Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Custom Search Multicolored sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, inland lakes, wildlife and the forest of the Lake Superior shoreline beckon visitors to explore this 73,000+ acre park. Attractions include a lighthouse and former Coast Guard life-saving stations along with old farmsteads and former logging trails. The park is a four season recreational destination where hiking, camping, hunting, nature study, and winter activities abound. At its widest point the Lakeshore is only five miles and hugs the Superior shoreline for more than 40 miles. This was the first National Lakeshore and was authorized in 1966.     CONTACTS Email - pamela_baker@nps.gov Fax- 906-387-4025 Write to PO Box 40 N8391 Sand Point Road Munising, MI 49862-0040 Phone Headquarters (year round) - 9063872607 Visitor Information (year round) - 9063873700 Grand Sable Visitor Center (summer only) - 904942660 Grand Sable Visitor Center (summer only) - 9064942660 TRAVEL BASICS Operating Hours, Seasons Visitor Center hours are listed under the Facilities section of this site. Park headquarters at Sand Point in Munising is open 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, year round, with the exception of federal holidays. There is no particular 'best season' to visit the Lakeshore for each has its own charm and variety of activities. In the spring, wild flowers bloom in great profusion and add to the beauty of the natural scene. The summer brings pleasantly warm weather and abundant sunshine. Fall boasts a colorful display as the hardwood forest changes color. A mantle of snow sets the stage for wintertime adventure. Getting There PLANE - Grass airfields are located near Grand Marais and Munising. Regularly scheduled commercial airline service is located in Marquette, Escanaba, and Sault Ste. Marie Michigan. CAR - Michigan state highways M-28 and M-94 lead to Munising; state highway M-77 leads to Grand Marais. County road H-58 and other spur roads provide access throughout the park. BUS - Regional bus lines stop in Marquette and Escanaba. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Local bus service (Altran, (906) 387-4845) offers backpacker shuttle service in summer; reservations are required. Weather & Climate The climate varies as much as the seasons. Summertime high temperatures can reach the 90's with much cooler evening temperatures. Temperatures in the 70's and 80's are more common. Wintertime temperatures below freezing are common. Layered clothing for changing weather and a rain suit are recommended. Accessibility Each drive-in campground has at least one handicapped accessible campsite. Paved trails and boardwalks provide access at Miners Castle, Munising Falls and the Sand Point Marsh Trail. Visitor centers are accessible. CAMPING Hurricane River Campground May 10 - October 31 campground services available and fees charged. Hurricane River Campground is located off Alger County road H-58 three miles east of Twelvemile Beach campground where the Hurricane River flows into Lake Superior. Eleven campsites are available in the lower campground loop, and ten in the upper loop. A level 1.5 mile walk on the North Country Trail east from the lower campground leads past shipwreck remnants to the historic Au Sable Light Station. Camping is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Because of the popularity of these campgrounds, a mid-morning arrival is suggested. You may also wish to identify an alternative campground in your plans as the Lakeshore campgrounds are often full, especially during July and August. Lakeshore campsites provide a picnic table, fire grate and tent pad. Solar powered wells provide water. Vault toilets are available. Disabled accessible campsites are provided at each campground and are reserved for disabled campers till 6 p.m. each evening. If, after 6 p.m. they are not filled, other campers may occupy the disabled accessible campsite for that night only. Little Beaver Lake Campground May 10 - October 31 campground services available and fees are charged. Located 20 miles east of Munising off Alger County Road H-58, Little Beaver has 8 campsites situated on a beautiful inland lake. Little Beaver also features a 1.0 mile self-guiding interpretive trail and a 1.5 mile trail leading out to Lake Superior beaches and cliffs, and access to other day hikes via a trail network that connects with the North Country Trail which traverses the park for 42.8 miles between Munising and Grand Marais. Large recreational vehicles are not recommended for Little Beaver Lake Campground due to the steep access road. There is a boat ramp at Little Beaver. Boat motors are restricted to a maximum of 10 horsepower on Little Beaver and Beaver Lake. Camping is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Because of the popularity of these campgrounds, a mid-morning arrival is suggested. You may also wish to identify an alternative campground in your plans as the Lakeshore campgrounds are often full, especially during July and August. Lakeshore campsites provide a picnic table, fire grate and tent pad. Hand operated or solar powered wells provide water. Vault toilets are available. Disabled accessible campsites are provided at each campground and are reserved for disabled campers till 6 p.m. each evening. If, after 6 p.m. they are not filled, other campers may occupy the disabled accessible campsite for that night only. Twelvemile Beach Campground Twelvemile Beach Campground is situated 12 miles west of Grand Marais off Alger County Road H-58. The campground's 37 sites are located on a sandy bluff above Lake Superior's Twelvemile Beach. The entrance road winds through a picturesque stand of white birch. Twelvemile Beach Campground also features a 2.0 mile self-guiding interpretive trail. Camping is on a first-come, first-serve basis. Because of the popularity of these campgrounds, a mid-morning arrival is suggested. You may also wish to identify an alternative campground in your plans as the Lakeshore campgrounds