and the driest of the months is February. Hiking along the Valley Spur Ski Trail is great fun, and if you're here, you could also visit striking Two Lakes. If you get bored of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, you could also pop by close by Two Lakes, and you can stay the night
at Hovey Lake Campground.
Why not check out nearby Tannery Creek since you're here at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and Days Inn Munising is a fine site to get some rest. Do schedule some time to go to Wick Point in the neighborhood of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
if you have a chance, and lots of people from Munising come here. Yeah, come here to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for a wonderful time. A brilliant close by hotel is Holiday Inn Express MUNISING-LAKEVIEW, and don't forget to take a good little trip to Munising Falls Creek.
There is nice outdoors recreation at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, so you may have loads of fun. A good place to camp here at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is Hiawatha Resort and Campground, and taking a little trip to nearby Sand Point is a great idea. So much amusing
stuff to do here at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, too great to be true. You could also check out Wetmore Lake since you're here at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore; it's nearby, and dry warm beds await you at Comfort Inn Munising.
There are so many enjoyable things to
do for everyone.
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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