Porcupine Mountains

Scenic Wilderness Loop Trail & Silver City Guide

Porcupine State Park & Wilderness

Introduction:

The Porcupine Mountains are a group of small mountains spanning the northwestern Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the Ontonagon and Gogebic counties, near the south western shore of Lake Superior. You will find this state park north of the Ottawa National forest. This range of small mountains was named by the native Ojibwa people after realizing that the silhouette of the mountains resembled the shape of a crouching porcupine! These mountains were the site of copper mining in the 19th century. There was a rush of copper mining between 1867 and 1912 in this location. Considering this mining history, this state park is also a cooperating unit of the Keweenaw National Historical Park.

Porcupine Mountain State Park was established in 1945 to protect the area's large old growth forest. In 1972, Michigan passed the Wilderness and Natural Areas Act. This act gave the park the new designation of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. There is an extensive amount of back country trails for hiking and wilderness backpacking, rustic trail-side cabins, modern campgrounds, swimming and boating areas, and various programs led by the park rangers. The North Country Trail passes through the entire park making up a portion of the 87 miles of hiking trails. A popular activity during the warmer times of the year is the 18-hole disc golf course. A ski area also operates within the park during winter.

This mountain range is home to the most extensive stand of old growth northern hardwood forest in North America west of the Adirondack Mountains in the state of New York. There is an estimated 31,000 acres of hardwood forest in the Porkies. The total estimated size of this park is roughly 60,000 acres. This state park invites all kinds of tourism from all over the country and world!

It is not often to see mountains or high elevation in the Mid West, but the "Porkies" are an exception! The most striking geological feature of the Porkies is the long basalt and conglomerate escarpment parallel to the Lake Superior shore overlooking the beautiful Lake of the Clouds. It is also a continuation of copper bearing bedrock found farther northeast on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Another prominent geological feature in this state park is Summit Peak. It is the highest point in the mountains standing at 1,958 feet! There is a plethora of rivers, streams, swamps, and lakes in-between these rocky outcroppings. There is even a handful of waterfalls near the Presque Isle River in the western side of the park. These mountains are estimated to be at least 2 billion years old. The mountains are a section of one of the oldest mountain chains in the entire world. This could easily explain why the Porcupine mountains aren't as vast as some of the huge mountain ranges in the world. For instance, the Himalayan mountain range in Asia is estimated to be 30 million years old. That seems like such a long time ago, and it is, but compared to the Porcupine mountains, they have existed much much longer. The escarpment—the term meaning a long, steep-sloped ridge—was formed a billion years ago when the earth's crust began to pull apart in this region, forming the Mid-continent Rift. Volcanic magma rushed in to fill the void. Uplifted 40,000 million years ago, the escarpment layers were later scoured by glaciers.

Porcupine Mountain Landscapes

Considering the fact that this park is near the shore of Lake Superior as well as being relatively high in elevation, this location experiences HEAVY lake-effect snow. The National Weather Service station in Ontonagon reported an annual average of about 200 inches. Totals of well over 250 inches are likely in the highest elevated areas in the state park. It is not uncommon for the area to experience over 300 inches in a annual season. In the warmer months of summer, this area of Upper Michigan averages a high of 70-76 degrees and averages a low of 40-46 degrees. Insects can be vicious in this area considering the dense vegetation as well as the large amounts of water surrounding this wilderness.

As previously mentioned, this is a large stand of old growth forest, the flora you will likely come across is: sugar maple, basswood, eastern hemlock, and yellow birch trees. Yellow birch trees are likely the most abundant tree species you will come across during your stint.

Black bear foraging in the Porkies

Be sure to be mindful of the beautiful creatures that reside within the Porkies, as it is quite the diverse ecosystem! While traversing this area, be on the look out for: moose, grey wolves, white-tailed deer, coyotes, gray/red foxes, cougar, river otters, beaver, fisher, marten, mink, bobcat, lynx, black bears, porcupines (of course), and a wide range of birds! The flora/fauna that are endangered in this area includes: small blue-eyed Mary, ram's head ladyslipper, Hookers fairy bells, slender cliff brake, male fern, gray wolves, wood turtle, peregrine falcon, merlin, and the bald eagle.

There will be one trail explained in detail for this excursion. On day one, you will hike the Scenic Wilderness Loop. This trail is perfect if you want to do a loop in the Porcupine Mountains and see as much as the park as you can in a short period of time. This trail goes along several pristine rivers, through amazing forests, and gives an over view of Mirror Lake and Lake of the Clouds. This first day of hiking will not be an easy feat but it will be worth it when all is said and done! You will drop down from the popular Lake of the Clouds overlook to Scott Creek. There is excellent camping amongst the deciduous forest. The goal of this trip is to give the explorer the most ideal experience while exploring the beautiful Porcupine Mountains in the upper peninsula of Michigan State. Enjoy the marvels of what one of the coolest natural areas of the Midwest has to offer! I will follow up with a two-day itinerary to further explain this expedition to ensure that you, the reader, know exactly what to expect when taking this excursion head on. The second part of this trip and other itinerary will involve a trip to Silver City, to unwind after the really long hike in the Porkies. You will eat some tasty food and relax and unwind, after all, you hiked almost 30 miles in a single day.


