September 27-30: Yepper in the Youper--Pictured Rocks National Park and Seney Wildlife Area

 “This couldn’t be just a lake. No real water was ever blue like that. A light breeze stirred the pin-cherry tree beside the window, ruffled the feathers of a fat sea gull promenading on the pink rocks below. The breeze was full of evergreen spice.”

― Dorothy Maywood Bird, Mystery at Laughing Water

The Pensive Pirate contemplates life on the shores of Lake Superior.

Sunday, we made our way to Grand Marais, the eastern edge of Pictured Rocks National Park, on the shores of the mighty and massively impressive Lake Superior. All the remaining Great Lakes will fit inside Lake Superior. It is the size of Maine and if its waters were used to make a 5 foot deep swimming pool, it would cover all 48 lower United States. Its depths over 700 feet below the surface are the lowest spot in the continental USA.  Now THAT is one heck of a lake. Standing on its banks, you cannot see even a hint of Canadian coast in the distance. The waves roll in calm in this photo, but at times exceed 60 feet. Winds have topped 120 mph. This lake demands our respect. And yet its lengthy shoreline holds many gems for those who wander far enough to take a gander. 

I started out hoping to visit all the National Parks in Michigan. But Isle Royale, the pinnacle of my bucket list is closed to the public. I am ashamed to admit, I never heard of Pictured Rocks, but I am proud I mended my evil ways and set out to see it. 

Streams emptying into Lake Superior are tea-colored

Au Sable Point lighthouse. Now a sight of museums and park offices (closed of course, due to covid) is a very nice walk on the Northwoods Trail. 

Logging was definitely an activity that shaped the area. Here is a log slide---500 feet to the bottom--- where logs were delivered into Lake Superior in the late 19th and early 20th century. 

The waters of Lake Superior are amazingly clear. At certain points, shipwrecks can be seen from the surface. We passed a few on our hike that have remnants on the shoreline. 

Advertisement for cheap farm land from 19th and early 20th century. Fortunately, political correctness was NOT a virtue back in the day!

A warning to hikers at Sable Falls

Sable Falls in her fall attire

Grand Sable Lake all decked out

After our hike in the east half of Pictured Rocks, we returned to the town of Grand Marais where we had a cozy cottage for the duration. There isn't a lot in Grand Marais---an old post office which also serves as the town museum, a convenience store, an outfitter, and three restaurants two of which are closed because there aren't enough personnel to staff them since COVID appeared. The third one, Dunes Saloon, requires a wait to get in due to social distancing and majors in pizza and burgers. We tried it and it was pretty tasty.  There is also an old VW bus that is converted to a coffee shop called STELLA. Paul enjoyed the coffee and one morning, we purchased their tasty cinnamon rolls. If in Grand Marais, definitely get up at 8 AM get them. They usually sell out by 8:30!

A quirky little shop that we visited there was the GITCHEE GUMEE AGATE AND HISTORY MUSEUM. The lady who owns it is a little bit nutty for agates and rocks, but the shop is very well stocked for agates especially those of Lake Superior. She has written not ONE but FIVE books about them and seems to be recognized in agate circles as a genuine agate genius! We enjoyed looking at the shop and the many collected rocks from not only Lake Superior but as far away as Madagascar. (Yes, it is possible we bought a very expensive piece of Labradorite....)

:Lake Superior agate

Phosphorescent stones from Lake Superior

The following day, we decided to visit the western half of Pictured Rocks.This area is all about waterfalls and seeing the rocks from the water on a boat cruise (or kayaking!) You cannot really appreciate these sandstone formations very well from the shoreline and there is only one trail, Chapel Loop where you can see them at all. 

The road to the west side of Pictured Rocks. Beautiful!

Lower Mosquito Falls. This is on the Chapel Rocks Loop--- a 9 mile trail that is the only landlubber option to see the rocks

After our hike, Paul delved into the Youper delicacy--PASTIES. Admittedly, he was NOT enamored...

This is one heavy hockey puck of a meal. 

