The trail if you are up for it, is good. It's lengthy and windy and many ups and down…read more Definitely good for sneakers or hiking boots, maybe even a hiking stick for some leverage on the inclines. Make sure as with any walks or hikes, bring water to keep yourself hydrated. As the walk will leave you parched as you go up and down small hills. It's good either way to get some fresh air, not the urban air either. Happy hiking and see cool stuff! You can drive close to by the Sand Point, Miners Castle other stops along the shore.

One of the most beautiful places in Michigan, I highly recommend both the shorter hike to Miners…read morefalls and the longer hike on Chapel loop. If you don't hike, I recommend driving to Miners castle. I am a local and I hike the Chapel loop twice a year because the views never get old. I go in early Spring and late Fall because it isn't as crowded then.

Based on other reviews we got lucky when it came to bugs...I do't recall even using our bug spray…read moreand we didn't have any issues. We visited the first week of September, so maybe we just got lucky. My husband talked me into biking the west rim, then cutting down the middle of the island back to the ferry. Around 20 miles. Our rental bikes were a bit tough to use with not much padding on the seat and gears that were difficult to use. My husband's chain came off at one point. The good news is that we made it in just over four hours - I was so worried about missing the last ferry at 6pm, but we actually caught the 5pm ferry. I would love to visit the island again and stay over night so we don't have to race a clock. The bike trails are tough! I'm a decent bike rider, but trail riding is tough for me. I actually was okay for the first 12 miles, but my legs and rear became sore, making the last eight miles tough. I'm super glad that I was able to complete the ride, and once again had we gotten an earlier start and didn't have to worry about catching the ferry back I think I could have relaxed and not been as worried about having to push my bike up and down some tough and washed out trails. The views on the west rim were amazing! I actually wish we would have just turned around and retraced our steps instead of going down the middle of the island to get back, which is mainly a dirt road for atvs. We will be back to explore some more and work on our bike skills!

This was my second time back on the island and I'm still blown away at the beauty! You just can't…read moreput it into words and seems like you are in n a completely different state! I will say it is not an easy hike or bike ride depending on your preference! So please keep in mind age and/or physical health! I've always biked the island and takes around 5 or 6 hours depending on number of stops you take! This is a must see if you are in Munising with a day to burn and you like being physically active! Arrive early so you can get signed up, information filled out and you bike (if renting) and ferry service paid for!

Miners Falls is another great, relatively easy hike that can be done by all skill levels and I…read morewould highly recommend it as well during your Pictured Rocks trip, either before or after you make a stop at Miners Castle as well. Clocking it at 1.2 miles, it takes about half an hour to complete out and back. Miners Falls is way bigger and grander than Munising Falls, so it's definitely impressive and worth the hike out. You aren't able to get as close to it as you do to Munising Falls, you view it from 2 different viewing platforms across a wide river, but it's still impressive just the same. The hike is more intensive. It's mostly shallow, sometimes steeper in areas decline through forest on the way there, but that just means that you know the way back is going to be a constant uphill, which is a bit killer. Total elevation gain here is about 150 feet. Great part about this hike is that the trail is so WIDE, tons of space to walk and be distant from other people, not that this trail was even all that heavily trafficked by any means. When you get to the falls, the first viewpoint you get to really doesn't give you a good view. For both viewpoints, you are already looking down at the falls, and the first viewpoint, which is much higher up, is blocked by trees and at too high of an angle for you to appreciate much of anything. So it's imperative that you head to viewpoint #2, which is down one final series of steep stairs. From this viewing platform, you get a great, impressive view of the falls, get a moment to take pictures, catch your breath, before you embark on the not-so-long-but-sort-of-feels-long-because-it's-all-uphill journey back up to the parking lot. I was definitely breathing hard by the time I got to the parking lot, but it was a great, short hike to do! It really didn't hurt either that there was gorgeous fall foliage all along the road leading into the Miners Falls parking lot and spots of color along the entire hike as well. Can't be anything but happy when looking at fall rolling in! :)

