Big Springs, Kitch-iti-kipi, Michigan's largest spring. Named the "Mirror of Heaven" by the early Indians. The Big Spring" is two hundred feet across and forty feet deep. Over 10,000 gallons a minute gush from many fissures in underlying limestone, the flow continuing throughout the year at a constant 45 degree temperature. By means of a self-operated observation raft, visitors are guided to vantage points overlooking fascinating underwater features and fantasies. Bishop Baraga Mission and Indian Cemetery at Indian Lake. Father Frederick Baraga, the "Snowshoe Priest" built a small log and bark Mission here in 1832. This Mission has been recreated by a group of local historians so you are able to visit a log structure similar to one that was here many years ago. Other bark dwellings have been rebuilt. Open to the public. You may enjoy the grounds, have a picnic, pick berries, or pick the sweetgrass used by the Indians to make baskets. The Chapel is used for special occasions. Located on the east side of Indian Lake, just north of the Indian River.Take M-94 from Manistique. Left on CR-440 to Indian Lake. Go north over the Indian River, and turn left (west) about 100' on Arrowhead Road for about 2 blocks and you will be at the park. Boardwalk and swimming beaches. The unique Lake Michigan Boardwalk follows the shoreline of Lake Michigan from the Manistique Harbor east for about two miles. Perfect for that early morning or evening stroll along the shore of Lake Michigan. Watch the birds and enjoy the sunrise or sunset as you walk along the waters edge. Park by the Boardwalk or you can walk across the road from many of the motels. The Boardwalk offers benches, interpretive signs, a fishing pier, picnic areas, observation areas and a swimming beach. The Boardwalk is wheelchair accessible. Take a walk up to the breakwater and get a good view of the picturesque red Manistique East Breakwater Light. Parking available at various points along the Boardwalk. Family Fun Park in Escanaba is a wonderful spot for the whole family to try our fun activities. Drive a Go-Kart on our banked track or cool off on a Kamikaze Bumper Boat ride in our pool. We offer Adventure Golf with waterfalls and other hazards, Batting Cages for batting practice in a netted area with pitching machines, and Bank-Shot Basketball. Lots of fun for everyone. Open at noon during the summer months. Located just 2 blocks from Highways US-2 & US-41. Family Fun Park, 2929 3rd Ave. North, Escanaba, MI 49829. Phone: (906) 789-9386 Fayette Historic Village, Fayette was once one of the Upper Peninsula's most productive iron-smelting operations. After the Civil War, Fayette grew up around two blast furnaces, a large dock and several charcoal kilns. Nearly five hundred residents lived in and near the town that existed to make pig iron. Today, visitors to Fayette State Park see nineteen structures including several public and commercial buildings, residences which housed the people of Fayette, and the stabilized ruins of the furnace complex
GarLyn Zoological Park, About 40 minutes east of Manistique on US 2. Visit the Garlyn Zoo and see Live Cougar, Bear, Wolf, River Otter, Camel, Reindeer and more. View the animals up close as they come to the front of their habitats to see you. Purchase grain to feed the camel, goats, llama, deer and even the bear! Natural setting. Gift Shop. Kids love it !!! Fun and Educational !!! P.O.Box 245 Naubinway, MI. 49762. Phone 906-477-1085 Golfing: Blue Heron Golf Course, Germfask, MI. 9 hole course open from May 1st through mid-October, sunup to sundown. Closed on Sunday. Course has 2,200 yards with a par of 32. Club rentals. Hand and power cart rentals. Located east of Germfask and just west of Big Manistique Lake. 109 Lustila Road, Germfask, MI 49836. Phone: 906-586-3359 Guided Fly Fishing Trips in the Upper Peninsula at Uncle Ducky Fly Fishing, 434 Prospect Street, Marquette, Michigan, 49855. The Upper Peninsula is filled with secluded lakes and streams filled with the elusive trout or salmon. We offer guided fly fishing trips for experienced anglers as well as those who want to learn the fine art of fly fishing. All equipment is provided and we have experienced guides to take you to that secluded stream. Float or wade in the crisp waters, drop that fly by the old log, and the excitement begins. Fish the Fox River, a Michigan Blue Ribbon Trout Stream made famous by Ernest Hemingway and the Maniwtique River. Fishing trips for trout, steelhead, salmon, smallmouth bass, northern pike, and bluegill. Call Uncle Ducky at 906-288-5447 or toll free: 877-288-5447. The Hiawatha National Forest and Lake Superior State Forest. Take a pleasant drive through the Forests or enjoy some of the many recreational opportunities such as: hiking, biking, hunting, fishing, photography, birding, canoeing, berry picking, mushrooming, viewing wildlife, snowmobiling, and cross country skiing. There are many primitive campgrounds throughout the forests. Indian Lake, the fourth largest inland lake in the Upper Peninsula with an area of 8,400 acres. It is 6 miles long and 3 miles wide. The area around Indian Lake State Park is a playground for the sportsman and outdoor enthusiast. The Hiawatha National Forest and Lake Superior State Forest offer unlimited opportunities for hunting, fishing, canoeing, hiking, snowmobiling, cross country skiing and berry picking. Two modern campgrounds offer the camper a wide choice of over 300 campsites.
