Planning trip Washington to Upper Michigan

[mikedunn]

hAny suggestions on going from Everett, WA to Upper Michigan this fall. Our goal is Picture Rock National Shore and the Mackinaw Area along the lakes. Have any campground and must see recommendations. Also any suggestions while traveling through the Northern parts of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin on our way out and then Iowa and Nebraska and Wyoming on our trip home. Thanks

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

hAny suggestions on going from Everett, WA to Upper Michigan this fall. Our goal is Picture Rock National Shore and the Mackinaw Area along the lakes. Have any campground and must see recommendations. Also any suggestions while traveling through the Northern parts of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin on our way out and then Iowa and Nebraska and Wyoming on our trip home. Thanks

We stopped at Custer Battlefield,very interesting place to see,if you are into history,on our way through that area also camper at Teddy Roosevelt NP,just over the border in North Dakota.
There are photos in my travel blog you might check out.We were on the return portion of our trip to Northern Minnesota.

Frank

 

[Foy]

Mike,

On the UP, have a look at going up to Copper Country; the Keweenaw Peninsula north of Houghton-Hancock. There's a bit of lakeside driving on mill talings dump "beaches", some high ridge driving with great views of the water, a deep mine tour of a native copper mine, and several quaint towns and villages. On the way there, north-northwest of Marquette, you can do a drive-through of the Huron Mountains, which includes Michigan's state high point. There's an old railroad grade (Peshekee Truck Trail) which connects to some FS and county roads on the Skanee side. Point Abbaye is a drive-to within 25 yards of the lake, with views of the Huron Islands, Huron Mountains, and the long ridgeline of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Be sure to snag some pasties to eat from the little pasty shop on US 41 in Hancock and a huge and yummy cinnamon roll at the shop in L'Anse.

For general planning, check the schedule for the Lake Superior Rally, the successor of the old SCCA "Press On Regardless" which is still run in mid-October. Houghton-Hancock will be fairly booked up with rally teams and spectators that weekend. On the trip out or back, be aware of the possibility of difficulty in finding motel rooms in eastern MT (generally along I-94 east of Billings) and most of western ND. The Bakken Shale oil patch is likely hurting due to the dramatic drop in oil prices, but as recently as a few months ago it was still pretty tight in terms of finding a place to stay overnight.

If you go through the Nebraska Sandhills, take a half-day to arrange a tanking trip on the Middle Loup River right outside of Mullen, NE. Tanking is a great way to see part of the Sandhills seen by only a few.

Foy

 

[iowahiker]

My "neck-of-the-woods". Porcupine Mountains SP on the UP of Michigan on the Superior Lake shore is my pick for most scenic spot in the mid west with a primitive campground at the west end and a developed campground at the east end. The short cascade hike at the west end and the drive over around and up to the high views at the east end is the classic tour with a wide variety of short and long hikes.

My pick for most scenic drive is along the Lake Superior shore from Duluth to the northeast with a bunch of the nicest state parks/campgrounds in the mid west.

Nicest Mississippi drive would be from La Crosse Wisconsin to Praire du Chien Wisconsin with Perrot SP anchoring the north end and Wyalusing SP on the south end. Perrot SP has the nicest Mississippi River view in the country at the top of the bluff trail (1 mile, 600 ft elevation gain) and a nice campground. Wyalusing has the best campground on the Mississippi with bluff top campground sites viewing both the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers. Also, the Pikes Peak SP on the Iowa side of Wyalusing SP has great no hike views.

Fayette Historic Park and the peninsula it is on was our favorite spot to see Lake Michigan on the UP with a nice mix of history and sandy beaches but you could spend a week just wandering around all the views on the south shore of the UP.

Heading across Iowa and Nebraska on I-80 we use Lake Anita SP (IA), Fort Kearny SRA (NE), and Lake Ogallala SRA (NE) as one night stops. Lake Ogallala SRA is the most scenic campground and is located at the east end of Lake McConaughy below the dam in western Nebraska. Fort Kearny SRA has a trail heading north out of the campground for an evening stroll to the North Platte. Lake Anita has a bike path which circles around the lake. The Snowy Range in southeast WY is the first place we stay multiple nights west of the Mississippi on I-80. The Snowy Range Scenic Byway is very scenic.

 

[Bigfoot Dave]

Foy is spot on with the North Shore of Lake Superior as well as all of the state parks in Wisconsin and Michigan. If you get as far East as Taquamenon Falls enjoy the brewery in the middle of the park. If you need any local help I live in Duluth. Have a great trip, Bigfoot Dave

 

[mikedunn]

Thanks to all of you for your trip suggestions. We just got back from our 30 days trip to Upper Michigan from Everett, WA. Had a great time. Got to see the Northern Lights over Lake Superior, a blood moon eclipse above the Mississippi River and Osprey fishing for trout from above the Missouri River in Montana. Soon as I get my blog finished and photos edited, I will post them Trip Reports.
Mike Dunn

 

[takesiteasy]

Sorry I missed your original post- we were camping our way around Lake Superior. We might have bumped into each other in Michigan. But you got some good advice and sounds like you had a great trip- looking forward to your report.