Falls is always fun to check out.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a splendid site to camp, Buckhorn Otter Lake Campground is a splendid site, and a pleasant close by hotel is AmericInn Munising. All through the summer here at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, high temperatures
typically get into the 70's, and the overnight is quite cooler of course, regularly in the 50's. For the duration of the winter highs are typically in the 20's while Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore nighttime low temperatures during the wintertime are in the 0's. Pictured Rocks
National Lakeshore is a popular destination for the population of Munising.
The beauty of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is there for you to like. A golf course in close proximity to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is Pictured Rocks Golf & Country Club, and if you came
to camp Hovey Lake Campground is a nice spot to do that. Holiday Inn Express MUNISING-LAKEVIEW is a fine spot to get some rest, and since you're here, do take a trip to Sand Point.
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. FEES/PERMITS
Permits
BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING PERMIT (1-20 PEOPLE)
$15, 30, 8 for Annual
Backcountry permits vary depending on how many people are in your party. Each permit is for one visit to the
park. $15 for 2-6 people, $30 for 7-20 people, $8 for one person, one night only.
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 with an overnight fee of $10. 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 with an overnight fee of $10. 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 with an overnight fee of $10. 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.
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