Away from the Crowds in Michigan

Michigan is a peninsular state in the Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwestern United States.  It is more commonly referred to as “The Great Lakes State,” since it borders four of the five Great Lakes—with Lake Ontario being the only one the state doesn’t touch.

The Eben Ice Caves in Deerton on the Upper Peninsula are located in the Rock River Canyon Wilderness Area. The caves are also referred to as Rock River Canyon Ice Caves. As water flows over the face of a cliff, it freezes into dramatic walls of ice, forming caverns that can be explored.

Frederick Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park in Grand Rapids is an amazing mix of art and nature. The sculpture park features over 170 artworks by internationally acclaimed artists, among them Rodin, Moore, and Plensa. There are beautiful gardens with a tropical conservatory, Victorian and arid houses.

The Richard and Helen DeVos Japanese Garden with waterfalls, a tea house, Zen-style plantings, and sculptures.

The Hungarian Falls Natural Area offers cascades of waterfalls flowing down a steep gorge and flowing into Torch Lake, the longest inland lake in Michigan in the Northern Lower Peninsula. The wooded area is good for hiking with lovely vies of the upper, middle, and lower falls.

Kitch-iti-kipi is the largest freshwater spring in Michigan, located in Palms Brook State Park near Manistique on the Upper Peninsula. More than 10,000 gallons of water per minute gush from fissures in the underlying limestone. Visitors can get a close-up view of the water aboard a hand-cranked observation raft guided across the springs by cables. The platform provides underwater views of ancient tree trunks, limestone-encrusted branches, and trout swimming in crystal-clear waters.

Miner’s Castle is an unusual formation at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior. There are amazing sandstone cliffs and a series of caves right on the water. The caves can be explored by kayak for close-up views.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Munising is an amazing stretch of coastline along Lake Superior. Visitors can see sandstone cliffs that have been stained with mineral reds, greens, and golds. The wind and waves have carved arches, sea caves, and pillars such as Chapel Rock and Miners Castle as well as waterfalls spilling over cliffs.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore offers towering dunes, lush forests, sandy beaches, scenic trails, and 450-foot bluffs. Visitors can see preserved 19th-century farmsteads, drive along the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive, or ferry to the remote Manitou Islands to view historic lighthouses.

The name of the park comes from an Ojibwe legend about a mother bear and her two cubs swimming across Lake Michigan to escape a forest fire. The mother made it to shore, where she lay down to wait for her cubs. The Great Spirit created the Manitou Islands to honor the lost cubs and formed the “sleeping bear” dune to commemorate her.

Tahquamenon Falls is among the largest waterfalls in Michigan, with the Upper Falls being the most popular. You can hike in Tahquamenon Falls State Park, enjoying it in any season from fiery foliage in the autumn and dramatic ice formations in the winter.

Turnip Rock is an amazing rock formation in Lake Huron. It is best viewed by kayak, taking a 7-mile roundtrip paddle. The rock was formed by thousands of years of erosion by lake waves. The sandstone was carved into a sea stack and is only visible by water. As you kayak about, you’ll pass by Thumbnail Point, sea caves, and other rock formations.

Warren Dunes State Park is a natural playground with sand dunes. From here you can look across Lake Michigan and see the skyline of Chicago. Visitors can enjoy swimming, sunbathing, and hiking.  Warren Dunes is renowned for its impressive variety of habitats, including forests, wetlands, and sandy beaches. The area hosts a wide array of wildlife. Campgrounds accommodate tent, trailer, and RV camping.