Keweenaw Peninsula North

The Keweenaw Peninsula is home to the Keweenaw National Historic Park. Established in 1992, the park celebrates the history of the Keweenaw Peninsula through it’s twenty-one heritage sites located throughout the peninsula. We begin our exploration of this area at the northern tip where the Copper Rush began in 1843 and ran through 1848.

Tioga Creek Roadside Park

On the way from Munising to Copper Harbor we stop to stretch our legs at a roadside park. Upon exiting the truck we find a sign directing us to a waterfall. This is completely unexpected and it’s beautiful day, so we decide to take the short paved trail to a bridge and discover a small waterfall created by the water rushing down Tioga Creek.

Sand Point (Baraga)

Next, we stop for lunch at Sand Point Lighthouse on L’Anse Bay in Baraga. This is a really easy stop with a trailer because the small park containing the lighthouse is down the same road as a marina and campground.

Sand Point (Baraga) Lighthouse was built in 1878 and was manned until 1922. Unfortunately it has fallen into disrepair and is no longer open to the public. But, the grounds were well maintained with picnic tables and access to the shoreline in a few directions.

Fort Wilkins Historic State Park

We set up camp in Fort Wilkins Historic State Park Campground and set out to explore. The State Park is, as the name suggests, at the site of an old fort built on a narrow strip of land between Lake Superior and Lake Fanny Hooe. As we step out to stretch our legs in the evening, we are treated to an incredible sunset over Copper Harbor Bay; which is accessed via a short trail from the campground. Other trails lead you to Lake Fanny Hooe, the fort, two lighthouses, a waterfall, and the site of an old shipwreck on Lake Superior. There’s a lot to explore is this little park, it’s beautiful and very peaceful.

Fort Wilkins

Secretary of War, William Wilkins, ordered two companies of infantry (105 men) to build and occupy Fort Wilkins in response to the expected influx of miners and speculators after copper was found here in 1843. They arrived and began building in May of 1844 and had the fort completed by November. The fort was only occupied until 1846 because the copper rush moved south to Calumet and the men were withdrawn for service in the Mexican War.

The fort was briefly re-garrisoned from 1867 to 1870; but was never really utilized. Now it’s a well preserved example of mid 19th century army life on the northern frontier. Twelve of the nineteen buildings are original structures and there are costumed interpreters to guide you through what is was like for the people living here.

Manganese Falls

After touring the fort, we venture out for a hike through a nature sanctuary. On the way, we see a sign for Manganese Falls along the roadside; so we stop to see what it is. A short hike along the top of a deep gorge leads us to a viewing area where the water drops about 45 feet past sheer moss-covered rock walls. We’ll later learn that this is only one of many waterfalls along the peninsula that are well posted and just off the road.

Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary

Once we reach the nature sanctuary we discover it was established in 1973 with the purchase of 200 acres and contains one of the oldest old-growth white pine stands in Michigan. The park has made two additional purchases over the years and expanded to 570 acres and now includes maple and oak groves as well.

The paths through the sanctuary are well marked and consist of two loop trails guiding us through these towering trees, some of which are more than 125 feet tall and date back over 300 years old.

Copper Harbor

After leaving the sanctuary we head into the little town of Copper Harbor to explore what it has to offer. As we stroll through town we see a sign near the visitors center stating that Copper Harbor was a boom town during the copper rush with stores, hotels, and saloons. Furthermore, one of the earliest newspapers in Michigan, the “Lake Superior and Mining Journal” was started here in 1846.

Now it’s a sleepy little town with several campgrounds, a couple of stores, a few restaurants and a beautiful harbor where you can catch the ferry to Isle Royale National Park.

Northern Terminus of US-41

As we head back to camp we’re not ready to call it a day, so we pass by the campground with the intention of taking a 4×4 route out to High Rock Bay at the very tip of the Peninsula. On the way to the trail we come across a sign commemorating the “The Beginning of US 41”.

High Rock Bay Trail

The route begins easily on a well maintained dirt road; but gradually turns muddy and rutted the further we go. Once we reach the turn to High Rock Point we see why it’s considered a 4×4 trail. It’s rated easy and it is; but having high clearance definitely helps. There are many sections of the trail that are covered in water; which is not as deep as we expected, due to the dry summer Michigan has been experiencing.

High Rock Bay

Once we reach the end of the route we see a beautiful lava rock outcropping into Lake Superior with several people camping. As we were told, the view is spectacular and visibility is good enough that we can see Manitou Island to the East with Gull Rock Lighthouse standing guard where the island shoals begin.

As much as we’d like to sit and enjoy the view, the shadows are beginning to lengthen and it’s time to get back on the trail so we’re back at camp before sunset.

Calumet

It’s a new day and we decide to head down to Calumet to explore the center of the copper mining boom. We begin with a tour of the National Park Visitor Center located in a former lodge hall known as the Union Building. Opened in 1889 this building has a very long history connecting the community of Calumet, to the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company (C&H); and currently houses three stories of exhibits.

Afterwards we walk around town and view the other sites offered here:

• Keweenaw Heritage Center at St. Anne’s (closed today)
• Calumet Theatre
• Coppertown Mining Museum
• Copper Country Firefighters History Museum
• Calumet & Hecla Snowplow

McClain State Park

Next we head to McClain State Park for a little nature and a picnic lunch. As we walk out to the beach we see one of the small waterway lights.

Eagle River

After lunch we head up the coast to Eagle River. Here we find a very small town with a lot to offer.

Eagle River Falls

Eagle River Falls sits on the site of the Original Lake Superior Fuse Company (Est 1862) and remains of the dam still span most of the river. The falls drop a total of 60 feet over the dam and the rock cliff below.

