West and North

[marret]

I took the @Bt10 (different forum) and @ctb recommendations to spend some time in the UP and Keweenaw Peninsula. So, I headed back to the UP. Temps were cooler although pretty high humidity, it was tolerable.

I spent the night in a Walmart parking lot in WI on my way north.

As mentioned earlier, the UP was busy. Many travelers and many RVs/campers on the road.

I stopped by Lake Gogebic:


Once I got closer, I decided to head to McLain State Park as @ctb mentioned. Apparently MI uses some service to make reservations and the privilege costs $10 plus I needed to know the spot I wanted. The guy on the phone told me 9 spots were available so I decided to wait until arrival. When I got there, about 4 were still available and none for the weekend. It was Thurs and with the numbers of people I saw on the road I knew it would be a challenge to be in a campground.

I spent one night at McLain overlooking Lake Superior. Nice sunset, but not at the level of the earlier sunrise photo I posted.

Photos of Lake Superior:

[marret]

Originally Posted by gahamby

A buddy of mine is returning east after a long PNW trip. Last heard from in ND at Theodore
Roosevelt NP. He recommended it highly.
Happy motoring

Thanks gahamby.

Visited Roosevelt NP during my 2019 trip. Really enjoyed it. I posted some photos on this trip report, post 87:
https://www.sportsmobileforum.com/fo...t-21814-9.html

[marret]

From McLain State Park, I decided to head NE up the Keweenaw Peninsula.

There was an interesting weather/cloud effect due to Lake Superior, maybe hard to see in the photo:


Then I drove through Eagle Harbor, very scenic small place:

[marret]

From Eagle Harbor, I continued NE to Copper Harbor and then drove up Brockway Mountain. These photos are of Lake Superior from Brockway Mountain.









From there, I headed "down" the peninsula towards Ottawa National Forest.

[Twoxentrix]

Appreciate all the Pic's Chris, now I have the chance to see some of the area we missed last year (2 wk trip planned for Canada & across the norther sections of the Great Lakes, with a couple jaunts farther north - then back down from eastern part of great lakes back into US), BUT THEY CLOSED THE BOARDER 2 weeks prior to departure.
So, now I'm just jealous of your trip!

[marret]

Welcome Felix. Think I’m almost done rubbing it in.

The UP is like a lot of the eastern US and Canada, sights along the way are mostly blocked by trees. One has to use water and elevation for views.

Some will disagree, but for me, I wouldn’t make the UP a destination, but it is a good place to go as part of a trip, like as you mentioned.

I didn’t do a trip,report, but I did part of what you describe several years ago. I drove from MO to NJ for my niece’s wedding via the UP/Mackinac Bridge and east north of Lake Huron including a ferry ride. That trip included Niagara Falls.

[gahamby]

If you see this headed east with a utility trailer on the hitch give him a wave.
Name's Andy

[marret]

Originally Posted by gahamby

Attachment 40447

If you see this headed east with a utility trailer on the hitch give him a wave.
Name's Andy

I like that. Cool. I should mention I just got back. Thanks.

[Twoxentrix]

Ha, We did Niagara Falls a couple years back. Had a perfect view of the Falls just downriver, it just didn't look as impressive as expected...Until we took the Maid of the Mist boat tour, then the magnitude of height and water volume came into perspective. Kinda like the Grand Canyon, you have to be below looking up to appreciate the size & complexity - marvels of nature.
Safe travels.

[marret]

I took FR16 into Ottawa National Forest. It was paved, but as previously mentioned, trees were what one saw. It was getting into late afternoon and I needed a place to overnight. Someone on iOverlander suggested Sparrow Rapids, although a couple posters mentioned mosquitos. I stopped in a National Forest rest area, the bugs limited how much I stayed outside. I then drove FR1100 to Sparrow Rapids. Small campground, just a basic place to park sort of place, no cost, with about 8 spots. All taken. This was now Friday afternoon.

Did I mention how many RVs/campers I saw on the road?

Too many bugs anyway, so instead of finding a dispersed site I decided to press on to Marquette. Marquette was socked in with fog/clouds from Lake Superior. Temps dropped to about 58 degrees. There was a great rest area/welcome center, no overnight parking.

So as I was heading into the weekend, decided to head south.

I will say the UP was as buggy a place as I've been and that includes a motorcycle trip to AK and Deadhorse.

I had planned on going to Hiawatha NF, but as mentioned with limited views and bugs, I decided to head south to Lake Michigan.