Okay so here is another decent/worthwhile waterfall to visit within Pictured Rocks National…read moreLakeshore. This is Miners Falls. And...it's really easy to find and hike to. From the trailhead it's a 0.6 mile walk along a gravel path. And the 0.6-mile stroll to Miners Falls takes you throughout an incredibly pleasant and tranquil forest setting. Even before I arrived at the falls, I was grabbing pictures on the walk being immersed in lush green trees and vegetations of the woodsy outdoors. Miners Falls is about a 50-foot waterfall that's one of the more majestic flowing falls you'll find in the small town of Munising, Michigan...and Munising is sort of the host town of Pictured Rocks NL. In Munising, you'll discover a bunch of other scenic waterfalls like Alger Falls, Chapel Falls, Munising Falls, Mosquito Falls and Horseshoe Falls to name a few. You can plug all these waterfalls into Google Maps on your phone to specifically locate them. Cell phone reception in Munising works just fine. Now, one of my issues with this Miners Falls and I know I'm nitpicking...is that once walk the 0.6 mile...you can only view the falls from an observation deck. And...this overlook platform had guardrails installed as high up as your waste. So...when trying to take optimal photos of Miners Falls for yourself and or family...you're sort of held hostage to these guardrails. It's sort of like you're being photobombed by a stranger but instead it's really the tiny platform and guardrails that taint the experience. Most visitors here at the overlook were taking selfie pics, which for myself...isn't worth the time. So, I gladly took a picture or two of Miners Falls before returning back towards the trailhead. I guess just in the end I'm a narcissistic person and I want myself in every picture to officially claim that I've "been there, done that", lol. Oh well, this miniscule platform vista point and the guardrails were out of my control. Here was another frustrating aspect... I was visiting back at the end of May 2021 and the parking lot and hike to the falls were pretty busy. In fact, it was congested enough to the point that there was a crowded line of people just waiting to step onto the observation area. And because the platform barely allowed tourists to step foot on it together at one time, the wait was about 10 minutes to get that photographic memory. Wow I thought to myself...this is a popular part to the Pictured Rocks NL area. And just a side note...when I was here this past summer, it was free to explore and hike to all the waterfalls. But for the 2022 travel season, starting on March 1, there'll be a $10 fee for visitors which will eventually over time get raised to $25. So, yes...people are coming. National parks, monuments, lakeshores, state parks, hikes and trails are all getting busier each year. Be prepared for maybe eventually losing that true essence for being outside in the heart of nature. Tourists are coming in droves and it's not stopping anytime soon. Anyways...finally, I got my time at the overlook deck for a quick couple of photos before yielding to the people behind me. Miners Falls was pretty impressive when looking down upon it. I just wished that the hiking path continued down towards the base of the falls because in my opinion...there's nothing like looking up at a scenic waterfall as the prime attraction within a scenic backdrop. Welp...lol, sorry for all my venting. From here at Miners Falls, I continued onto Munising Falls, about a 9-mile drive away. And yeah...once again, Munising Falls was simply a 0.5 mile walk each way to and from an observation deck, but at least the platform there allowed more space to accommodate tourists. Lastly, although I never found true fulfillment from the viewing platform looking down at Miners Falls, I still enjoyed the hike through the forest and simply getting a chance to witness another waterfall here at Pictured Rocks Lakeshore in the UP - Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

AMAZING EXPERIENCE!! I am going to list a couple of pros and cons for this place but no matter what…read morecompany you choose, go kayak pictured rocks. Incredible formations of land that you can't see anywhere else. I lived in Michigan for 20 years and had no idea the Upper Peninsula held the treasures we got to see! Pros: -The guides had a ton of energy and were very patient with the people in our group. We had a great group of good listeners and that helped but our guide was also very flexible and let us veer off into the waters without having to stick super close to us. -The time of day that we went really made a difference. We chose the "sunset" tour so we were able to see the pictures rocks around 4-6pm . Though this is not sunset, it was still pretty to see the sun reflecting off the different colors of the rocks and formations. -the ability to just hop on a bus and hop in a kayak without carrying them helped as well. It just made everything really easy and seamless. Cons: -the bus to the launch off site didn't have A/C which was fine, but we just sat there waiting for other buses to unload and I think that could have been done a little differently. It was too hot to have thirty people sweating in a bus. -tour time said 6 hours but we only kayaked for 3.5 which was fine but maybe make it clear on the site that the bus time would take a hour round trip -I also would have suggested just an hour for lunch, being able to get out and eat our lunch on the beach was great but I didn't need to be there for 1.5 hours, I would have rather done a shorter lunch and gotten back sooner Overall, amazing and an outstanding time we had!

Overall, this was a great experience. Our guide, Tanner, was knowledgeable and fun. He was able to…read moretalk to us about the rock formations and made sure to talk to everyone in the group and even learned our names. One of the bases we rode had no AC, which was tough on a hot day, but the ride to the beach was short, so this didn't taint the experience. The kayaking was fun and Pictured Rocks is beautiful. The company is well organized and timely. I recommend this experience.

