This is one of the least visited national parks, and it's not because it isn't worth visiting…read more Rather, it's so isolated that it needs a 3-6 hr ferry ride or a 45-60 min sea plane ride. Even then, there's only one hotel to stay in which is usually booked out pretty far in advance, unless you want to camp with potable water sources not the most reliable. Of course, this is by design in order to preserve the beautiful natural wilderness. I visited in the shoulder season in the first week of June, and there weren't that many people, emphasizing the wild solitude. It seems like all the visitors here are respectful of nature since there was not any litter nor any defacing at all. The trails here are primitive and not paved or lined with gravel. You can see so much wildlife here, from tiny amphibians the size of my fingernail to huge moose. The night sky is amazing with so many stars, and I saw the Milky Way due to the high quality of the night sky. It is very humbling. As a note, limited amounts of foraging is allowed. I didn't take anything, but I saw edible mushrooms and fiddleheads, and later in the season there's wild blueberries, strawberries, and thimbleberries. Even though it is early before the first hatch, the mosquitoes here are ferocious!

Isle Royale is a unique GEM in the National Park system. If…read moreyou want a beautiful, unique, and wild place with no tv and limited Wi-Fi Isle Royale is for you. I took the Sea Hunter 3 from Grand Portage, Minnesota. The Grace Point lookout trail from the Windigo Visitor's Center took me about two hours, I'm a 45 year old male in decent shape. The lodge is at the Rock Creek Visitor's Center, from the Windigo Visitor's Center this would be about a 40-50 mile hike, Isle Royale is HUDGE island. There are ferry's and sea planes to Rock Harbor. I would LOVE to come back and spend a couple of nights. Bring heavy duty bug spray and a bug cover for your head and hands. The rangers at the Windigo Visitor's Center are GREAT, the ranger in the picture gave an awesome presentation.

Baraga State Park is a small State Park situated in a perfect area across from Lake Superior that…read moreis between somewhere and nowhere. This isn't a State Park made to stay at for any extended period of time but rather a great stopping point for us on our Circle tour of the biggest lake of all the great lakes. We rolled in on a Friday mid-afternoon and couldn't be more pleased with our one night stay. Yes, the highway is nearby and you do hear the traffic but for our visit, it couldn't have been more perfect. We saw the sunset and the moon on full tilt out on Superior. It was truly a welcoming rest on our journey through the North. From Milwaukee, expect about a 5 or so hour drive. From there you have just about reached as far as you can go before you run out of road. Next stop, Copper Harbor. Our favorite amenity about Baraga was the bathrooms. They were absolutely the cleanest facilities we had use of during our 9-day jaunt. The showers were solid and the water was hot. Baraga was a great start for our camping adventures to come! We would stop through this place anytime!

My wife is not happy tonight as this park sits right alongside the main highway US-41 that runs up…read morethrough Baraga and north toward Copper Harbor. This was a mistake coming here as the road noise is terrible, it sounds like the Indy 500 and it is not conducive for an enjoyable camping experience. We won't camp here again and we will be sure to look into the next camping area we pick as an unhappy wife creates an unhappy life.

Such a great day! Easy to find, excellent free parking and pit toilet available. Choices on how…read morestrenuous you want to be on your way to the top. Gorgeous hike awaits! Walkable for all ages, enjoy canopies of trees, wooden stairs with handrails and informative signs along the way. Then you reach the top and it should take your breath away! So worth it! Various wood deck platforms, facing different directions provide safe viewing and unforgettable vistas! Trust me, it's special.

Sooooo beautiful! The perfect distance of a hike for families. The kids can keep up, the parents…read moreenjoy it. The view is just breathtaking. I will never get used to it. Must visit when in the UP

Beautiful falls that attract tourists and locals. The flow of the falls changes but many photos…read moretaken by families, locals and tourists alike. You can take a trek around the entire falls to view at different angles or stick to the boardwalk if you dont care to walk a narrow trail with rocks and tree roots.

Lovely stop on our way to Ontonagon - even in the rain! The falls are not far from the parking lot…read moreand there is a lot of wooded paths to walk along so you aren't trudging through mud. Would highly recommend stopping by this beautiful waterfall!!

They are a really good ski hill in my area. They have a lot of runs and there are beginner up to…read moreexpert hills. They have 3 hills that go through the woods.