Manistique River: Canoeing, Kayaking, Fishing, & Camping. Canoe the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Information and Manistique River map. The Manistique River is over 60 miles long and runs from Manistique Lake at Curtis to the town of Manistique with rustic campgrounds along the way. A wonderful way to view wildlife and unusual birds and enjoy this wilderness paddle. Michihistrigan Recreation Area. Campground with 47 modern & rustic campsites and 4 cabins surrounded by ponds in the shape of the Great Lakes. The Farmhouse Restaurant next door. Everyone welcome. Showers & laundry facilities in the Community Building. Large Pavilion with a fireplace and grill. Cabins are open year round for snowmobiling. On the trails. 60 miles west of the Mackinac Bridge on US-2 in the Gould City-Curtis area. W17838 US-2, Gould City, MI 49838. Phone: 906-477-6220. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, this 40,000 acre park follows the south shore of Lake Superior for 42 miles. The Pictured Rocks have scenic overlooks, beaches and campgrounds, and may be seen by car, boat or plane. These sculptured sandstone cliffs are shaped by wind, ice and pounding waves, colored by the minerals in the water. Rainey Wildlife Area is a good spot for bird watching. Boardwalks, hiking trails, and an elevated viewing platform provide outstanding views of wildlife in and around Smith Creek, Smiths Slough, and Indian Lake. Songbirds are plentiful along the trails and boardwalks, and the spring and fall warbler migrations are especially good. Be sure to walk slowly and quietly for the best results. You might also see bald eagles and ospreys from the observation platform. The Rainey Wildlife Area is a good spot for enjoying and photographing fall colors or try snowshoeing in the winter. Take M-94 north of Manistique about 5 miles to Dawson Road. Turn left (west) for 1.5 miles to the end of Dawson Road and turn right on Wawawshnosh Drive which will take you to the parking lot. Schoolcraft County Historical Park, Museum, and 200' tall brick Water Tower was built in 1921-22. Located on M-94 (River Street) at the Siphon Bridge in Manistique. The Water Tower is on the National and State Registrar of Historic Sites. Museum is open during the summer months. Seney National Wildlife Refuge, view the refuge by car, bike or canoe. 95,455 acres of Marsh, Field and Forest filled with wildlife. Canoe, hike, or mountain bike through the Refuge or take the 7 mile Wildlife Drive. Siphon Bridge over the Manistique River was built in 1919 to help provide water for the Manistique Pulp and Paper Company. This Historic Bridge was unique because the Manistique River was higher than the roadway and the bridge. At one time, the bridge itself was partially supported by the water that was atmospherically forced under it. Once featured in Ripleys "Believe it or Not." Thompson State Fish Hatchery, 6 miles west of Manistique, is open weekdays for viewing between 8.00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Threefold Vine Winery on the Garden Peninsula and the Green Family Farm, 5856 Nn Road, Garden, MI 49835 Phone: 906-644-7089. Wine made from grapes grown in the Upper Peninsula? Yes, right at the Threefold Vine Winery just south of the town of Garden and near Fayette State Park on the Garden Peninsula. Our Tasting Room at the Winery is open and will be offers grape (from our vineyard) apple, honey, and various fruit wines. The Green family invites you to visit our winery, see how the wine is produced, and sample our exciting new wines. The Threefold Vine Winery is part of the Green Family Farm and offers pumpkins, squash, and apples for sale in the fall. Tour the Winery and the Orchards. 15 miles west of Manistique on US-2 and south on M-183 for 10 miles to Nn Road. The Village Artisans of Garden is a delightful Art Gallery filled with fine arts and crafts created by Upper Peninsula Artists. Enjoy the beautiful paintings, photography, pottery, weaving, jewelry, fabrics, metal creations, wood turning, baskets, glass blowing, stained glass, home made jams, interesting books, plus much more. The Garden Art Gallery is open daily from Mid-May through Mid-October. Located between Escanaba and Manistique, 8 miles south of US-2. Turn south at Garden Corners on Highway M-183 to the town of Garden, Michigan. Phone 906-644-2025 Waterfall Tour. Spend a day visiting some of the many waterfalls about 45 miles north of Manistique near Munising. Some of the waterfalls can be viewed by car, some a short stroll, while others require a little longer walk. Stop for a nice lunch and enjoy a beautiful day. Whitefish Point Lighthouse and Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, First lit in 1849, the Whitefish Point Light shares honors with that at Copper Harbor for being the first lights on Lake Superior. It stands guard over the entrance to Whitefish Bay, leading to the Soo Locks, sometimes the only shelter to be found for a ship trying to escape the fury of the lake. Hundreds of vessels, including the famed Edmund Fitzgerald, lie on the bottom of the bay and the approaches. The lighthouse marks the end of an 80 mile stretch of shoreline known as Lake Superior's Shipwreck Coast. At the museum, view dramatic "you-are-there" exhibits, then head for the museum theater which features underwater films of ship wreck discoveries as they lie today beneath Lake Superior's rolling waves. Open May 15-October l5, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. (EST) 7 days a week.
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