Sure is! I'll have some better pictures of Houghton/Hancock/Keweenaw in a more recent trip report. There's so much more than I can capture. No matter how many times I get up there.
CK5
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Adventures with Big Blue
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Snow Thermometer
Having seen Quincy Mine, we continued Northward along US-41. The Calumet/Laurium area has some magnificent homes from Copper Country's 19th century golden days.
Nearby, off by itself along the roadside, sits the Keweenaw County Snow Thermometer. One of my favorite aspects of the Northwoods and the U.P. is the amount of snow they receive each year (The U.P. is far ahead of our section of the Northwoods, though).
The roadside thermometer helps travelers keep track of how much snow has fallen (in the wintertime) or did fall the previous winter (in the summertime):
This trip (Summer 2012) saw the thermometer near the bottom of the scale (for winter of 2011-2012):
Having seen Quincy Mine, we continued Northward along US-41. The Calumet/Laurium area has some magnificent homes from Copper Country's 19th century golden days.
Nearby, off by itself along the roadside, sits the Keweenaw County Snow Thermometer. One of my favorite aspects of the Northwoods and the U.P. is the amount of snow they receive each year (The U.P. is far ahead of our section of the Northwoods, though).
The roadside thermometer helps travelers keep track of how much snow has fallen (in the wintertime) or did fall the previous winter (in the summertime):
This trip (Summer 2012) saw the thermometer near the bottom of the scale (for winter of 2011-2012):
Eagle River
A little further down the road we turned onto M-26 and found this little bridge over the Eagle River (in the town of Eagle River, Michigan):
The bridge spans a gorge and offers a good view of the waterfall below:
A little further down the road we turned onto M-26 and found this little bridge over the Eagle River (in the town of Eagle River, Michigan):
The bridge spans a gorge and offers a good view of the waterfall below:
Jacob's Falls
Continuing down M-26 toward Eagle Harbor, we stopped at Jacob's Falls for lunch. The falls are much smaller than the Eagle River falls, but, sitting just off the road, they are much more accessible. We decided it looked like a nice stopping point. View from road:
View from half-way up the rock on the left side:
It was definitely a good time and place to enjoy the Pasties we had brought up from Houghton that morning.
Jacob's Falls is home to the Society of St. John's Holy Transfiguration Skete (isn't that a mouthful?). The society sells jam from a little shop at the base of the falls:
So I guess the society is a mouthful in more ways than one!
A few hundred feet down the road, one finds their monastery sticking out of the trees near the Lake Superior shoreline:
It definitely stands out after several hundred miles of trees and Lakeshore.
Continuing down M-26 toward Eagle Harbor, we stopped at Jacob's Falls for lunch. The falls are much smaller than the Eagle River falls, but, sitting just off the road, they are much more accessible. We decided it looked like a nice stopping point. View from road:
View from half-way up the rock on the left side:
It was definitely a good time and place to enjoy the Pasties we had brought up from Houghton that morning.
Jacob's Falls is home to the Society of St. John's Holy Transfiguration Skete (isn't that a mouthful?). The society sells jam from a little shop at the base of the falls:
So I guess the society is a mouthful in more ways than one!
A few hundred feet down the road, one finds their monastery sticking out of the trees near the Lake Superior shoreline:
It definitely stands out after several hundred miles of trees and Lakeshore.
Thimbleberries
At the jam shop we spotted thimbleberries. Sadly, we were much too early for them to be at the edible stage.
At the jam shop we spotted thimbleberries. Sadly, we were much too early for them to be at the edible stage.
Beach
Immediately after the monastery the trees broke and we had a horizon full of Lake Superior shoreline (I wish I had a panoramic view to share). It even included parking and easy access down to the beach. Who needs the Caribbean?
I only wish I could capture the grandeur. This beach was rocky, but the stones were small and rounded. Excellent for skipping or knife sharpening (or whatever else you do with rocks
).
Immediately after the monastery the trees broke and we had a horizon full of Lake Superior shoreline (I wish I had a panoramic view to share). It even included parking and easy access down to the beach. Who needs the Caribbean?
I only wish I could capture the grandeur. This beach was rocky, but the stones were small and rounded. Excellent for skipping or knife sharpening (or whatever else you do with rocks
).
Did you find any petoskey stones?
I didn't, but we didn't spend much time at this spot. We were determined to see the whole Keweenaw from end to end before the sun set for the evening, so we had to keep moving. Maybe next time...
Eagle Harbor
Continuing up M-26 along the shoreline we found ourselves in Eagle Harbor. The town and the surrounding bay are beautiful, but my only picture of Eagle Harbor is of the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse:
Continuing up M-26 along the shoreline we found ourselves in Eagle Harbor. The town and the surrounding bay are beautiful, but my only picture of Eagle Harbor is of the Eagle Harbor Lighthouse:
Brockway
Shortly after Eagle Harbor we left M-26 and went up to what I have known as the Brockway. Evidently it is more properly called Brockway Mountain, but the name has stuck in my mind. Either way, this peak rises above the lake at a narrow enough point that we could see nearly from one side of the Keweenaw to the other.
The peak sits about 1 mile South of the Lake Superior shoreline, and the lake is visible for much of the northern half of the compass. This is the WNW view. The lake continues for quite a ways to the right of the frame:
This picture is taken due East. Lake Superior is seen at far left. The small body of water next to the lake is Copper Harbor (connected to the lake behind the hill).
