Great Lakes and Shorelines
Your adventure in the Upper Peninsula will include the sights and sounds of the Great Lakes and Shorelines. The clean, clear, pure waters of Michigan are an integral part of our surroundings. As we live with it daily, its blue reflection and refreshing scent keep our spirits in communion with nature. We want to share this special way of seeing the world with you!
Lake Huron
Our home water is Lake Huron and St. Ignace is situated on Moran Bay, a small harbor just north of the Straits of Mackinac. The harbor is large enough for all three ferry companies that provide passenger service to Mackinac Island. There is also a public marina with stone breakwall offering 136 slips. The Wawatam Light provides the navigational mark for the southern end of the harbor and is located at the end of the former railroad pier. Along the shore of Moran Bay, the Huron Boardwalk follows the waterfront with historic information kiosks along the way. Ducks, geeses, swans and seagulls float along the waves and come ashore to sleep at dusk. Many motels and hotels are sprinkled along the shore downtown and going north. Your stay in St. Ignace may include a view of the sun rising over Mackinac Island to the east. Farther north of St. Ignace, Horseshoe Bay Wilderness stretches along Lake Huron. The Carp River and Pine River flow into this part of Lake Huron and good fishing is the result. The land form caps Lake Huron and turns to the east. Stopping to visit Search Bay, you will find a wilderness beach with many bird species nesting nearby. Turning south on Point Brulee Road will bring you to the Birge Preserve where viewing platforms allow you access right into the wetlands. Between the two villages, Hessel and Cedarville, the Mackinac Bay Nature Preserve has a scenic overlook of wild marshlands. The villages are positioned at the Les Cheneaux Island archipelago. Wooden boats are a great tradition in this community and fishing is the best pasttime. Further east, the Lake Huron shoreline is wild with scenic views at Bush Bay Overlook and other small parks. Detour Village provides the car-ferry passage to Drummond Island at the very tip of the Upper Peninsula.
Lake Michigan
To the west of the Mackinac Bridge, beautiful Lake Michigan spans the arc of the horizon. A wild bird sanctuary is the first sight from the bridge with swans, egrets, herons, and hundreds of ducks floating the waves and reed beds. Occasionally you will see ospreys diving for fish or a bald eagle soaring the open sky near shore. Further westward along the shoreline, is St. Helena Island and Lighthouse. This island is a favorite spot for kayakers and small boats. After Point Aux Chenes, the lakeshore becomes the beautiful woodland dunes that cascade down to the water. Here you will find the best swimming around with shallow waters warmed by the sun and the singing sands for building castles. Farther west the Cut River Gorge is found with the deep descent down for those who must see the canyon bottom. Enjoy the clear, clean waters of Pure Michigan!
Lake Superior
Just one hour north of St. Ignace lies Lake Superior whose rugged shores and falling water delineate the coast of the world's largest freshwater lake. The eastern end of the lake drains into the rapids of the St. Mary's River before the waters eventually flows into Lake Huron. A series of channels and locks called the Soo Locks were built to move ships between the two uneven lake levels. The Locks also mark the international border between the U.S.A and Canada, splitting the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie. Along Lake Superior's rocky coast in the U.P., you'll also find striking scenic communities such as historical Grand Marais and sunny Paradise, where avid birders gather to witness the spring and fall migrations. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore includes Miners Castle and Munising Falls. The colorful sandstone bedrock and cliffs that make up the Pictured Rocks were sculpted into their current forms by freeze-and-thaw erosion and glacial Lake Nipissing about 5,000 years ago. The big Two-Hearted River is memorialized by Ernest Hemingway in his great story of the same name. Canoeing and tubing the river are popular activities for day tripping. Crisp Point Light at Paradise stands as a reminder of fierce storms that threaten ships off-shore. Whitefish Point Light and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum stand at the spot where Superior opens wide to the gales of November. The museum holds the stories of many shipwrecks including the Edmund Fitzgerald. Your day trip from St. Ignace to Lake Superior will add another dimension to your adventure in the Great Lakes.