Porcupine Mountains State Park Ontanogan, MI |
 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
Rating |
Excellent |
Age |
3 and up |
Lockers |
Not Available |
Restrooms |
Available |
Food |
Ontanogan |
Closest Coffee |
Nowhere to be found! |
Recommendation |
This is a great and accessable wilderness area. A must see. |
||
Review: by Sam
This is the quietest place I have ever been. You are just seconds away from Lake Superior, and roads, but you cannot hear a sound.
Porcupine Mountains State Park is the largest state park in Michigan. It has 58,335 acres of wilderness area. It is one of the few remaining large tracks of wilderness in the Midwest. Along with this, it is the second highest range of mountains in Michigan with elevations of 1958 feet. The Huron Mountains are the highest, but they are not easily accessible as they are located entirely on a Native American reservation, and there are limited roads into the area.
This park is a photographer's dream. The wilderness area is dense, the lakes cle
ar and blue. There are many waterfalls. We saw one third of the 15 waterfalls that are in the park.The Porkies are also nestled right next to Lake Superior, the largest and wildest of the U.S. great lakes. Opportunities for memorable photos abound.
There are many warnings about wildlife including porcupines, coyotes and black bears. In fact, the trash cans are bear and raccoon proof. I speak from experience when I say they are a little tricky, so don't feel bad if you have a problem opening them at first.
This is a wilderness area, and you will find little to no help in the way of supplies. Plan ahead. I recommend a picnic lunch and snacks in the trunk. Water is available and very good. Bring bottles to fill before your hikes.
Walk quietly and you may just find some wildlife. Enjoy the north country the way it used to be. This is a must-see area. The landscape is unspoiled and beautiful.
Other Reviews:
Dad: There are tons of trails throughout this park. All are rated, so don't bite off more than you can chew. I highly recommend going to some of the easier off the road stops like the one we took (Presque Isle Trail). Everyone has to see Lake of the Clouds, but there are many other gems here.
Will: There are four small to medium waterfalls on just one of the trails we took. It was an easy walk and stunning. At the Lake of the Clouds lookout you could see the huge Copper Peak ski jump miles away.
Mom: Two words-----BUG SPRAY!
