NCT & The Lakeshore Trail

Trail Name: NCT & The Lakeshore Trail

General Area: Munising, Grand Marais

Property of: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Prices:

Daily: Free

Weekly Pass: $5 per night

Total Distance: 44 Miles

Map Located Here

Mileage Map Here

One of the prettiest trails in Michigan is the Lakeshore Trail, directly on top of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  It was this reason why I decided to take a few days off of work and give this trail a shot.  I had never met a trail so beautifully difficult before, but looking back on my experience I gained a whole new respect for this hike.

First I will give you a quick breakdown of how this trail works, as it’s different than other trails in Michigan.  The Lakeshore Trail follows a 45 mile portion of the NCT from Grand Marais to Munising in Michigan’s upper peninsula.  One important fact that I will point out is that PRNL has distinctive backcountry camping rules.  You must first file an itinerary at one of the two trailhead offices, and designate which campgrounds you will stay at on each night.  You will then plan your trip accordingly, allowing yourself to hike from “A” to “B”.  It’s a good idea, unless you’ve called in advance (2 weeks), to bring a backup plan just incase the campsites that you wished to stay at are full.  Currently the fee is $5.00 per night, but no fee for day hiking.

Another important point I would like to bring to your attention is there is NO trail blazes on the Lakeshore Trail.  The rangers simply describe it as a “clearly worn path”, however there are several spots which will have you scratching your head and flipping a coin to choose which to follow.

That being said, I chose to embark on my journey at Grand Marais, and hike through to Munising.   I arrived at Grand Marais and filled out the appropriate paperwork then set upon my task.  My first day was a near 7 mile trip to the Au Sable east camp.  The hike was an easy one, although the trail crossed the only local road and followed it for about a half of a mile.  If the ranger wouldn’t have told me that, I could see how a person could easily get lost.   I was surprised at the amount of bushwhacking that was involved in this portion of the hike.  The elevation change was not bad at all, and I made it to camp with reasonable daylight left.  The camps were clean and had quite a few friendly backpackers as well.  The temperature was perfect, the bugs were not too bad just yet, so all in all a good evening.  I sat and watched the sunset on the shores of Lake Superior and then decided to call it a night.

The morning came easy and quiet.  I made a quick breakfast and set about my business of packing up camp.  Today was the “push” day, so I had to make near 14 miles before sunset.  I had injured myself on the previous day, so it was a slow go this morning.  The trail had begun to gain elevation, and the view was starting to get a bit more majestic.  I passed the Au Sable lighthouse first thing in the morning.  The sun was new in the sky and the stillness of the lighthouse emanated an aura of peace and serenity.  I paid my respects before setting off further down the path.  I pass several campgrounds, as well as paths that lead down to the water for viewing shipwrecks.  There was only one shipwreck and I could see from the shore, but the concept behind them being there was equally nifty and haunting.  I passed the Hurricane River mouth, tipping my hat to several fisherman attempting to bag a keeper, and eventually came to Twelve Mile Beach campground.  This is a large drive-in campground, but due to the road construction on H-58, there was not a soul to be found.  I relaxed on a bench perched atop a bluff nearly a hundred feet above the waterline and took a quick power nap.  About an hour later I was awake and grinding my way down the trail, stopping for the occasional snack and rest.  The trail at this point had flattened out quite a bit, and I made the rest of the mileage in quick time.  I arrived at Beaver Creek camp, which I found to be quite serene.  The water access was a LONG hike down VERY steep sugar sand bluffs, but I spent a well-earned time swimming in the ice cold comfort of the lake, then basking in the sun to regain my much needed warmth.  The bugs at this camp were far less numerous than previously on the trail, so I had a hot dinner and settled down for an uneventful night.

The morning drew closer with stealth and was there before I could outsmart it.  I broke camp with a renewed feeling of vigor and peace, and set off on my merry way.  There was a small A-frame bridge to be crossed made of old split logs and then the trail headed up in a rather swift distance.  I passed several groups of hikers than were complaining of bugs.  I just chuckled and went on with my business.  It was no more than a mile down the path before the scenery became nearly breathtaking.  The elevation grunting was well worth the effort, as I stood above towering cliffs and covers hundreds of feet below me.  The 10 miles I progressed that day was worth the trip in its entirety.  Words can hardly describe the beauty of that leg of the Lakeshore Trail.  Several times during the day I looked down upon the boats full of tourists viewing the beautiful cliffs that I was nested upon.  I ultimately arrived at my next camp which was appropriately named “Mosquito”.  The beach at mosquito was derived mostly of layered shale stone that jutted out into the lapping waters of Lake Superior.  The breeze was calming as I setup my camp, although the mosquito population was something out of an Alfred Hitchcock film.  I nestled down and had a cold and unforgiving night, rising at 3:00am to find that the mosquitoes had not subsided in either population or vigor.