are often full, especially during July and August. Lakeshore campsites provide a picnic table, fire grate and tent pad. Solar powered wells provide water. Vault toilets are available. Disabled accessible campsites are provided at each campground and are reserved for disabled campers till 6 p.m. each evening. If, after 6 p.m. they are not filled, other campers may occupy the disabled accessible campsite for that night only. FACILITIES Museums GRAND MARAIS MARITIME MUSEUM Normally open July and August Phone - 906-494-2669 Location - E22030 Canal Street, Grand Marais, MI 49839 Exhibits - Standing guard over Grand Marais Harbor since the mid 1930s, the present Grand Marais Coast Guard Station beckons visitors interested in the maritime history of the lakeshore. Adapted by the NPS as the Grand Marais Maritime Museum, the museum features exhibits on Lake Superior shipwrecks and the lives and times of the U.S. Life Saving Service, a forerunner of the Coast Guard. The museum includes a small bookstore, and is open as staffing permits. Available Facilities - The Maritime Museum also serves as a Lakeshore ranger station. Visitor Centers GRAND SABLE VISITOR CENTER Open late May through October Hours vary with staffing Phone - 906-494-2660 Location - E21090 Country Road H58, one mile west of Grand Marais. Available Facilities - Nestled at the foot of the Grand Sable Dunes, the Grand Sable Visitor Center is located near the east end of the lakeshore and the beginning of the Lakeshore segment of the North Country Trail. A Park Ranger is on duty to assist hikers, backpackers, and nature enthusiasts with information geared at making their stay more enjoyable. A bookstore is located here as well. MINERS CASTLE INFORMATION STATION Generally Memorial Day to Labor Day - staffing dependent Phone - None Location - End of Miners Castle Road, 6 miles north of county road H-58. Available Facilities - Miners Castle facilities include restrooms, paved overlook trails, wayside exhibits, and access to the North Country Trail. The Miners Castle Information Station includes a small Eastern National cooperating association bookstore. MUNISING FALLS INTERPRETIVE CENTER Open June through Labor Day Hours vary with staffing Location - 1505 Sand Point Road in Munising (across from Munising Memorial Hospital). Exhibits - Located next to Munising Falls, the interpretive 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. Available Facilities - A Park Ranger is on duty to assist visitors with planning and enjoying their trip. The center also includes a small Eastern National bookstore. PICTURED ROCKS/HIAWATHA FOREST VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER Open All Year Phone - 906-387-3700 Location - Located at the junction of state highway M-28 and county road H-58 in Munising. Closures - Closed Sundays late fall through spring. Exhibits - Visitors to the lakeshore area should begin their stay with a visit to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore/Hiawtha National Forest Visitor Information Center. There you can obtain information on a variety of recreation resources in the lakeshore and the Hiawatha National Forest area. The center also maintains schedules of interpretive activities presented by Park and Forest Rangers. The VIC also features an attractive pictorial exhibit area and a Hiawatha Interpretive Association sales area where visitors can purchase posters, slides, and a variety of publications which will foster a greater understanding of the region.   Map Detailed Map Contact Info Phone, Email, Address, GPS coordinates Campgrounds Nearby List of Nearby Campgrounds Weather Local weather forecast These outdoors activities are available near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.   Campgrounds Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Hiawatha Resort and Campground, Munising, 1 miles away Buckhorn Otter Lake Campground, Munising, 1 miles away Wandering wheels Campground, Munising, 6 miles away Island Lake Campground, Alger County, 7 miles away Hovey Lake Campground, Alger County, 8 miles away Wide Water Campground, Alger County, 10 miles away Mosquito Beach Campground, Alger County, 10 miles away   Hotels Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Super 8 Munising Wetmore Area, Munising , 2 miles away Comfort Inn Munising, Munising , 2 miles away AmericInn Munising, Wetmore , 2 miles away Days Inn Munising, Munising , 2 miles away Holiday Inn Express MUNISING-LAKEVIEW, Munising , 3 miles away Econo Lodge Inn & Suites Munising Area, Wetmore , 3 miles away Americas Best Value Inn Wetmore, Wetmore , 3 miles away   Trails Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Valley Spur Ski Trail, Alger County , 6 miles away Big Island Lake Portage Canoe Trail, Schoolcraft County , 12 miles away Haywire Grade ORV Trail, Schoolcraft County , 13 miles away Addis Lakes Ski Trail, Alger County , 13 miles away Lakeshore Trail, Alger County , 15 miles away   Ski Areas Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Gladstone Ski Park, Michigan , 38 miles away, 200 foot drop, 5 lifts, 6 runs Marquette, Michigan , 55 miles away, 600 foot drop, 4 lifts, 25 runs Homestead, Michigan , 85 miles away, 320 foot drop, 5 lifts, 15 runs Norway Mountain, Michigan , 91 miles away, 500 foot drop, 6 lifts, 17 runs   Whitewater Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Au Train River, Alger County , 16 miles away, Class III-IV+ - 1 miles long (M94/Dam to below power house)   Public Lands Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan , 19 miles away Palms Book State Park, Michigan , 26 miles away Indian Lake State Park, Michigan , 28 miles away Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park, Michigan , 31 miles away   Golf Courses Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Pictured Rocks Golf & Country Club, Munising , 2 miles away   Lakes Near Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Big Twin Lake, Alger County , 7 miles away Blue Lake, Alger County , 12 miles away Wolf Lake, Delta County , 19 miles away