The Best Outdoor Adventures in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan

The Upper Peninsula covers 29,000 square miles and holds some of the most genuinely remote wilderness in the eastern United States. The outdoor opportunities it offers — from world-class waterfalls to Lake Superior sea kayaking to snowfall that measures in feet — are unlike anything else in Michigan and require specific local knowledge to access well.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The 42-mile stretch of 200-foot sandstone cliffs east of Munising is one of the genuinely spectacular natural features of the Midwest. The mineral streaks in the rock — iron creating red and orange, copper creating blue and green, manganese creating black — make photographs of Pictured Rocks look like they have been edited. They have not. The best way to see the lakeshore is from the water, where formations like Grand Portal Point and Miners Castle can be seen properly.

Read the Pictured Rocks Cruises spotlight — the boat tour that shows the lakeshore from the water

Tahquamenon Falls

The Upper Tahquamenon Falls is the second-largest waterfall east of the Mississippi River by volume, and the tannin-colored water that runs through it gives it an amber color unlike any other major waterfall in the country. Located near Paradise in the eastern UP, it is a genuine destination that most people outside Michigan do not know exists.

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

The largest state park in Michigan at nearly 60,000 acres, the Porcupine Mountains hold one of the last large stands of old-growth forest in the Midwest. The Lake of the Clouds — accessible by a short hike from the escarpment road — is one of the most photographed views in Michigan. In fall the color change is extraordinary.

Marquette as a Base

Marquette is the largest city in the UP and serves as the natural base for exploring the central and western UP. The city sits on Lake Superior, has a strong local food and brewery scene, and is close enough to major attractions that it works as a hub for multi-day exploration. The lakeside promenade along the Superior shore is worth an hour on its own.