Michigan Bucket List: Porcupine Mountains State Park

Isabella Cannon

| 3 min read

Michigan Outdoors
Things To Do
Porcupine Mountains State Park is Michigan’s largest state park and a popular fall-weather destination for camping, hiking and fishing. Covering more than 60,000 acres along the Lake Superior shoreline, this vast wilderness area is a haven for nature lovers.
The “Porkies” are home to a 35,000-acre old-growth forest, roaring waterfalls, rivers and streams, 90 miles of hiking trails and various campgrounds. 

Campgrounds

Porcupine Mountains State Park offers modern, rustic and backcountry campgrounds to suite the individual preferences of any camper, including:
  • Backcountry Rustic Cabins
  • Backcountry Wilderness Yurts
  • Union Bay Tiny Quill House
  • Group Sites
  • Kaug Wudjoo Modern Lodge
  • Lost Creek Rustic Outpost Camp
  • Presque Isle Rustic Campground
  • Union Bay Modern Campground
  • White Pine Rustic Outpost Camp
  • Union River Rustic Outpost Camp
Picnic areas located along M-107 include picnic tables and charcoal grills are available on a first come, first served basis.

Hiking trails

The park’s extensive network of trails, ranging from easy walks to challenging hikes, provides endless opportunities to immerse yourself in nature. Here are a few trails to consider:
  • Beaver Creek Trail: 1.2 miles
  • Whitetail Path: 0.8 miles
  • Big Carp River Trail: 9.6 miles
  • Correction Line Trail: 7.3 miles
  • Deer Yard Trail: 5miles
  • Double Trail: 3 miles
  • East and West River Trails: 2.3miles
  • Lake Superior Trail: 17.1 miles
  • Lily Pond Trail: 2.5 miles
  • Log Camp Trail: 5 miles
  • South Mirror Lake Trail: 3miles
  • Summit Peak Tower Trail: 0.5 miles
  • Superior Loop: 1.5 miles

Fall colors chair lift

Get a bird's-eye view of Michigan's fall foliage on a chairlift ride to the top of the Porkies Winter Sports Complex’s ski hill. The chairlift ride is $10 a ticket and will tentatively run from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays Sept. 21 through Oct. 12.

Attractions

The park is also known for popular natural attractions, including Lake of the Clouds and the beautiful Presque Isle River corridor. Other attractions include the Summit Peak observation tower and 18-hole disc golf course.

Visitor Center

The Porcupine Mountains Visitor Center offers interpretive programs, an exhibit hall displaying the history of the Porcupine Mountains, information on trail conditions, Wi-Fi, a gift shop and more. The visitor center is open from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. daily, May 15 to Oct. 14. The exhibit hall features educational displays on native wildlife like:
  • Fish
  • Goshawk
  • Gray wolf
  • Porcupine
  • Peregrine falcon
  • Bear
  • Beaver
Michigan Recreational passports are required for entry into state parks. Passports are available for purchase at the visitor center or through the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.

Related:

Image: Getty Images

Related Articles

Community

Foodie Focus: Summertown Fresh Bar Fills a Fast and Healthy Restaurant Void in Corktown

Community

Find Your Fit: Sneak a Full-Body Workout in at the Playground With These Tips

Michigan Outdoors

Michigan Bucket List: Visit These Farms in the Fall

Community

Blue Cross ArtPrize Artists Inspired by Nature and History

About
Privacy
Contact

A Healthier Michigan is sponsored by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit, independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association.
No Personal Healthcare Advice or Other Advice
This Web site provides general educational information on health-related issues and provides access to health-related resources for the convenience of our users. This site and its health-related information and resources are not a substitute for professional medical advice or for the care that patients receive from their physicians or other health care providers.
This site and its health-related information resources are not meant to be the practice of medicine, the practice of nursing, or to carry out any professional health care advice or service in the state where you live. Nothing in this Web site is to be used for medical or nursing diagnosis or professional treatment.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other licensed health care provider. Always consult your health care provider before beginning any new treatment, or if you have any questions regarding a health condition. You should not disregard medical advice, or delay seeking medical advice, because of something you read in this site.