Mirror Lake in the Porcupine Mountains
September 25, 2009
Mirror Lake, photo by deciBelle.
Be sure to check this fall photo from Mirror Lake bigger or in Leslie’s Landscape set (slideshow).
There’s a nice writeup on the North Mirror Lake Trail on Mike & Aimee’s Favorite Hikes in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. You can get maps for all the trails on trails.com and get more photos and info on Michigan’s largest state park from Michigan in Pictures.
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park
August 6, 2009
Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, photo by kmaz.
Be sure to check this out bigger or in Konrad’s Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park set (slideshow).
I’m thinking this waterfall might be Manabezho Falls. For more on this amazing state park, check out Porcupine Mounties on Michigan in Pictures, this cool article from Summit Post on visiting and enjoying the Porkies and the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park site.
More of the same (and much more of the different) in the Michigan Waterfalls group on Flickr!
Mist Woods and Porcupine Mountains terrain
November 29, 2007
Mist Woods, photo by Kim Nixon
Kim says that this photo was taken on the way up the Summit Peak Path in the Porcupine Mountains on October 6th, 2007. She has more photos from (and writing about) the UP on her blog, The Dailies.
SuperiorTrails.com says that the view from Summit Peak is the most “don’t miss” attraction in the park. On their Porcupine Mountains Hiking Trails page, Exploring the North writes:
This trail provides an opportunity to visit Summit Peak at 1,958 feet, the highest point in the park. A 40-ft. observation tower provides an outstanding view of the park as well as the surrounding area . Wisconsin, Minnesota, the Apostle Islands, and Copper Peak are a few of the sights that can be seen on a clear day. A viewing deck on the way up to the summit provides a panorama of the Little Carp River valley and ranks as one of the best views of the park.
Our Absolute Michigan Map of Michigan at Google Maps got a cool upgrade earlier this week with the addition of a new “Terrain” feature, and I thought the Porkies (which probably offer Michigan’s most wild & rugged terrain) would be a perfect place to put the map through its paces – click this link to check it out and let me know what you think!
You can get a detailed trail map at the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park page from the DNR.
Manabezho Falls in the Porcupine Mountains State Park
September 22, 2007
Manabezho Falls, long exposure, photo by DA2Brian.
GoWaterfalling’s page on Manebezho Falls says:
The Manabezho Falls are part of the Presque Isle River’s spectacular final dash to Lake Superior. The entire 1 mile stretch is very beautiful, with lots of bare rock and rapids. It is easily accessible from the Presque Isle entrance off of CR-519 on the western end of the park…
Manido Falls are just short distance upstream. Nawadaha Falls is a bit farther upstream. Downstream of Manabezho the river plunges into a narrow gorge. The “falls” there have no name, but they are quite interesting.
The falls are located in the Porcupine Mountains State Park and you can see more photos of Manabehzho Falls on Flickr (slideshow) and also check out the Porcupine Mountains group!
I’m pretty sure that “Manabehzo” is Manabozho, the Ojibwa/Algonquin trickster and messenger of the Great Spirit. For more about this colorful figure, check out Manabozho, the Mischief-maker by Rick Walton.
Lake of the Clouds in the Porcupine Mountains State Park
June 29, 2007
Lake of the Clouds by Night, photo by SpringChick.
Spring Chick writes: Lake of the Clouds at dusk. I love the mirrored, mystic look to the lake in this photo. I also found it interesting that the sky colored in the east. I could visit this place every day and never tire of it. Porcupine Mountains, MI.
This photo is part of her Porcupine Mountains set (best as a slideshow) and yes, it makes an amazing background for your computer.
Lake of the Clouds is in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, which was established in 1945 and is Michigan’s largest state park. The “Porkies” are located 15 miles west of Ontonagon in the western Upper Peninsula, and the 60,000 acre park features virgin timber, secluded lakes, and miles of wild rivers and streams. If you it that link above you can get trail maps (they allow mountain biking too) and backcountry camping information.
The Wikipedia Porcupine Mountains entry says that the Porcupine Mountains were so named by the native Ojibwa people because their silhouette had the shape of a porcupine. Also see Exploring the North’s Porkies page, this cool Ski the Porkies site and a map to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.
lake of the clouds, porcupine mountains
October 11, 2006
lake of the clouds, again, photo by Apparat-chik.
Sometimes I have to search and search and other times it’s just there. This photo is part of a set that wins “Best Title for October 2006″ called If this isn’t “Deliverance,” then it must be Michigan UP. According to his bio, Mike is a brilliant yet reclusive volcanologist residing on my private game reserve on the Kamchatka Penninsula .. or something like that.
