Jul 25, 2012 - Grand Marais

We traveled to Grand Marais today in the rain. Setup in the rain and now the storm has passed. Woodland Park Campground is a nice city park right on Lake Superior. We can walk to the beach or to town. Nice:)

Aug 27, 2011 - Hiking Lake Superior State Forest

August 27, 2011 – Hiking Lake Superior State Forest We awoke to another crystal clear but windy day with a cold wind blowing off Lake Superior. So, no kayaking today. We decided to find a trail to hike in Lake Superior State Forest because you cannot take dogs on the trails in the National Park. We drove along State Highway H-58 east. Unfortunately, most of it is not paved and the road surface was like a washboard and very dusty. As we drove down the road, before the hike, a hawk flew out of a tree, onto the shoulder of the road and then...

Aug 26, 2011 - Kayaking Grand Marais

Heard the East Coast is really going to be hit by Hurricane Irene. Hope everyone is doing OK. This is a magical place; changeable almost by the minute. The wind has changed direction today and now is coming off the land making the air temperature much warmer but the sea is colder. We were going to kayak one of the lakes but it was very rough because of the change of wind. Instead, we launched from the town harbor at Grand Marais and kayaked around the protected area and into Lake Superior. We passed nesting grounds of the endangered piping...

Aug 25, 2011 - Picture Rocks and Grand Marais

August 25, 2011 Today, we started exploring Picture Rocks National Lakeshore. We are at the eastern end where the high dunes are. You have to climb down steep steps to get to the beaches but they are incredible sweeps of sand sprinkled with surf-rounded rocks. Apparently, there are agates aplenty on the shore among the rocks but we have not been able to find any that we know of. In any event, we went to the Log Slide area where they used to slide the lumber down the dunes to waiting boats. You can see the Au Sable lighthouse from the area....

Aug 24, 2011 - Grand Marais

August 24, 2011-Grand Marais Drove from Brimley to Grand Marais located on Lake Superior at the eastern end of the Picture Rocks National Lakeshore. We are staying at Woodland Park which is a municipal/town park located on a bluff overlooking Lake Superior. It is first come, first served which is great for us since we really never know when we will be places or even where we will be. We are on a site right “on” the water. We decided to come here and stay through Saturday night and then move on to Munising and the other end of Picture Rocks....

Jul 13, 2011 - Mackinaw City to Grand Marais, MI 120 miles

We hated to leave Mackinaw City and our beautiful campground, but we hitched up and headed over the Mackinac Bridge, leaving lower Michigan and heading on into the Upper Peninsula (U.P.). We paid our $7 toll and traveled along Lake Michigan for a little while longer. This bridge was built in 1957 and was once the longest cable-stay bridge. We left Lake Michigan for good and saw Lake Superior for the 1st time at Grand Marais. We found another great campground right on Lake Superior where Bonnie can run off-leash, in and out of the...

Sep 15, 2009 - Pictured Rocks NLS - east end

There are two entrances to the Park. The eastern entrance has a driving road, so I went to check it out. I thought it would just be a road on top of the rocks I saw on the boat trip, but I was wrong. The road leads to the Sable (pronounced “sahble” – French for sand) lake, creek and water falls, then to a log slide, and finally, to a campground and trail leading to the Au Sable Lightstation. I was awed by the cascading waterfalls, the largeness and steepness of the sand dunes at the shoreline, and the views from the lighthouse. I got to see...

Jan 29, 2009 - 8th Day...back to Grand Marais for one night

No photos! Left Ishepming with full tanks of gas, as usual. We thought we may stay in Munising, possibly the far east side. However, the ride seemed fast and we had gotten an early start. We decided to bypass Munising and head for gas in Shingleton which would be the next gas stop, along M-28. Upon reaching Shingleton, we discovered the towns only gas station was closed; up for sale. Real bummer! They told us at the local diner that nearby gas was in Melstrand. Melstand was were we headed. Only to find out that their pump was broke and...

Jan 23, 2009 - 2nd day: Grand Marais..lunch in the woods!

Grand Marais makes it's own weather; which is usually cold and very windy! We woke up with the plans that we were having a "picnic in the woods" today. Bob and I have done many a picnic in the woods; for family and friends. They've all thought us to be crazy! Gathering supplies, food and finding the perfect spot took most of the morning! We put on over 25 miles checking out various campground spots for little, or no, "Lake Superior" gale force winds! Finally, AuSable Pte. Campground seemed to be somewhat protected from the 25 mph winds we...