The 10 Best Bodies of Water in Upper Peninsula, Upper Peninsula

October 22, 2021 Karren Gelb

Discover the best top things to do in Upper Peninsula, United States including Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Yellow Dog River, Presque Isle River, Chapel Rock and Beach, Lake of the Clouds, Lac La Belle Lake, Tahquamenon Falls, Kitch-Iti-Kipi (The Big Spring), Mirror Lake, Horseshoe Harbor.
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1. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Headquarters on Sand Point Rd Between Munising and Grand Marais, Munising, MI 49862 +1 906-387-3700 http://www.nps.gov/piro/index.htm
Excellent
87%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
1%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 2,081 reviews

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Park located on the shoreline of Lake Superior encompassing cliffs, dunes, waterfalls and lakes.

Reviewed By 211charissek - Troy, United States

To actually see the pictured rocks you must either rent kayaks to get close up and personal, or take the boat tour.The double tiered boat gives you sensational views of the magnificent turquoise, orange, brown, copper, pink colors within the stones sculpted and worn by the seas of Lake Superior. The backdrop of the turquoise water is reminiscent of the pacific ocean and is a sight to behold.

2. Yellow Dog River

Big Bay, MI
Excellent
100%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 6 reviews

Yellow Dog River

Located on the southern shore of Lake Superior, this waterway passes through the Huron Mountains.

3. Presque Isle River

Ontonagon, MI +1 906-885-5275 http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/details.aspx?type=SPRK&id=426
Excellent
92%
Good
8%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 158 reviews

Presque Isle River

Waterfalls and a multilevel boardwalk make this river at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park worth seeing.

Reviewed By MadDogTraveler - Valparaiso, United States

Walking the trails along the river was beautiful. There are areas where waterfalls form. You can even hike to where it dumps into lake superior, which was really cool to see.

4. Chapel Rock and Beach

about 5 miles north to the end of Chapel Road, Munising, MI http://www.nps.gov/piro/planyourvisit/scenicsites.htm#CP_JUMP_78679
Excellent
86%
Good
12%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 153 reviews

Chapel Rock and Beach

Reviewed By LM4U2 - St. George, United States

20 miles east from Munising, with the last 5 miles on dirt road. A couple small parts of the road are rough, but we went slow in a compact car and had no problems. We did the long loop to Chapel Falls, Chapel Rock, Chapel Beach, the Lakeshore Trail with stunning overviews of the Pictured Rocks, then the Mosquito Falls trail. My GPS read 11.8 miles, but much of the route is flat. It took us 6.5 hours including a long lunch break and a leisurely pace. There are ways to shorten the loop, but you would miss something very special if you did so. If you have the legs for it, and you are doing the scenic cruise, get the most out of Pictured Rocks National Loop by completing this loop! Trails are marked but in some spots it is tricky to find the trail.

5. Lake of the Clouds

107th Engineers Memorial Highway, Ontonagon, MI
Excellent
88%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 270 reviews

Lake of the Clouds

Reviewed By GitchSup - Duluth, United States

What a beautiful way to spend a fall afternoon! Even though we were not at the leaf peak yet there were some trees in the valley that had started to turn scarlet and yellow, it was stunning. The price per vehicle to get into the Lake of the Clouds lot is $9.00 and well worth it for all the natural beauty. The overlook is breathtaking and there are a lot of different views of the lake. The trail is a loop that is pretty short and handicapped accessible and an easy walk for all ages and abilities. Be sure to bring a camera, the view is something you will want memories of for sure.

6. Lac La Belle Lake

Gay-Lac La Belle Rd, Lac La Belle, MI 49950
Excellent
75%
Good
25%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 4 reviews

Lac La Belle Lake

7. Tahquamenon Falls

Tahquamenon Falls State Park, Paradise, MI http://www.michigan.org/property/tahquamenon-falls-state-park
Excellent
80%
Good
16%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 288 reviews

Tahquamenon Falls

Reviewed By Piranha44 - Holt, United States

Been wanting to visit for a long time. We were able to see the lower falls from the state park and the upper falls from the private viewing area through the tahquamenom river boat tour. The views are outstanding from both areas. This is a must see when in the area.

8. Kitch-Iti-Kipi (The Big Spring)

Palms Book State Park, Manistique, MI 49854 +1 906-341-2290 http://cityofmanistique.org/big-springs-kitch-iti-kipi
Excellent
83%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 535 reviews

Kitch-Iti-Kipi (The Big Spring)

Reviewed By romanekj - Lansing, United States

Palms Book State Park’s Kitch-iti-kipi is Michigan’s largest spring. Kitch-iti-kipi is an Ojibwa word said to have many meanings, including The Great Water, The Blue Sky I See, and The Roaring Bubbling Spring. Kitch-iti-kipi is 200’ in diameter, 42′ deep and delivers 16,000 gallons of crystal clear water per minute. The water stays at 45 degrees year round. You can ride the observation raft for a beautiful view across the spring. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the floating dock was closed for a long time but, since people kept breaking the locks, it was opened very recently. Looking down the center of the raft, you can see the bubbling spring doing its work. Large trout seemed to be everywhere, but no fishing is allowed. A must see!!! #puremichigan #summer2020 #nofilter

9. Mirror Lake

Ontonagon, MI
Excellent
69%
Good
0%
Satisfactory
19%
Poor
13%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 16 reviews

Mirror Lake

Scenic lake at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.

10. Horseshoe Harbor

Mandan Road Mary Macdonald Preserve, Copper Harbor, MI
Excellent
59%
Good
34%
Satisfactory
6%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 32 reviews

Horseshoe Harbor

Reviewed By Eldereaglewatcher - Chippewa Falls, United States

Drive onto the gravel road at the end of Hwy 41 to get to Horseshoe Harbor. There's a parking area and signage for the 1/2 mile hike to Horseshoe Harbor which is serene and beautiful. If you're a little unsteady on your feet, take hiking poles and wear boots. Otherwise athletic shoes are fine.

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