Day one Itinerary: Hiking the Scenic Wilderness Loop in one day

For this first day exploring the Porkies. You will be hiking through the scenic wilderness loop. This loop will be a combination of other smaller trails. They essentially connect to each other but combined are turned into one large loop through the park. The total length of this loop is approximately 23.5 miles long. You will hike up 1,614 feet and eventually climb back down 1,617 feet. The average grade is about 3% but the max grade will reach around 12%. The reason I choose the loop for you as an explorer is because I truly believe it is one of the best ways to enjoy the major fruits this state park has to offer. This will be a long and difficult hike with many sections of inclines and declines, river crossings, and uneven terrain. During the wet seasons it can be rather muddy and buggy, so come prepared! The campsites are well-maintained with fire pits, tent sites, and bear poles - but please make sure you have plenty of: water, food, extra socks, layers, survival/camping gear to ensure that this lengthy hike will be a safe one. Throughout these trails you will come across ranger stations, campgrounds, back country yurts, lodges, and even bathrooms. So if something bad happens or if the conditions become bad just refer to the DNR map posted above to find these resources so you can seek shelter or contact the Rangers for aide and assistance. The State Park and the Wilderness State park are both dog friendly if you intend on bringing your furry friend. Just keep in mind that they will not be allowed at the beach, they must be leashed at all times, and they also must never be left unattended.

This first day is intended to be a straight through hike, we will be hiking the entire 23.5 miles with the intentions of finishing the loop before night fall. This will require you to be up bright and early right around day break to begin the hike. Considering the elevation is intense but nothing like some of the larger mountain ranges in the country, this is totally doable, but head with caution. This will require adequate skill and conditioning in the realm of hiking for this to be an appropriate and safe experience.

The start and end point of the hike, at Lake of the Clouds on the Escarpment Ridge, will provide stellar and expansive views of both Lake of the Clouds and the Great Lake Superior. Drink in these far-reaching experiences and then drop down into the woods, marshes, lakes, and rivers of the heart of the Porkies.

The trails in the center of the wilderness focus on the park's micro-ecosystem. Take in the individual trees, plants and fauna around you. The views are closer and tighter in the forest, but a more intimate perspective can be gained with your surroundings. Cross creeks and rivers on bridges or via a ford and truly live in the moment of the back country.

You can start by parking at the end of Little Carp River Road and hiking along the Little Carp River Trail. From there, you'll continue on North mirror Lake Trail to the Lake Of The Clouds. From there you will have to detour off the trail through the parking lot and pick up the Escarpment Trail, which you can then follow all of the way to Cross Trail. Cross trail will then take you to your starting point at the head of the Little Carp River Trail.

Once again gain the Escarpment Ridge and take in the breathtaking views on your last day of hiking. Once back at Lake of the Clouds, sip in the beautiful view one last time before making your way out of the park. On your way back from this long hike, find a place to camp one night on the Great Lake Superior and ponder its mass from the rocky shore. Hear the waves breaking against the beach as you lie in your shelter at night realizing you are but a small part of a vast universe.

I understand this textual walk through of this trail will be hard to understand considering you may or may not have ever ventured into this wilderness. Considering that, I will happily be providing you will a map that actually illustrates the loops location so you can further understand the path of the loop. This textual walk through followed up with a map that further details the trail should be more than enough information to ensure that you will not get lost, while also providing the right specs to prepare you for what is to come during your experience hiking through the Scenic Wilderness Loop. Notice that this trail below does a huge circle within the Porcupine wilderness. Just keep in mind that this loop will take you back to your starting point if you get to fatigued and want to make it back to the parking lot. You will be better off turning around until you get to the Superior trail. Once you get there, you will be about half way done with the hike, so you would be better off continuing the loop once you reach the fourth marker.

This is the Scenic Wilderness Trail and the Location of the State Wilderness


Day Two Itinerary: Silver City

This second days goal is intended to be the exact opposite of the first day. On the first day we obviously set out to the extremes and wandered off into the wilderness to get some great exercise in while also being one with nature. On the other hand, day two is more of a relaxed touristy type vibe so you can experience the best of both worlds. The goal of day two is this: order some fresh food from the local food truck, explore and eat the food truck food on the Big Iron River next to Lake Superior, follow the river south a bit to see the waterfalls, re-up on anything needed after the long day-long hike, be a tourist and check out the local Silver City stores, and finally ending up at a nice resort so you can rest in a comfy place before heading home. Below I will be detailing the said steps of this day two itinerary to clear up any confusion that might be present. I will also provide a detailed map that illustrates the locations of these places so you know exactly where everything is located to make your travel experience seamless.