The DNR has information about hiking & camping in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (aka the Porkies). You can find more about the area at the Porcupine Mountains Ontonagon Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. In its Porcupine Mountains entry, Wikipedia says that they were named by the native Ojibwa people, supposedly because their silhouette had the shape of a porcupine and that “the most striking geological feature of the Porcupine Mountains is the long basalt and conglomerate escarpment parallel to the Lake Superior shore and overlooking Lake of the Clouds, a continuation of the same copper-bearing bedrock found farther northeast on the Keweenaw Peninsula.”
The park was formed in 1945 to protect the last large stand of old-growth forest remaining in Michigan. The park has an excellent network of backcountry trails for hiking, backpacking and cross-country skiing, rustic trailside cabins, campgrounds, swimming and boating areas. The North Country Trail runs through the park.
You have to be happy that this photo is part of the Michigan in Pictures Michigan Fall Wallpaper series!
Waterfall Wednesday: Greenstone Falls
October 17, 2012
All About Fall – Greenstone Falls (Porcupine Mountains State Park – Upper Michigan), photo by Aaron C. Jors
GoWaterfalling’s minor waterfalls page says:
Greenstone Falls is a small scenic falls on the Little Carp River. The falls is about 20′ wide, and less than 10′ high. This is the most easily reached of the “backcountry” falls in Porcupine Mountains State Park, being about 1/2 mile from the trailhead. The trailhead to the falls is at the end of Little Carp River road. If you continue on the trail for another 2+ miles you will reach the much larger Trappers Falls.
Trappers Falls looks like a pretty cool natural waterslide!
Check this out on black and see more in Aaron’s great Waterfalls slideshow. Aaron has several more waterfall shots on Michigan in Pictures too.
Many more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures.
Sunrise at Lake of the Clouds
October 8, 2012
Sunrise at Lake of the Clouds, Porcupine Mountains, photo by Neil Weaver Photography
Lake of the Clouds is a favorite here on Michigan in Pictures, so it was a happy morning when I found Neil’s great shot of sunrise over the lake.
Head over to Facebook to see it bigger and see more from the UP and elsewhere in Neil’s Landscapes & Lakescapes album.
Fall is a great time to be nuts for Michigan
September 25, 2012
The Rushing Tahquamenaw” Tahquamenon Falls, Upper Michigan, photo by Michigan Nut
Last week the Lansing State Journal asked Michigan in Pictures regular John McCormick aka Michigan Nut Photography about his favorite Michigan color touring destinations. His list is features five fantastic fall locations: Porcupine Mountains, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the Cadillac area, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and the Tahquamenon Falls.
It’s a great list and John is a tremendous landscape photographer. About this photo John writes:
The Brown color of the water in the Tahquamenon River comes from tannins leached from the dense Cedar-Hemlock-Spruce swamps in the river’s headwaters. The river’s total watershed encompasses more than 790 square miles. The Tahquamenon River flows into Lake Superior, after winding nearly 100 miles through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula to empty into Whitefish Bay.
This is the land of Longfellow’s Hiawatha (“by the rushing Tahquamenaw” Hiawatha built his canoe). The Objibwa Indians lived in this rich land of fish, fur, and big game. In the late 1800′s, much of the region was logged off, with the Tahq River being one of the main tranportation routes to drive logs to the sawmills. Today, the falls are protected by this wonderful Michigan State Park for all to enjoy.
See his work at Michigan Nut Photography or dive in to his spectacular Autumn in Michigan slideshow.
Lots more about Tahquamenon Falls on Michigan in Pictures.
Gabbro Falls and the Black River Scenic Byway
September 19, 2012
From Above – Gabbro Falls (Black River – Upper Michigan), photo by Aaron C. Jors
Gabbro Falls is one of several very nice waterfalls on the Black River. Others are Great Conglomerate Falls, Gorge Falls, Potawatomi Falls, Sandstone Falls and Rainbow Falls – click that link for more info from GoWaterfalling.com.
…is in the western corner of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, near the Wisconsin state line. The byway begins in Bessemer and travels north to the road’s end on the shores of Lake Superior. Black River is 15 miles long and follows North Moore Street, Saint Johns Road, and Black River Road (CR 513). All are two-lane paved roads suitable for all types of vehicles. The byway is open year-round.
The Black River scenic byway crosses the Ottawa National Forest alongside the meandering Black River through areas of old growth hemlock and hardwoods of the Black River Valley. The byway offers scenic views of the distant Porcupine Mountains. In autumn, the byway is bathed in colors of red, orange, and gold.
Aaron’s photo from early October of 2010 certainly bears that out. See it on black and view more in his awesome Waterfalls slideshow.
More waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures.