Awesome boat ride ! Amazing views ! Fast tour of the picturesque rocks . Very fun . We got wet .read more

the ride was great and totally deserved a five star and the people were very nice and friendly and…read morereally informative too about the picture rocks which were truly beautiful we also saw to bald eagles and were told black bears could be seen the island but rarely yet the biggest problem was they refused to let my little brother in and it does not say anything about the people on the boat needing to be above ten and I consider this an outrage but we also did get a bit wet but it was generally awesome but the one part was the tiniest bit bad bad but other then that it was awsome. But the best part was how skilled the captain was so he was so awesome and nice it also very cheap

We stayed at this campgrounds for 2 nights. The location was absolutely lovely. Despite being in…read moreclose proximity to a main road, the campground was super quiet. We heard another camper (with another group) played the sax one evening and it was very soothing with the sound of the lake lapping the shoreline. The camp host kept plenty of air fresheners in all the vault toilets. They were super clean and very pleasant smelling for vault toilets. The campground overall was super well kept.

Bay Furnace Camp and Picnic Grounds is a terrific place to stay for the simple traveler who…read moreappreciates sleeping outdoors in the heart of nature. I discovered Bay Furnace through the app on my phone called Campendium. Campendium was very helpful in assisting me finding worthwhile campsites along my 2021 summer road trip. Although Bay Furnace Campground is technically located in the town of Munising, Michigan, it's actually situated in the charming town of Christmas, MI. Though when I was here visiting back in the month of May...there wasn't anything Christmas(y) about the town, lol. Still, the main purpose for me being in Munising....was to explore the scenic coastal landscape along the shores of Lake Superior. Overall this campground is set just outside Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and a host of beautiful waterfalls. After spending a good portion of my day driving along Pictured Rocks NL...I couldn't find any affordable accommodations in Munising. The next best thing for myself was camping. I had a tent with me and showed up here to Bay Furnace Campground. It was early evening when I pulled up to the entrance area. The instructions stated that Bay Furnace accepts about half reservations at recreation.gov and half on a first come, first served basis. I was a little nervous about not finding a campsite when I started driving throughout the grounds. It was late in the day on a Thursday just at the start of the summer vacation travel season, yet I spotted an unoccupied site right near the entrance and backed my car into the site. Yah, I was good for the evening! As per normal policy...when you arrive, you pick a campsite and then fill out a slip with your payment and drop it into a safety box. Then the campsite is yours and you can start constructing your tent and getting settled in. It was $22 per night. They accept cash and checks, though no credit cards. Checks must be made out to RRM, Inc. and need to include your Drivers License and License Plate Numbers. There are about 50 non-electric campsites on the grounds each with a fire-pit and picnic table. Check-In time is 2pm and Check-Out time is 11am. Honestly, I really lucked out probably grabbing the 50th and last site. Because in general, throughout this UP section of Michigan I had trouble discovering on a whim available campgrounds that weren't full. I was grateful to be here. Unfortunately there weren't any showers to use, but still...I had cell phone reception and each campsite was really spacious. I felt like I had plenty of privacy being in the woods without anyone around. Two extra notes I'd like to mention... I didn't have plans for the night and across the street from Bay Furnace was the Kewadin Christmas Casino. So...after setting up my tent and washing up...I took a short 15 minute walk outside the campground and went inside the casino and played some blackjack for an hour. It was sort of a pleasant change of pace from driving and picture taking all around the UP, to all of a sudden sitting down and playing blackjack at a random casino. Returning back to my campsite, there was a terrific little overlook vista point section just to the side of the entrance where I sat down on the shore of Lake Superior and admired the colorful sunset. It was a pleasant way to end my day. This panoramic coastline beach shore can't be missed when you're walking towards the facilities area. I highly recommend hanging out here when the sun begins to fade. Although I am a big outdoorsy type of person who loves being among nature...I just really wanted this opportunity to highlight Bay Furnace Camp and Picnic Grounds. Munising, Michigan is well known for its scenic waterfalls combined with picturesque vantage points of Lake Superior that makes this section of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan quite popular. But for those tourists who don't mind setting up camp among quiet surroundings with basic amenities, then I believe you will appreciate choosing to stay at Bay Furnace Campground in the heart of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Recommended! Pictured Rocks is a section of coastline of Lake Superior that is indeed highly…read morescenic. I liked "Battleship Row", which totally does look like something from Pearl Harbor circa 1941, if you just use a little imagination. You also see arches, and a pretty unique tree-on-an-island where the roots extend through the air to the mainland. As scenic tours go, this is a good one.

