Leelanau Peninsula & State Park

We set up camp for the week at at Leelanau State Park; which is at the northern tip of the Leelanau Peninsula. The park offers hiking trails, is home to the Grand Traverse Lighthouse, and has a campground at the very top edge of the peninsula with many sites either on the water or having water views.

Campground

We were very lucky to get a campsite directly on the water with incredible views and sunsets. We only had neighbors on one side, and only for a few nights, as the weather turned cold and rainy for several days. Although we didn’t get the opportunity to enjoy sitting on the water the way we had anticipated, the view was spectacular, and we were lucky enough to enjoy dry conditions on the days we had outings.

The campsite next door was occupied mid week with a couple from Grand Rapids. We enjoyed many conversations with them and they generously shared their favorite places in the Upper Peninsula. In addition, the gentleman ended up being the grandson of the last lighthouse keeper at Big Sable in Ludington; which we visited a few weeks earlier. He gave us first hand accounts from his childhood of what is was like living at the lighthouse and helping his grandfather tend the light. What an incredible experience!

Lighthouse & Museum

Our first outing is The Grand Traverse Lighthouse which is a short walk to the other end of the campground. Originally established in 1852 the structure below was built in 1858 and was in operation until 1972 when an automatic light tower was erected. Arriving shortly after they closed, we opted to explore the outside then walk back the next day to climb the lighthouse and tour the museum.

WWII Exhibit

In addition to learning about the lighthouse and its keepers, this lighthouse museum also has exhibits for local shipwrecks and one very unexpected WWII exhibit.

A DAY WHICH WILL LIVE IN INFAMY…
THE BEGINNING OF WORLD WAR II

With the threat of German Uboats and the attack on Pearl Harbor the United States Government realized they needed a safe haven for Navy training to take place. But where?

With the help of Commander Francis Richard Whitehead they found just the place, Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan was the only body of water in the United States not touched by foreign soil. Lake Michigan offered unpredictable waters and weather, similar to what these pilots and aircraft carrier personnel would experience on the Atlantic and Pacific.

Two side wheel steamer cruise ships, the SS Seeandbee and the SS Greater Buffalo, were purchased and quickly turned into aircraft carriers, the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable.

Training began in 1942, with the carriers conducting training along Lake Michigan seven days a week. In the summer of 1943, the USS Sable pulled into Grand Traverse Bay. Planes, drones, pilots and Navy personnel took over the Grand Traverse region. Training aboard the carriers was quite successful with over 17,000 men completing training on the carriers. There were losses, both of equipment and lives.

From the exhibit board in the Museum

They’ve pulled several of the lost planes from the water and they are now on exhibit at museums throughout the state. A few of them being prototypes making them one of a kind or very rare.

When the war ended and the carriers were decommissioned there were many discussions about what to do with them. Unfortunately, the carriers could not fit through the Great Lakes canal systems and were scrapped in 1948 with the metal being repurposed for automobiles.

Hiking Trails

Next we explore the hiking trails located at the southern end of the park. The Lake Michigan Trail meanders through lush forest before leading to the Cat Head Bay shoreline and the Manitou Overlook. We were enjoying the natural tranquility so much, we added the Mud Lake Loop trail. We came across a few Eastern Garter snakes along the trail and a very impressive Beaver Lodge at Mud Lake. The beaver must be camera shy, because he only came out to play after we put the camera away.

Small towns on the Peninsula

We visited several small towns while on the Leelanau Peninsula: Leland, Suttons Bay, and Northport. Each has their own charms, unique buildings, and historic landmarks. We even had the fortune to walk through one of the local farmer’s markets offering baked goods, local fruit, local honey, and handmade soaps.