Lake Superior and Lake Michigan

When I thought of a beach destination, Michigan was nowhere on the list. Two week car trip with Sean and three kids, five amazing national and state parks later, having discovered the incredible vistas around Lake Superior and Lake Michigan, the word Michigan will, to me, forever have different connotation.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, has an incredibly diverse landscape. At the west end of Grand Sable Dunes just before Au Sable Point is the area know as Log Slide. Easily descended, it can take up to an hour to climb back up. Legend has it that logs sent down the dry log chute would generate enough friction to cause the chute to catch fire. Today the chute is gas the one, but it attracts people of all ages stories still linger.

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The kids did the climb back up in 15mins, having dipped their toes in the clear water of Lake Superior.

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The 10mile (16km) hike, and kids longest hike ever!!!,  took us along a winding path overlooking multicoloured rocks, once in a while offering a glimpse of a rock “castle” or a plateau.

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The Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park, located further west on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, on the shores of Lake Superior, is home to the largest tract of old-growth hardwood forests west of the Adirondacks.  With spectacular waterfalls and lakes, 21 miles of pristine beaches, numerous lighthouses it offered too many choices for our short stay. We did manage to hike around the beautiful Lake of Clouds, though the sunny day meant that there were no clouds covering the lake that day.

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Leaving the Up (Upper Peninsula), we drove down to Dells for some waterpark fun for the kids. Then crossing Lake Michigan on The Lake Express High Speed Ferry, 2 1/2 hours later we drove off in Muskegon and kept going towards Silverlake State Park. This one was a mind-blowing playground for dune buggies and boys/jedies who like to pretend they are on planet Tatooine.

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Silver Lake State Park; morning view from campsite.

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Driving another two hours north along the 22 scenic highway we drove into yet another dune wonderland. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore was yet another dune adventure.

The incredibly blue and clear lake Michigan water made the 2mile ( 3km) hike over the scorching dunes well worth the effort… even though at times we were close to turning back. The 27 markers along the way were an encouragement and kept us going… only 13 more to go….!!

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