The next morning I had a quick breakfast down by the water to escape from my vampiric cloud and then, after wrapping myself in as much clothes and I was carrying, broke camp and set upon my way.  The path was much calmer than the previous days, and I eventually arrived at Miner’s Beach.  I paused to refill my water supply, as the next available water was the end of the trail.  After visiting with a dozen kayakers that had ported in on the beach, I gathered my water filter up and hiked through half a mile of beach sand to an inland portion of the trail.  It was one mile from Miner’s Beach to Miner’s Castle.   This single mile was the toughest of the entire Lakeshore Trail.  The elevation change was intense and the terrain was riddled with tree roots and muck.  I was happy to reach the top and was surprised to see an full-fledged visitor center fully stocked with flush toilets and friendly park staff.  I had a quick chat with the delightful park ranger who informed me that the weather had a 50% chance of rain.  I relaxed at Miner’s Castle for awhile, partaking of a quick foot massage and water break, then embarked on the few miles that remained.  It began to sprinkle but the coolness of the weather was a nice reprieve from the humidity of the lingering day.  I arrived at my final camp of the day, named “Cliffs” which ironically enough was nowhere near a cliff.  In fact, it was about a quarter mile from the lakeshore edge itself.  I setup a small camp and made a fire before it began to downpour.  It only rained for a short time, and I emerged to assess the damage and rebuild my fire.  A group of wet hikers arrived, and within a short time they had setup camp.  We sat around the fire and exchanged hiking stories and jokes.  It was a great time for all, and they were certainly a group I will not forget anytime soon.  I crawled into my tent and had my final night’s sleep undisturbed and peacefully.

I woke early to get a head start on the day, as I had precious little time to make it to Munising Falls before my ride was to arrive.  I packed up a very wet and muddy camp, said farewell to my new group of friends, and slugged along the trail.  The wet branches and leaves left my clothes quite damp, but the refreshing cool of the day kept the mosquitoes down.  That was, until the sun came out.  With the humidity rising the bugs came out in full force, and served as an excellent motivator for me to make my journey faster.  I passed a few small waterfalls and quite a bit more beautiful landscapes before eventually arriving at my destination; Munising Falls.  The morning was still quite young, and I took advantage of running water and flushing toilets for the second time on my journey.  I had a wonderful chat with the park ranger and found that time flew back and alas our chat had to end.  I left Munising Falls exhausted but completely satisfied.  The trail was a harsh mistress but in the end, the Lakeshore Trail was quite the adventure and a definite recommendation to any backpacker I know.

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Manistee River Trail (Loop)

Trail Name: Manistee River Trail (MRT)

General Area: Near Mesick

Property of: Huron Manistee National Forest

Prices:

Daily: $5

Weekly Pass: $15

Total Distance: 20.0 Miles

Ever ate a bagel at 1000ft?  It makes the bagel that much better…

This weekend we had decided to take a hike and dust off the cobwebs and price tags.  We arrived at the Marilla trailhead near Mesick and Hodenpyl Dam.   The morning was brisk and the clouds looked iffy.  “Well,” I said “It’s either going to be a great hike, or a wet hike.”  We used the pit toilet that was so gracefully beckoning us by its pungent aroma, checked our packs, locked the car, and off we went on our adventure.

We started out on a segment of the NCT.  The trails were well trodden and the forest was calm and peaceful, with the occasional bird breaking the still.  Unbeknownst to us, the trail was slowly rising at a very gentle angle.  Then it hit us.   It was like a ton a bricks wrapped in lemons.  The view!  We stopped in amazement as we were staring down onto the Manistee River 250 ft below us.  We could’ve stopped and setup camp right there, and I think we both would have been satisfied.

We shook the stars out of our eyes, and continued along the NCT.    Slowly we began the hike down from our clouds as the trail began to drop a bit more steeply than it rose.  We passed only a few other hikers, who were friendly though reserved; as most backpackers tend to be.  Ultimately we arrived where the NCT left us, and the Manistee River Trail took us on another course.   We bid farewell to the NCT and its beautiful views and started on the MRT.

The MRT gently guided us further down into the valley.  No fewer than a dozen times did we stop and gaze up at the mountain next to us.  It was impressively surreal.    We crossed a few forest roads and got our first glimpse of the Manistee River.  Ironically, the spot where we arrived was the calmest water we would see in the next few days.

We tried to follow the blazes on the trees, but somehow got turned around and took a several mile tour of the woods.  A group of hikers ran into us in our desperate search with the same problem.  With their help we got back on track and arrived at the suspension bridge.  The MRT has a wonderful suspension bridge that reminds you of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s VERY secure, and also very one-way.  Do not attempt to pass anyone as there is not enough room.

