Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is the most amazing place in the U.P. So, we may be a bit biased, as it’s one of our most re-visited destinations, but come on, who wouldn’t love it. Those turquoise waters crashing up against striated limestone cliffs as crashing waterfalls make their way to Lake Superior are a thing of beauty. A Pictured Rocks road trip is a great way explore the natural beauty that the Upper Peninsula is famous for. Keep reading for all of our favorite stops along the way.
When To Visit Pictured Rocks
The best time to visit Picture Rocks National Lakeshore is in the summer. Winters in the U.P. can be brutal and while this area is beautiful in the winter with frozen waterfalls and icy cliffs, it can be really hard to get around amid the snow. So we think, especially for your first trip, that the summer is the best time to visit. Specifically, the early summer is our favorite time to visit as you’ll see the waterfalls at their fullest while the traveller still gets nice weather.
Getting There and Around
You will need a vehicle to get around Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The park stretches 42 miles along the Lake Superior coast. And while there is a hiking trail that extends along all 42 miles of it, we assume you would prefer to drive from stop to stop. Public transportation and ride shares are virtually non-existent in the area. If you are flying into the area, the Marquette airport is the closest large airport and you can rent a car there.
What To Budget For Pictured Rocks
You must pay $20/vehicle to park in any of the parking lots in the park. If you have an America The Beautiful pass, this works as well. You can purchase park passes at the Munising Falls Visitor Center or the Grand Sable Visitor Center.
Additionally, if you want to tour the Au Sable Light station, you’ll also need $5/person to pay for a tour.
How to use this map: The map above has all of the attractions mentioned in this post. Click on each attraction to learn more about it. If you’d like to save this map, click on the square “View Larger Map” icon. This will open the map in your Google account (make sure you’re signed in). You can reference it in your account or you can create a copy to make your own edits.
Best Stops Along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
We’ve listed these stops in order, starting in Munising and heading East.
Munising Falls
Time: 15 minutes
Munising Falls is one of the most popular stops along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and the parking lot fills up fast. So this is a great first or last stop of the day. The waterfall has a short well marked boardwalk that takes you to the base of the waterfall.
Miners Castle
Time: 15 minutes
This is the best spot for photographs in Pictured Rocks and the photographs you’ve likely seen of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Miners Castle overlook is a just a short walk from the parking lot. And it is stunning! This is my favorite viewpoint because this rock structure does look like a castle. Also, the waters here are the most beautiful color!
Miners Beach
Time: 30 minutes
Don’t let the beautiful blue waters lull you into thinking Lake Superior is warm. It is most definitely not. However, if you are interested in swimming, Miners Beach is our favorite place to swim (technically we swim in the warmer river). It also has a beautiful sandy beach that is great for walking along.
Miners Falls
Time: 30 minutes
This larger waterfall is another quick stop along your Pictured rocks road trip. After hiking .6 miles, you’ll come to the viewpoint for Miner’s falls. There are a few different viewing platforms here. Also, people do scramble down to the base of the falls, but remember you have to climb back up over lots of old uneven stairs (and this technically isn’t allowed).
Chapel Falls Trailhead
This is the stop with the most hiking available. At the Chapel Falls trailhead, there are two hiking loops: Mosquito Falls and Chapel Falls. You can hike them separately or as one combination loop. Hiking the combination loop takes about 4 hours of hiking total. Individual hike times are listed below.
Chapel Falls
Time: 1 hour
Chapel Falls is 1.2 miles from the trailhead. This is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the U.P. as it runs over lots of rock giving it a bigger than life appearance. Once you arrive at the falls, there are two viewing platforms. Admittedly, there are also lots of trees making the views somewhat obstructed compared to other falls in the area.
Chapel Rock
Time (including Chapel Falls): 3 hours
You can continue on the Chapel Falls trail all the way to Lake Superior to see Chapel Rock. This is the most popular hiking trail in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and is THE hike to take if you only have time for one.
Chapel Rock frequents the front of U.P. postcards. And while it is beautiful, it’s not the only bit of Lake Superior shoreline that is beautiful in this park. So if you can’t complete the hike, there are other scenic vistas for you to visit. But if you can complete the hike, the rock is lovely and a stop and Chapel Beach is great too.
Mosquito Falls
Time: 1 hour
This is a very aptly named trail. Sooo many mosquitos! But this is a really neat set of falls. It’s also very remote and wilderness-y compared to some of the other falls you’ll visit. This hiking trail is also very wilderness-y. The trail is often muddy, narrow, and the ground is uneven.