This view is due South (or close to it). The lake is Lake Medora, which sits about 2 miles south of the Brockway. US highway 41 runs along the far edge of the lake. 4 miles further south and you've reached Lake Superior again (on the other side of the peninsula. Just past that next peak.
Shortly after Eagle Harbor we left M-26 and went up to what I have known as the Brockway. Evidently it is more properly called Brockway Mountain, but the name has stuck in my mind.
Either way, this peak rises above the lake at a narrow enough point that we could see nearly from one side of the Keweenaw to the other.The peak sits about 1 mile South of the Lake Superior shoreline, and the lake is visible for much of the northern half of the compass. This is the WNW view. The lake continues for quite a ways to the right of the frame:
This picture is taken due East. Lake Superior is seen at far left. The small body of water next to the lake is Copper Harbor (connected to the lake behind the hill).
This view is due South (or close to it). The lake is Lake Medora, which sits about 2 miles south of the Brockway. US highway 41 runs along the far edge of the lake. 4 miles further south and you've reached Lake Superior again (on the other side of the peninsula. Just past that next peak.
More Brockway
The summit of Brockway Mountain is reached via a seasonal road (given to snow-based transportation for the colder half of the year) which leads to a gravel circle drive where these pictures were taken. In the middle of the circle drive sits a small tourist shop. At the south edge of the circle drive, with the lake as a backdrop, sits this sign:
I love how the water stretches out forever and ever. Not typical for Midwestern water bodies.
And we're all the way up at 1328 feet! Who thought there'd still be air up this high?
Map of the area we've been touring:
We're almost to the tip!
The summit of Brockway Mountain is reached via a seasonal road (given to snow-based transportation for the colder half of the year) which leads to a gravel circle drive where these pictures were taken. In the middle of the circle drive sits a small tourist shop. At the south edge of the circle drive, with the lake as a backdrop, sits this sign:
I love how the water stretches out forever and ever. Not typical for Midwestern water bodies.
And we're all the way up at 1328 feet! Who thought there'd still be air up this high?
Map of the area we've been touring:
We're almost to the tip!
Copper Harbor
Leaving the Brockway, we came up to Copper Harbor.
Just past Copper Harbor is the end of US highway 41.
Turning around, we quickly ran into this sign:
I love end-of-highway signs. The distances seem downright unreal. (how often do I get to see 4-digit mileage numbers?)
Leaving the Brockway, we came up to Copper Harbor.
Just past Copper Harbor is the end of US highway 41.
Turning around, we quickly ran into this sign:
I love end-of-highway signs. The distances seem downright unreal. (how often do I get to see 4-digit mileage numbers?)
Fort Wilkins
Copper Harbor is home to historic Fort Wilkins. The fort is open for visits and also features historical interpretations of life in the historic military installation. This is one place I wish I had spent more time, as our visit seemed quite brief.
Copper Harbor is home to historic Fort Wilkins. The fort is open for visits and also features historical interpretations of life in the historic military installation. This is one place I wish I had spent more time, as our visit seemed quite brief.
Lakeshore
Behind the fort we forded a creek (on foot):
and were rewarded with access to some nice lake shore:
Where we left our mark (temporarily):
Behind the fort we forded a creek (on foot):
and were rewarded with access to some nice lake shore:
Where we left our mark (temporarily):
Copper Harbor Lighthouse
From our vantage point on the rocks we could look across Copper Harbor and see the Copper Harbor lighthouse:
And, of course, we could see lots of Lake Superior (surprise, surprise):
From our vantage point on the rocks we could look across Copper Harbor and see the Copper Harbor lighthouse:
And, of course, we could see lots of Lake Superior (surprise, surprise):
Manganese Falls
Just outside of Copper Harbor sits Manganese Falls:
The falls sits just off of the road in a wooded gorge:
Just outside of Copper Harbor sits Manganese Falls:
The falls sits just off of the road in a wooded gorge:
Manganese Falls
The gorge is deeper than it initially looks. I wouldn't want to fall into it, but it made for a nice climb down to the water level.
You could sit here and get your feet wet at this point:
The gorge is deeper than it initially looks. I wouldn't want to fall into it, but it made for a nice climb down to the water level.
You could sit here and get your feet wet at this point:
Manganese Falls
It is amazing how the water can go from this:
Through this:
To this:
And back to this again at the bottom:
So neat. The woods are so pretty.
It is amazing how the water can go from this:
Through this:
To this:
And back to this again at the bottom:
So neat. The woods are so pretty.
Fantastic post! Really enjoyed all the photos and descriptions. I've only been up into the UP. east of Saxon Harbor and a few other places, mostly snowmobiling. I'm really impressed, it is beautiful over there. I've just got to get up that way this summer to do a camping trip or something in the "new to me" Burb I got a while ago.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome! I have about 3000 miles' worth of pictures left to go. Not sure when I'll get through them.
Give a holler if you want more pictures from any of the stops.As for camping...It's great. Last summer saw us camping our way around the rim of Lake Superior (revisiting many of the stops from this trip). It made for a great camping trip. That trip (and our soggy tent) is what talked us into getting our Burb. So future trips can be even more fun.
