Isle Royale National Park is one of the least-visited places in the USA, but it is one of the more famous parks in Michigan.
Two of America's three national lakeshores are harbored by Michigan's Lake Superior and Lake Michigan. War of 1812 nostalgia, copper-mining heritage, and scenic solitude on an isolated island are some of the lesser known gems.
The best national parks in Michigan are listed. You probably don't know of them.
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The shores of Lake Superior are home to a cavalcade of natural wonders. You can see green and blue minerals in the yellow sandstone cliffs and caves of the Upper Peninsula park.
Colorful caverns, picturesque waterfalls, imposing rock archways and dramatic rock and cave formations can be found filling out the natural offering here.
Grant Portal Point, where Lake Superior's azure waters collide with the park's eponymous cliffs, is one of the attractions that can't be missed. The park has 100 miles of hiking trails that can be reached by boat or by foot.
Hotels, restaurants, and one of two visitor centers can be found in the western gateway of the park.
The Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is 35 miles along the northern end of the western shore of Michigan. There are sandy beaches, towering dunes, lush forest and inland lakes.
The best-known attractions include hiking 100 miles of designated trails, paddling down rivers and slogging up 300 feet of sand dunes.
There are stretches of golden sands at some of the top shores of the north. There are also cute beach towns, lake islands, and lost-in-time logging villages.
Four campgrounds, a visitor center, a bookstore, and a general store are located within the park's boundaries. An excellent base for day trips can be found in the largest city in the vicinity of the park.
With the exception of a few very remote national parks in Alaska, Isle Royale National Park is the least visited preserve in the National Park Service. Quiet things come to people who look for hidden gems.
One of the island's 1600 moose blocking the path during your hike is the only traffic jam you're likely to encounter. The Greenstone Ridge Trail is the park's crown jewel and is 43 miles long. There are many bird species, snakes, wolves and moose to be encountered.
The park's services are restrained. If you want to stay overnight in the park's rustic campgrounds, you'll need a properly packed kit that includes a tent, camping stove, sleeping bag, food and water filters.
If you want to go out this way, you can either take a six-hour ferry ride from Houghton or take a 35-minute seaplane flight. Expect an adventure of minimalist proportions.
A major site from the War of 1812 is commemorated in the River Raisin National Battlefield Park. In January 1813, British and Indian forces destroyed American troops in one of the war's bloodiest battles, prompting the emotional cry, "Remember the Raisin!" A site that was awarded national- park status in 2010 has only 33 American soldiers who are still alive.
The park has eight miles of paved hike-bike trails that connect historic sites, preserved parklands, historic buildings and ecological features. River Raisin is about history and remembering.
Michigan's most unusual national park doesn't include pristine wilderness, dramatic geographic formations or travel worthy flora and fauna. The cultural heritage of the copper industry is preserved by the Keweenaw National Historical Park.
The world's greatest producer of copper used to be on the Keweenaw Peninsula. The park is located in and around the Upper Peninsula town of Calumet and contains 22 heritage sites that document the rise and fall of the mining industry.
There are many heritage sites in the area. Other historic points of interest include scenic wooden homesteads and log cabins of Finnish origin, as well as two state parks.
The article was published in August of 2021.
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