After the bridge, the MRT follows the river along the tops of the high banks.  For most of our adventure, we were staring down onto the Manistee.  The views were amazing and the trails were fairly easy.  There was quite a few roots to stumble over in the trail, but with the amount of giant trees desperately clinging to the banks, you understand why.

We passed several waterfalls here as well.  Sure, they are small, but the sound and fury of the water is no less fierce or beautiful.  You also find yourself crossing multiple tiny wooden bridges that cross over the streams that help feed the Manistee.

Backcountry camping is allowed here, plus they also have dispersed camp sites that are free for use.  These sites allow you to be close to the water and trail, as the backcountry rules still apply for distance from water and trails.   After about five miles of hiking we happened upon a dispersed site that was NOT taken!  I swear, we had the best seat in the house.    We were quite a distance down from the main trail, yet only a few yards from the roaring Manistee.  The site was perfect and we spent the rest of the day relaxing.

One thing to mention is that this area is posted with signs that warn you “If you hear a loud siren, seek high ground!”  Apparently they let the dam waters out on occasion and the water has been known to rush through 12 ft higher than normal.  Just keep an ear open for sirens while you’re down by the river bank.

The night was quiet and uneventful, with the morning greeting us as a cold harsh mistress.  We got a fire going and warmed up before breaking camp and hitting the trail on our way back.  The birdsong and spider webs kept us brisk and motivated and eventually we made it across the bridge.  This time we took the correct path back to the NCT.   The ascent back to our lookout seemed much more difficult than going down the first time, but we eventually made it back up to the top.

The hike was a success beyond any of our expectations.  We sat and gazed out into the sea of trees below us, reliving our trip and remembered how truly good a bagel tastes at 1000 ft.

Pictures can be found by clicking HERE

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Hoist Lake Trail System

Trail Name: Hoist Lake: East Loop (Revised)

General Area: Near Glennie

Property of: Huron Manistee National Forest

Prices:

Daily: $5

Weekly Pass: $15

Total Distance: 10 Miles

Map (PDF)

The Hoist Lake trail system is an ideal place for both beginners and veterans. The trails range from wide to tight, and easy to fairly difficult. The HLFTA offers many good points for a day, or even multi-day trips. After a few miles in, you arrive at both North and South Hoist lakes. There are two man-made camp sites offered, yet there are nice clearings on both the high banks that surround the lakes for backcountry camping. There is supposedly one of the largest black bear populations around this area, although I have yet to see any on the trail. You will certainly see signs of them as you are hiking through, and it’s always a good idea to hang your pack just incase.

We only did most of the East loop minus the large, barren portion to the north (we were losing daylight). We spend the first afternoon hiking in and setting up base camp on the bluffs of South Hoist Lake. The night was peaceful (minus some drunkards across the lake) and in the early morning we left our base camp and hiked down a dew-covered trail into a hardwood forest. It was very beautiful. We hiked down hills and up hills, seeing bear signs and more toads than you can imagine. After several miles and backtracking, we struck camp and hiked out.

In my opinion, the Hoist Lake system is good for both beginners and experienced hikers, and if anything is just a very fun weekend getaway. It is also a great place to test your new gear before going on any larger trips.

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Reid Lake Trail System

Trail Name: Reid Lake

General Area: Near Glennie

Property of: Huron Manistee National Forest

Prices:

Daily: $5

Weekly Pass: $15

Total Distance: 14.75 Miles

Text Description (PDF)

Map (PDF)

Reid Lake is a hidden gem of a trail. The entire system used to be a privately owned farm years ago, and there are still signs of that. The first mile in was beautiful and wide with tall trees draping over a well groomed trail. After that trail came to a close, we arrived at Reid Lake itself, which is a small lake with beautiful water and wildlife. The lake is surrounded by very old docks that do not seem very safe at all, however we were on them several times and they were quite sturdy. Clearly a telltale sign of old craftsmanship withstanding the tests of time.

After passing Reid Lake, you will eventually arrive at a trail the skirts a very large swamp. The bugs were not terrible that day, but they weren’t pleasant either. After hiking past the swamp, you’ll arrive at a few “campsites” that, as much as we tried, could not find evidence of. This is a good place to stop for lunch if you’re thru-hiking.

After leaving that area, you will arrive at another small lake. These campsites are very well maintained and the lake is quite nice. It’s rather hard to get to the shore, as there were lots of downed trees and bushes, but rumor has it there is good fishing to be had there.

We started the trek back and caught a small side trail to return us to Reid lake for one last visit. We relaxed on the docks for quite some time, then set off to return to the parking lot. It was still a few miles to the lot, and that took us through a few very interesting spots. There were wooden bridges and boardwalks above several swamps, and a long stretch of tall pines, arranged as if British soldiers awaiting a charge.

Reid Lake will remain a favorite little gem of mine for quite some time to come, and I would recommend it to anyone.

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