area, boating, interpretive programs, and outstanding views and vistas, it’s no wonder the “Porkies” is a favorite destination that beckons visitors to keep returning to this special place..   

Usually our first stop is at the Park’s Visitor Center. We spend a little time browsing through the exhibits and watching a video in the auditorium.   

While we are here, we get current information on various trails, weather, and those “must see” things to do. The three highlights of the park are: Lake of the Clouds, Summit Peak, and the Presque Isle River area.

Since we arrive later in the day, we opt to go see something quick and easy. It’s a short walk to one of the most popular overlooks in the park - Lake of the Clouds (formerly named Carp Lake). 

The trail takes us to the high rocky bluff overlooking the lake which is a mile long and 15 feet deep. From here, we see the iconic view that often represents the park. 

Lake of the Clouds Overlook

A boardwalk trail along the top of the bluff connects a couple of wooden observation decks offering an outstanding view of the lake and forest below us. We are a little late for the frenzy of fall color, but the forest still has some color to it.

Unfortunately, the clouds are thick on the western horizon... no sunset for us tonight. Instead, it’s going to get dark early. My hands are cold and twilight is falling. It's time to leave our lofty view point and head back to the hotel.

On our way to Silver City (just outside the park), we make one more photo stop. We noticed a Michigan State Historic sign on the north side of the road. My hubby swings the car around and shines the high beams on the sign. It’s about the Porcupine Mountains (site designated September 17, 1975).   

Union Mine - An Abandoned Town
The next morning, we awake to a perfect fall day – partly cloudy and near 60 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s Saturday and we are hoping to avoid some of the crowds by exploring the lesser known areas of the park - the copper mines and trails. Because of the copper mining history of the park, it is also a partner unit of the Keweenaw National Historical Park.

One of the copper mines in the park was the Union Mine. We turn south on the South Boundary Road for a short distance to the Union Mine Trail parking lot. Good to know before you need to go, this trail head does not have restroom facilities.  

We walk the one mile loop trail passing signs that describe the sites in and around the Union Mine Camp.

Copper Mine Signs

The mine was opened in 1846 but was unprofitable. It operated for brief periods during the next several decades but there was never enough copper to keep it open.

Another copper mine that operated here in the 19^th century was the Nonesuch Mine.  The parking lot and trail head to Nonesuch Mine is located at a sharp curve in the South Boundary Road. There aren't any restroom facilities at this location either. We are told it is about a half mile down the trail to some ruins. A little farther down the trail is Nonesuch Falls.   

We grab our cameras and walking sticks and begin hiking down the dirt trail (a former two track road taken over by nature). There are a couple of muddy stretches along the trail but otherwise it was an easy walk through a forest. We reach a fork in the trail and turn left and follow the trail down a hillside.

The Nonesuch Mine site includes the remains of a small ghost town. The town was established in 1865 when copper was discovered in the area. At one time, the town boasted a school, post office, stage coach service a boarding house and several other businesses. By 1912, the town was abandoned and a ghost town was born.

From the trail, we can see some stone foundations in the midst of trees. Seriously, trees are growing on the foundation walls and in the center of what used to be a building. We soon discover the trail goes by the ruins (we don’t know what the building was in its former life).  

From the ruins, we can hear the rushing sound of a waterfall. The trail continues down the hillside until it reaches the river where we see the waterfall.   

The Little Iron River drops about 12 feet down smooth dark colored rock to create Nonesuch Falls. The far (left) side of the river has the wider and stronger cascade while a narrow trickle veers off to the right closer to us. We head back to the car and end our day at the park.

After a night of wind and rain, we wake on Sunday morning to cloudy skies, a cool 50 degrees Fahrenheit, and views of an angry Lake Superior sending relentless waves crashing against the shoreline.   

We decide to hike the Summit Peak Trail to the tower lookout. It is obvious by the number of cars packed into the parking lot and down the side of the road that this is a very popular hike.

We manage to get a good parking spot and begin hiking the trail's steady uphill climb. The half mile trail is easy to follow and there are park benches conveniently placed along the trail ... just in case you need to sit and rest a spell. Our autumn stroll through the predominately maple forest is a profusion of yellow leaves. 

About halfway to the tower lookout, the dirt trail becomes an alternating series of boardwalk and stairs - 159 steps by my count.

Once we reach the tower, we have an additional 55 steps to climb to the top.   

The view is rewarding and the exercise is good for us. 

The elevation at Summit Peak is 1,958 feet.  It misses being the highest point in Michigan by less than 22 feet (located in Baraga County, Mount Arvon’s elevation is 1,979.238 feet).   

Looking Down at the Boardwalk Trail

The last "must see" area in the Porkies are the waterfalls and cascades along the Presque Isle River located at the western side of the park. We walk down 100+ steps to the boardwalk trail.

A pedestrian bridge allows access to the trail on the other side of the Presque Isle River. From the center of the bridge, we can see the half-circles the river has carved into the stone gorge. 

(notice the half circles on the left of the river)

We follow the half mile boardwalk along the river to a small observation deck. 

From here, we can see the main attraction – the 150’ wide Manabezho Falls (the falls drop about 20 feet down from a rock ledge). The amount of water flowing over the ledge depends on the amount of rain or snow for the year and the season of the year.  The Manabezho Falls is the last named waterfall before the Presque Isle River empties into Lake Superior. 

Manabezho Falls in 2008

Manabezho Falls in 2017

The next easily accessible waterfall is just upstream. With a drop of about 15 feet, the Manido Falls may be the smallest of the waterfalls on the Presque River but I think these pretty falls (or cascades) are worth seeing and it's not as crowded as Manabezho Falls. I’m always curious about names. The name Manido comes from the Ojibway word meaning “spirit” or “ghost”.  

Manido Falls

We have never explored the steep trail beyond Manido Falls.  Somehow we never seem to have enough time to do all the things we want to do. It just gives us another reason to return to the area another time. We retrace our steps along the boardwalk, climb the stairs to the parking lot, and leave the “Porkies”.

Here’s a few things you should know. A Recreational Passport is required. The fee varies depending on the type of vehicle and your choice of a daily or annual pass for Michigan Residents or Non-Residents.

The park does not have any food options other than picnic areas. Silver City (a half mile from the Park’s east entrance) has a few restaurants (some may be seasonal).

As stated earlier in this post, the Park offers some rustic cabins and has a modern campground. Nearby Silver City has a national chain hotel and several small motels or cabin rentals.  Ontonagon (13.5 miles from east entrance) also has limited lodging choices.

Since opinions, budgets, and preferences vary, I recommend checking a trusted travel source for current reviews on food and lodging.

Family vacations created some of my favorite memories. To start planning your memorable trip to the “Porkies”, please click on the following link:

Porcupine Mountains Visitor Center