We saw what we could via trails and via car routes…read more 2 hour boat ride that rides along all of the rocks along the shore. The $46 ride is all of the rocks. Next ride is at 2PM. The $54 ride is all of the rocks + the spray falls. Next ride is at 3PM. Waiting to sit in chairs to start the boarding process at 2:45 PM. There are two rows of seats are already full outside on the dock. We are seated by 2:34pm, in the second group or 4th row. We took the 4th row of seats, even though there are open seats in the 3rd row, but it's facing right into the sun. Need to stay cooler and thus our back to the sun. A staffer checks in guest last names and count, while we are seated. Boarding the cruise boat by 2:47pm. Pushing off from the docks by 3pm. Right on time and we aren't even in Korea or Japan. Fancy that! We are off by 3:03pm. Knots and wind is picking up. Hair is up. The boat is called Spray Falls. Boat was built in 2022. The captain is funny, gregarious, captain Noah. 63 Feet boat. Holds 150 people. Boat can get up to 25 MPH. Run by 2 caterpillar diesel fuel engines. Captain Noah. Cheyenne and Ashley are part of the crew. The rocks will be on the right on our way out and on the left on the way back. Castle Rock by 3:25pm. Chapel Cove by 3:56pm, we were able to ride inside the cove. Passing by Spray Falls by 4:03pm. Not sure it was worth the extra $8 for the rather small falls. The rock formations are worth the visit for sure. Turning around now by 4:06pm. Good thing. I am pretty done with seeing the rocks by now. We are back at the docks by 5:06pm. Disembarking by 5:08pm.

I would highly recommend Seaberg Pontoon Rentals! We rented a 25 ft pontoon to tour ourselves…read morearound Pictured Rocks. The boat was clean and well maintained. They gave us very clear instructions of where to go and where not to go. Staff was very friendly and accommodating. They brought a wagon up to our car to load with our stuff and brought the wagon back upon our arrival. They made the process very easy! This was such an amazing experience for us to explore Lake Superior and Pictured Rocks.

My family rented from this company a few years ago and had a great experience--friendly staff,…read morebeautiful lake, smooth process. That's why we came back. But this time? The owner (Bryan) ruined everything. Right when we got there, our group (we're all Asian) was greeted with: "Can you guys speak English?" Yeah. That was the first thing out of his mouth. It was rude, racist, and unnecessary. We were stunned but tried to brush it off to enjoy the day. Fast forward, while trying to close the boat door using my foot (kicking not even forcefully--I just didn't know how the mechanism worked), he immediately snapped and shouted: "Kick my boat again and I'll kick your ass." Mind you, I'm 16. That's an adult man threatening a minor--over a door. No explanation, no patience. Just straight-up aggression. Like I'm sorry I that I ever kicked the door but there is still no justification in yelling at a MINOR that doesn't go on daily pontoon rides and suddenly know how everything works. After that, he told us to "take a picture of your props." We were all confused--props? Like stage props? Personal belongings? The property? Even my dad, who's a trained seaman (of the Philippines so of course their training had to be different), had no idea what he meant. Turns out he meant the propeller--but instead of explaining, he started yelling "PROPELLER!" like we were supposed to automatically understand his vague boat lingo. We're not boat people. We came to enjoy the lake, not operate a ship. The way he barked at us made everything stressful and awkward. And then--after everything he said and did--he had the nerve to ask if we had any leftover food. Sir... you just threatened me, disrespected my group, and yelled at us like we were idiots... and now you want a snack? Absolutely not. Hell no. Plus, who asks strangers for leftovers? Since you took our money, you definitely have enough for happy meal at Mcdonald's. Absolutely bull-... behavior. At that point, all I could do was laugh. Not because it was funny, but because it felt like a bad comedy sketch. The whole thing was ridiculous. The boat ride was beautiful. The other staff were professional and kind. But the owner's behavior was racist, threatening, condescending, and completely unprofessional. We won't return while he's in charge. If you care about basic human respect--go anywhere else. P.S. we were lucky enough to not get served by Ellen, which judging by the reviews, also has a bad attitude. Beware.

Knocking a star off for the steering issue and the Bluetooth radio that wouldn't connect. This…read morebeats the tour all day though! Very friendly. We would do it again if we were back in the area!

My family & I rented a pontoon boat and had so much fun!! Pictured Rocks did not disappoint! The…read moreviews were absolutely stunning!! We stopped at several places along the way and still made it all the way to Spray Falls. If you have a large party and want to see Pictured Rocks we recommend a pontoon boat. The boat was very clean & staff was friendly.

I really enjoyed our kayak tour! I was unsure on choosing a half day or a full day, but eventually…read moredecided to do the half. It was the perfect length and I felt we saw so many beautiful views. The staff at the office and the tour guides on the water were so friendly and helpful. Facilities and equipment was clean and organized. We kayaked with a group of 6 with various skill-levels. It's an great way to spend part of the day for anyone. Side note: When we returned to the office, I realized my car battery was dead. Staff quickly jumped into action and helped jump it! Thank you!

Great guides. Fun trip. Would recommend the sunset tour. Rocks LoL different going out and coming…read moreback.