After hiking that scenic wilderness loop, you will head back out of the park and make your way towards Silver City to enjoy what the coastal lake city has to offer. This is an easy drive once you hop onto 107th Engineers Memorial Highway.

Silver City doesn't have the traffic, shopping malls, fast food, or things you might expect in other cities but it does offer the perfect conditions and setting to unwind and rejuvenate! The drive from the Lake of The Clouds area is about 9 miles away from Silver City.

This is the map itinerary for day two

Once you arrive into Silver City from the state wilderness park. Drive through the city for about a half a mile until you come across the Curbside Kitchen Restaurant On Wheels for some tasty original recipes of broasted chicken and fish. This curbside restaurant is usually only open in the warmer times of the year so be weary of your time table if you are considering make this apart of your trip! This place offers a multitude of other fried/grilled foods so if you do not like the chicken or fish that they are known for, be sure to check out the rest of their menu which includes: burgers, hot dogs, fries, fried mushrooms, coleslaw, chicken tenders, subs, onion rings, and much more! After that strenuous day of hiking for 24 miles, this greasy meal will be well deserved! Curbside food trucks always seem to be working with little but manage to make some of the greatest foods when exploring new areas. I had to be sure to include this on this second day itinerary considering that! This restaurant is open 2:00-8:00pm so be mindful of your timing heading back from the Porkies so you don't show up hours before it opens, hungry and bored!

Curbside Kitchen Restaurant on Wheels in Silver City

Once you are done eating, you can head south down the Big Iron River to experience some waterfalls. The water fall name is Bonanza Falls and it isn't the most majestic waterfall you will ever come across, but you are so close to it that I figured I would throw it in as an itinerary move.

After hanging out there for an hour or two, head back into the downtown area of Silver City, from here, get out of your car and checkout the downtown area. Your first step would be to stop at the Silver City General Store off of Lincoln Ave to pick up any needed supplies that you might of exhausted from the long hike the day prior.

When you are done getting the needed supplies, follow Lincoln Ave even further west into town and stop in at the Great Lake trading store. This trading store was once an abandoned house, that was then transformed into an artisans gallery featuring artists from the great lakes region! This place has mostly wood work type decorations, they refer to the decorations as"Over the fence designs". This will be a very cool and fun place to admire local artistry while also potentially offering the chance to bring some cool souvenirs home to always have a memory from this awesome experience.

Great Lakes Trading Store Art Work

In the aftermath of exploring Silver City, I think the icing on the cake would be to rest up and experience the Lake of The Clouds resort before finally heading back home. This resort offers full service cabins that are close to everything that the Western UP has to offer, from fishing and hunting to skiing and snowshoeing. They are just a step away from many activities for the entire family. Beach access is just a short walk from your cabin. Some of the official amenities include: Dishes and tableware, pots and pans, coffee maker with filters, toaster, crock pot, filtered water pitchers, paper products, microwave, stove/oven, fridge and freezer, pillows, towels, cable tv, grills, etc! There is also a communal fire ring in the center of the front yard for all to use. You will need to be able to supply your own firewood. This is an amazing place to meet new friends and to also share your stories of your experiences in the Porcupine Mountains. You will basically be living like royalty after roughing it in the Porky wilderness the day prior. Especially considering that if you stay for 3+ days, the owners will provide provisioning by acquiring your groceries for you so that when you arrive if you have anything else that you might of missed at the general store down the road. After experiencing the day life in Silver City, ending up at this resort and having a fire with friends and family seems like icing on the cake to resolve your experience in this western part of the upper peninsula.

Lake of the Clouds Resort Sign

Now that you have everything planned for this trip, I just want to link some sources to confirm the information that I have relayed to you. I will also be providing some useful books that you can pick up before you commit to this trip so you can get even more details of this area to ensure you are entirely prepared!

FIVE BOOKS TO CONSIDER PURCHASING FOR THIS TRIP:

1.) Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park 3rd: A Back Country Guide for Hikers, Backpackers, Campers and Winter Visitors

2.) Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park Guide

3.) Hiking Michigan's Upper Peninsula

4.) Remembering The Porcupine Mountains

5.) Porcupine Mountains Companion

USEFUL WEB LINKS ABOUT THESE AREAS:

1.) https://www.porcupineup.com/

2.) https://www.michigan.org/property/porcupine-mountains-wilderness-state-park

3.) https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/details.aspx?id=426&type=SPRK

4.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porcupine_Mountains

5.) https://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-350-79133_79200_31427-54024--,00.html

Porcupine State Park & Wilderness

Black bear foraging in the Porkies

Lake of the Clouds Resort Sign