Note: We didn’t know it at the time, but this would be the beginning of a set of visits that would take us all around the shoreline of Lake Superior.
Up at 0500 CST to get moving to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) where we don’t have a reservation. By 0615 CST we’re on our way and waving goodbye to the goats as they filed into the barn for their morning milking.
Stopped for fuel at the top of Wisconsin, then stopped in Escanaba, MI on Lake Huron since there is a lighthouse. It would be hard for us to not stop to see a lighthouse. Too early to gain admitance, we walked around the grounds in the light rain, then hopped back in the van to continue North.
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Sand Point Lighthouse (1868) – Escanaba, MI
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Lifesaving Station – Lake Huron – Escanaba, MI
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By 1240 EST we are cruising around Bay Furnace National Recreation Area Campground in Christmas, Michigan hoping for an open site. A huge class A with toad is attempting to get into a rather smallish site and has the road completely blocked. After about ten minutes, Beth gets out and starts walking the campground loop. The first couple she meets with their trunk open isn’t leaving, but a few sites down she meets a couple in the same circumstance that is actually packing up to go home. She stood by the marker post another ten minutes until I could get there with the van. Checking in with the volunteer campground host, we found that this was the last available space! It is hard to beat $18/night for a fully shaded site.
We drove west along the shoreline stopping at all the turnouts between the campground and Marquette. Lake Superior is like the ocean without the salt smell.
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Lake Superior Shoreline – Christmas, Michigan
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Marquette is a pretty town with many tourist shops and nicely restored buildings. We walked around the town and checked out the marina.
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| Downtown Marquette, MI |
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| Bike Racks in Marquette were all Unique
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| Michigan Runway Model
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| Marquette Corner Tower
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| Marquette Alley
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| Marquette Harbor from Downtown
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| Restored Schooner
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| Fresh Lake Fish is Available at Thill’s |
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| 1946 Gill Net Tug
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| Coaster II Schooner – Marquette, MI
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| Abandoned Ore Loading Dock
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A huge ore loading dock still stands in the harbor, though the four railroad tracks are no longer connected to shore. Beth asked a local about it and she said there is a working one at Presque Isle, just a little further west. Sure enough there is and two engines were pushing ore cars onto the pier. Checking out the other side, an ore freighter was tied up and started taking on ore while we watched.
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| The Ore Dock Dwarfs a Lake Freighter
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Turning away from industry we climbed another half mile to the state park where cliffs tower above Lake Superior providing views of rocky islands covered with birds.
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| Cliffs at Presque Isle (Boat in Distance)
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Driving back to our campsite we stopped and made dinner at a roadside turnout overlooking Deer Lake.
Bicycles are welcome here as an old railroad line has been converted to a trail following the road along Lake Superior. Shelters at trailheads even resemble railroad buildings.
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| Bicycle Trailhead |
Feeling satisfied, we returned to a “Campground Full” sign at Bay Furnace and were relieved to find our site waiting for us.
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| Shaded and Private Campsite for $18
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| Simple, but Clean and Odor Free Facilities at Bay Furnace NRA
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| Calm Evening in Bay Furnace – Lake Superior
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| A Patient Soul
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| Beth Finally Has a Camera Phone
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After walking down to the lakeshore and watching the light fade from the west we walked home and settled into washing dishes and cleaning up. Familiar music became slowly louder as it seemed an ice cream truck was approaching. Since this is a small “primitive” campground, we were surprised to hear that coming. I went to the window with the camera and waited to see what appeared, and waited, and waited. Finally a peddle powered ice cream vendor crept past our campsite.
Must be time to turn in though the sun doesn’t set until almost 10:00.
