Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Upper Peninsula, Michigan
Running for 42 miles (68 kilometers) along the southern shores of Lake Superior, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore was the first designated national lakeshore in the United States. While it’s known and named for the striped sandstone cliffs that jut out of Superior’s clear-blue waters, this land also offers adventure along beaches, sand dunes, forests, waterfalls, and some of the wildest shorelines in America.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore runs from Munising to Grand Marais, Michigan. The famous sandstone cliffs stretch for 15 miles (24 kilometers), starting just northeast of Munising. They tower up to 200 feet (60 meters) in the air, and while looking at them is pretty stellar, kayaking underneath them or booking a boat cruise to their edges is the signature experience here. Beyond kayaking and boat cruises, the park has 100 miles (160 kilometers) of trails that wind from beach to forest to waterfall and back again.
There is an entrance fee to visit the park—it does not cover the cost of tours or camping.
The lakeshore has visitor centers, overlooks, picnic areas, and restrooms.
Bring layers; the temperature inland can vary wildly from the windy, open shore.
Boat cruises are weather-dependent, operate from May to October, and should be booked in advance. Try to have two days here in case yours gets canceled.
One of the reasons Pictured Rocks isn’t more well-known is because it’s not near any metropolitan area—Michigan’s tiny Marquette Airport is about two hours away by car and Grand Rapids Airport is a 5.5-hour drive. To get here and around the park, you’ll need a car.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a 4-season destination. From May to October, the park offers boat and kayak tours multiple times daily and the roads are typically open. While amenities are fewer outside this season, the trails get quieter and activities like ice-climbing are possible. While the park is open year-round, Sand Point Road is the only park road plowed in winter.
Beyond the natural beauty of spots like Miners Castle and Chapel Rock—two popular rock formations that resemble their names—Pictured Rocks has a remarkable human history. Don’t miss the Au Sable Light Station, a 19th-century lighthouse near the Grand Sable Visitor Center. It was built there for a reason: shipwrecks surround it. Book a shipwreck tour to get in on this wild history.
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