Mosquito Beach Loop
Time (including Mosquito Falls): 2 hours
You can continue on to Mosquito Beach to complete this loop. However, Mosquito Beach isn’t the neatest stop so unless you are doing the Mosquito-Chapel combination loop, we don’t think it’s worth continuing on.
Beaver Lake
Most people stop at Beaver Lake for the campground. These rustic campgrounds are popular because they are remote. If you are interested in doing more hiking, this is the area to do it, with several interconnecting hiking loops through the Beaver Basin Wilderness. However, if you’re not camping here or if you are interested in hiking here, we wouldn’t recommend this stop.
Twelvemile Beach
Twelvemile Beach is another popular beach for day use. The beach is right next to the parking lot, making it easy to access. If you are interested in visiting but don’t want to swim, consider the White Birch Trail Loop, a two mile loop around the beach.
Au Sable Light Station
Time: 1.5 hours
This stop is one for stretching your legs. First, you hike 1.5 miles to the lighthouse. At the lighthouse, you can take a tour for a $5/person fee.
Log Slide Overlook
Time: 15 minutes
This is your best viewpoint for the main sand dune in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It’s a quick stop for a sand dune, but worth the few minutes. The waters of Lake Superior here are blue like a tropical beach.
Grand Sable Lake Overlook
Time: 5 minutes
This is a quick stop to see the inland Grand Sable Lake. Lakes in the U.P. are everywhere, but if you aren’t visiting another one, definitely stop and see if you can spot some wildlife around the border of this one.
Sable Falls
Time: 20 minutes
Sable Falls is a quick waterfall stop in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This waterfall is a short walk from the parking lot, through there are several stairs to get to the viewpoint. You can continue on the trail to Sable Beach which is a rocky beach popular with beach walkers.
How Much Time To Spend At Pictured Rocks
One Day At Pictured Rocks
We think that one day is the perfect amount of time to spend exploring the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. A visit actually works well as part of a larger U.P. road trip as the park covers so much of the U.P. Here are our suggested stops for one day in Pictured Rocks:
- Munising Falls
- Miners Castle
- Miners Falls
- Miners Beach
- Au Sable Light Station
- Log Slide Overlook
- Sable Falls
Two Days At Pictured Rocks
For 2 days at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, follow day one above.
Next, on day 2 do some hiking. Hike the complete Chapel-Mosquito loop that will take you to Chapel Falls, Chapel Beach, Mosquito Beach and Mosquito Falls.
3 Days At Pictured Rocks
For 3 days at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, follow days one and two above.
Next, on day 3 take a look at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore from a different perspective. A water tour, like a scenic boat cruise or a kayak tour, will give you up close and personal views of the Lake Superior cliffs. We’ve gone kayaking with Pictured Rocks Kayaking tours. They have full day tours that include lunch. We’ve also enjoyed scenic cruises with Pictured Rocks Cruises. If you are interested in the scenic cruises, make sure to book tickets ahead of time. The cruise book up weeks in advance, especially on the summer weekends.
Where To Stay Near Pictured Rocks
The best place to stay when visiting Pictured Rock is in the town of Munising. This small town is on the shore of Lake Superior at the western end of Picture Rocks National Lakeshore. While this town is small, it’s actually large by U.P. standards so you’ll get all of the amenities you need when traveling, like restaurants, shops and grocery stores.
If you want to stay on the National Lakeshore land, there are several drive-in campsites and backcountry camping. However, you will need a reservation if you plan on using one of the drive-in campsites in the summer as they book up early.
Here are two good options for hotels in Munising:
- In Town: Pictured Rocks Inn
- On The Lake: The Beach Inn
Safety At Pictured Rocks
For years, people have attempted to jump from the cliffs of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. And for years, people have been injuring themselves on the cliffs. So while cliff jumping here may seem fun, it is dangerous and VERY prohibited.
You’ll also see lots of signs for bears. That is because bears are frequently seen in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. And while it is really neat to spot a bear in the wild, it’s not so neat to have a bear ransack your belongings. In order to prevent this, make sure to keep all food put away when you aren’t actively eating. And make sure to put any waste in the bear-proof trash cans. And remember, don’t feed the wildlife (of any species), it teaches them to go to humans for food.
We hope this has helped you to plan your own road trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It really is one of the best places to visit in the U.P., if not the entire state of Michigan. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them in the comments below and we’d be happy to get back to you.