Timber Arch Bridge

Timber Arch Bridge was completed in 1990 to replace the 1915 Lake Shore Drive Bridge we’re standing on to take this picture. It was designed to fit in with the landscape so well that we thought it was the original bridge with a pedestrian bridge built next to it for viewing both the falls and the bridge. It’s by far the more interesting of the two.

Eagle River Museum

The Eagle River Museum highlights three major themes: The Cliff Mine, the town of Eagle River, and the neighboring town and mine of Phoenix. It sits at the top of a hill overlooking the once bustling shipping port, which was made easier for us to imagine as we just happened to glance out after reading this information to see two freighters passing each other on Lake Superior.

Eagle River Lighthouse

Eagle River Lighthouse was in service from 1858 – 1908. It has been fully restored and is currently being offered as a vacation rental.

Lac La Belle Lake and Bete Grise Bay

It’s been a full day, so we opt to make one final stop at Lac La Belle Lake and Bete Grise Bay before heading back to camp for the night.

The town of Lac La Belle was originally the site of a stamping plant for the Mendota and Delaware Copper mines. Here the copper was separated from rock, loaded onto freighters in Lake Lac La Belle and then transported out to Lake Superior via the Bete Grise Canal. Due to the freighters coming in and out of the Bay the Bete Grise (Mendota) Lighthouse was built here and was in operation from 1895 – 1928. It was then auctioned off and is now a private residence.

Local legend says that the sand at Bete Grise Bay “sings” when you press your hand down on it or “barks” when struck. It is supposedly the voice of a Native American maid who lost her lover to the Great Lakes and still calls for him from the shore with the aid of visitors who “play” in the sand.

Brockway Mountain Scenic Drive

Today, we head up Brockway Mountain Scenic Drive on the way to Eagle Harbor and the Keweenaw Heritage Sites located there.

The Brockway Mountain Drive is nearly nine miles of beautiful Michigan views. Named for David Brockway, a U.P. pioneer it is 1,328 feet above sea level and 726 feet above the surface of Lake Superior.

Built by the Michigan Civilian Conservation Corps between 1933 and 1935, the project put many laborers back to work building a tourist attraction after the stock market crash of 1929 put so many of the mines out of business. The result is spectacular in all seasons.

In addition to trails for hiking, ATV’s, and winter sports, the drive boasts some epic mountain biking trails. And, twice a year there is a highway in the sky with hundreds of thousands of migrating birds flying across the Great Lakes between their breeding and winter habitats. This area is a critical landfall and rest stop for them.

Eagle Harbor

As we reach the bottom of the drive we head west to Eagle Harbor and the Heritage Sites to be found there.

Life Saving Station

The Eagle Harbor Life Saving Station operated between 1912 – 1915 under the US Life Saving Service and from 1915 – 1951 under the US Coast Guard. It now serves as a museum.

Eagle Harbor Light Station

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse is touted as Keweenaw’s most photographed lighthouse. Established in 1851 the original lighthouse deteriorated in Michigan’s harsh weather and was replaced by the current lighthouse in 1871. After multiple complaints from sailors that the red brick was difficult to see against the gray skies and the rocky coast the tower sides facing Lake Superior were painted a bright white in the 1920’s.

It was was manned until 1980 and in 1982 it became a museum. Besides the Lighthouse, there are three other museums on the lighthouse site as well as several outside exhibits.

Holy Protection Monastery Society of St. John & The Jam Pot

Next we head southwest down the coast to the view the active Monastery on the edge of Lake Superior, as well as visit the famous “Jampot” run by the monks.

Founded in 1983 two friends desiring to start a monastery purchased an old, bare-bones, lakeside resort. It consisted of an old one-room schoolhouse, three tiny cabins, and a defunct little hamburger shack. They had no indoor plumbing and no heat the first winter and survived on prayer and the charity of neighbors. The next summer an offer from the bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Chicago led them to coming under his jurisdiction and the Monastery was formed.

The two duties of a monk are work and prayer, and they needed to find work. Their was little work the men knew how to do; so they looked around them at what nature had to offer, began picking berries, and learned to make jam. After converting the old hamburger shack on their property into a little store they named it the “Jampot.” It is now a thriving business that supports the monastery by selling jams, jellies, and baked goods. It is also a tourist destination in it’s own right as tourists converge here not only for the products; but to meet the monks making and selling these items.

Jacobs Falls

After purchasing some Jam we walk around the bend in the road to Jacobs Falls.

This small fall is about 40 feet total; but the portion easily seen from the road is only about 20 feet. The other section can be reached via small trail that runs up the side of the steep rock into the woods upstream.

Lakeshore Drive

It’s now time to head back to camp, and for this we choose to go up Lakeshore Drive, stopping at a few lakeside parks along the way.

Esrey Park

Our first stop is Esrey Park with it’s vertical rock outcropping to give us a birds eye view of the coastline.

Hebard Park

The final stop of the day is Hebard Park to take in the multi-colored, moss covered, sandstone and the small rocky outcropping just off the shoreline.

Journey to southern portion of the Keweenaw Peninsula

We’ve had a wonderful time exploring the northern portion of the Keweenaw Peninsula; but our time here has come to an end.

As we head south we pass the Quincy Mine; which is one of the largest copper mines in the area and offers underground mine tours, a museum, and a tram ride. We also go through Houghton and across the Portage Canal Lift Bridge. This is a very unique bridge built in 1959 that lifts 100 feet straight up to allow ships to pass underneath. Unfortunately, I was unable to get pictures of either.

Next stop… Keweenaw Peninsula South. See you there!