After lunch, we visited Wagner Falls. All of the falls were very pretty and surrounded by changing leaves. 

Munising Falls. Munising is the western gateway to Pictured Rocks. This falls is only about a mile or two from town. 

Paul admiring the waterfall. We both observed that this area reminded us A LOT of Tennessee.

From this point, late in the day and beset by rainstorms and  6 foot seas, we went on our boat cruise past the rocks. Seating is VERY limited due to COVID 19 and we appreciated their precautions. Fortunately, the weather calmed a bit along the way. 

If you go to Pictured Rocks, either kayak or high speed catamaran out to see these beautiful formations and I would also recommend the autumn for additional color and slightly less crowding. 

Pictured Rocks was the very first designated National Seashore in 1966 and showcases these gorgeous sandstone pillars from the 500 million year old Cambrian Period. Definitely worth your time!

The boat leaving Munising Bay headed out onto Lake Superior. A bit menacing in appearance---and, YES, this is a COLOR photo taken about 6pm just before some rainfall.

On the way out of the bay, we passed Grand Island, an island in Lake Superior. There is a ferry out here 3 times daily. No facilities in modern times. In the past, there was a lighthouse operational and now this is what remains after being closed for > 100 years! One lighthouse keeper lived here with his TWELVE young 'uns!

Many, many sandstone formations exist at Pictured Rocks, all named variously for their shapes. There are numerous colors in each formation due to mineral leaching out of the sandstone. This one is called Miner's Castle. 

Keyholes are not unusual. In this formation, the middle of the keyhole is partially blocked by rock that has fallen off of the top. Areas of collapse are common and average a major rock fall once a year.

Spray Falls. The end of the line for the cruise. It takes about 2 hours and passes many formations. On this trip, the weather changed dramatically about every 15 minutes which makes the photos look like they weren't taken on the same 2 hour jaunt. But they were!

On our way out of the U.P. today, a rainy off and on sunshine then soaker, we stopped by Seney National Wildlife Refuge. I love these refuges. They all have something special about them. I would like to spend MORE time at this one. There are about 6 miles of hiking trails (including the 1.5 miler we did in the rain) and there is a park scenic drive of 7.7 miles. 

Pond F  at Seney Wildlife Refuge--right before the rainstorm. Lovely reflections of clouds.

A view across the lilypads

The rain was coming pretty hard here. Trumpeter swans were plentiful here. We also saw sandhill cranes from a distance and many Canada goose. 

Sights along the scenic drive. Don't pass this up!

Officially fall in the U.P. !

We left the U.P. knowing we didn't even BEGIN to do it justice, but very grateful for the opportunity to scratch the surface.  Our evening stop on the way to Detroit and to meet our Chicago buddies is Houghton Lake, the largest inland (non-Great) lake in Michigan. We got a hotel right on the water and did a late evening hike to Lost Twin Lakes. It is also officially fall here!

This has been our first hike amongst this many FALLEN leaves .

“Almost on crossing the Ohio line it seemed to me that people were more open and more outgoing. The waitress in a roadside stand said good morning before I had a chance to, discussed breakfast as though she liked the idea, spoke with enthusiasm about the weather, sometimes even offered some information about herself without my delving. Strangers talked freely to one another without caution. I had forgotten how rich and beautiful is the countryside - the deep topsoil, the wealth of great trees, the lake country of Michigan handsome as a well-made woman, and dressed and jeweled. It seemed to me that the earth was generous and outgoing here in the heartland, and perhaps the people took a cue from it.”
― John Steinbeck, Travels with Charley: In Search of America

PAUL'S PONDERINGS:  We had a great few days out in the UP.....nice hiking, nice scenery, and much more.    It did rain off and on our last couple of days, but no big impact.   Lots of this area remind me of home in Tennessee, but without the hills (for the most part).   It is quite rural up here and I suspect to survive the winter, you've got to be pretty hearty!     At the end of this, we head down to the "mainland", but many more adventures await, no doubt.