This little ski & snowboard destination is a hidden gem. Tucked away in the beautiful upper…read morepeninsula (U.P.) of Michigan, by the Portage Canal, overlooking the city of Houghton and the campus of Michigan Technological University, this ski hill remains my favorite in the country. I've been to places like Snowbird and Brighton, but Ripley just has that charm you can't find elsewhere. It's small. The vertical is just over 400 ft, has about 25 trails and only one chair lift and a T-bar. Now the exciting stuff. The hills are shaped like a ski-jumping ramp. It's steep near the top, and flattens out near the bottom (where the bunny hill is). This means you can acquire speed very quickly - enough speed to hit the quarter-pipe, tabletops, and other fun stuff in the terrain park on your way down. There're quite a few black-diamond runs, and a double-diamond. For adventurous skiers/snowboarders, there're plenty of woods in between trails. There's even a small cliff, just to the right of the T-bar on the way up, for powder-day audacity. I'm a snowboarder and by nature I tend to explore the roads less traveled. This place is perfect for exploration. In addition, given its small size, your knees can get the rest they need between runs, and get ready for the next adventure. This is especially true for snowboarders. When your muscles are fatigued, you can't initiate turns and can easily end up in the patrol room. Ski patrol. I used to patrol there for five years, and Ripley has the highest patrol-to-customer and lowest accident-per-day ratios I've seen. The patrol body consists of local old-timers as well as Michigan Tech students. It's extremely well-organized, well-trained, well-disciplined, and of course, friendly :) Kids. I think I've seen more kids there than adults - and most kids are really, pretty good! Lessons, either in groups or one-on-one, are available to people of all ages and skill levels. The trail conditions. They make snow prior to the start of the season, so there's always plenty of base. The U.P. gets more than 200" of snow on average, so you can count on many powder days with pristine snow. Most trails are groomed and they groom it well. Night skiing is available daily, and trails are well-lit. The view. One of the reasons I love this place so much is the ability to scan the entire horizon as you look down from the hilltop. Ripley faces south, meaning it gets plenty of sunlight. Few things beat the view of a quiet sunset from a mountain top. There're special events throughout the season, e.g., Winter Carnival in February, Slush Pit (there's a funny youtube video) in March, and various ski & snowboard races and competitions like Big Air. All these make for a perfect place for both beginners and experts. And when you're done for the day, head to any of the local microbreweries!

So much fun !! The instructors are great. They totally put you at ease !! The only thing I was not…read moreaware of is that there is a lot of up hill hoofing it and stairs. Wasn't a problem for me and the boy child. But if it is you may want to take a pass. Lots of fun for a break from the lakes.

Best rainy day activity!! Logan and Murphy were awesome guides! We had 5 kids ranging from 7-12…read moreand had an absolute blast. Highly recommend!!

This Waterfront Park really embodies what the town of Houghton, Michigan is all about…read more Houghton, Michigan (in my opinion) is a pretty cozy/old fashioned/industrial city with this terrific Waterfront Park situated along the edge of Portage Lake within the Keweenaw Waterway. The main highlight is a pedestrian walking pathway, where all you have to do is stroll about and breathe in the fresh air of the UP - Upper Peninsula. Plus, another scenic aspect of the park is having the Portage Lake Lift Bridge as the centerpiece focal point, making for quality photo opportunities (especially when the sun is out, lol) for those visitors exploring around town. And...the Portage Lake Lift Bridge connects the cities of Houghton and Hancock, which the road eventually leads towards Copper Harbor, MI - "The Gateway to Isle Royale National Park". For me coming to Houghton on my eventual journey out to Isle Royale...I very much enjoyed becoming acquainted with the city. Btw, there is an Isle Royale Visitor Center right nearby here for those interested in purchasing souvenirs, watching a park film and having your NP Passport stamped. Overall, this Waterfront Park gave me a fresh perspective for appreciating what makes Houghton quite the charming town. I used about 1 hour just casually hanging out here, taking some time to sit down on one of the many benches to relax and people watch.

Parked by the water and went to dinner. After walked i bit around town and by the water. Peaceful…read moreand seems very safe. nice to be on vacation and not have to feel you need to be on alter and didn't see any homeless on the Upper P trip. Houghton is a college town ... several bar and restaurants. Water sports, fishing, hiking. This was our last stop on our Upper P trip. We actually went home a day early .. missed the dog. hope to return in the fall or spring ... especially the fall.

Beautiful drive to a very quiet, well maintained park. Had the place all to myself. I will…read moredefinitely visit again

This park is at the end of the Abbaye Peninsula, which is due south of the Keweenaw Peninsula. It…read moreis in a remote location about 10 miles down dirt roads, which get bumpier and narrower as you proceed. As you enter, there is a small parking lot with a sign that has a map. Black flies are not prevalent in the woods, but will attack once you get near the water. I learned this the hard way and they managed to chase me half a mile back to the car. There are some beautiful rock formations here and a good view of the Huron Islands to the east.

No food No ambiance…read more They rent out kayaks for Keweenaw Water Way-shallow small tandem that was not steady and had holes in it My ass was soaked after 2 minutes When we came back, I got flooded in my seat Not much to see but black water Very busy with boats I would advise to try something else or skip it all together Not a kayaking experience I'd do again Service was ok but nothing like we had experienced in Copper Harbor

good ice cream in a small park shop- plus it's open into the evening! jilberts and cedar crest and…read morevegan gelato