Pure Michigan | Pictured Rocks

Shiv and I went on the best summer weekend road trip this past weekend! We packed up her little car with all of our camping and hiking gear and drove the six hours up across the Mackinac Bridge to Grand Marais. It was an easy drive over the bridge, and through the woods all the way up to Lake Superior. I might add that we used no GPS to get us there and we were pretty dang proud of that. We couldn't resist stopping for a breathtaking sunset over Grand Sable Lake just before we reached Twelvemile Beach Campground for the night. Nature seemed to know we were craving a peaceful, beautiful getaway and it gave us a taste of that straight away. That pastel sky set the tone for a perfect weekend to come. 

Grand Sable Lake 

We weren't sure what to expect, but it was pretty rustic and casual - perfect for our adventure! To pay, all we did was drop our money in an envelope and stick a receipt on our campsite's numbered post. It was all a little mysterious and sketchy, but then again it was dark and cold so I don't think anyone would have wanted to bother with us anyway! Since we didn't pass anywhere selling firewood on the way (which seemed weird) and we were exhausted, we set up her cozy little tent and went to sleep. Very uncharacteristically for me, I tend to wake up with the sun and the birds when I'm sleeping outside, so I rose bright and early. Walking to the bathroom, I noticed that the campground was full. We totally lucked out that we had nabbed a spot! The host said that being so full was not typical for this time of year. For some reason, everything was going just our way and we couldn't complain about a thing. 

First on the agenda (after breakfast and instant coffee, of course) was the Log Slide. Legend has it that lumberjacks used to push logs down a chute near the Grand Sable Dunes that caused so much friction it would occassionally catch fire. It's not there anymore, but the stories and the dunes remain, allowing your imagination to run wild while drinking in a magnificent view.

Log Slide

We decided to be ambitious and hike the two miles to the Au Sable Lighthouse. There we encountered an annoying group of boys and a volunteer working who seemed just as impressed with them as we were. Talking to Tony, I learned that he is a recently retired educator and administrator. He shared a little bit about his career (which was very encouraging for my similar path) and mapped out a hike for us to do the next day. It was the same one we were already planning on, but we graciously listened and were reassured by the fact that he highly recommended doing it!

    

Hiking takes a lot of energy. I think I was forever hungry and thirsty all weekend. The beach, however, was a perfect place for a picnic of PB sandwiches! I would have made my mom proud as I sat and read the history of the lighthouse in the brochure I'd picked up. (There was nothing too interesting to report - just a lot of lonely guys living there!) 

My amazingly talented roommate (pictured below) takes an endless amount of incredible pictures. Hers are much more impressive the ones I have on here, but I've accepted it. And she lets me model in them which is a whole lot of fun. I've learned to always have great posture since I never know when she'll snap a pic and, of course, I don't want to be slouching!

Nerd alert: I was also very excited to find a conglomerate sedimentary rock since I survived geology this past semester!

After making friends with this little butterfly, we headed back along the same path as before. 

Just up over a little hill was this magnificent view of the Grand Sable Dunes. Shiv and I agreed that we've never been so at peace as when we basked in the sun, me with my toes buried in the sand...

And her still ready to hike the rest of Pictured Rocks...

We ventured down a little ways until we couldn't go any farther. Each step took us farther along the dunes that never seemed to end overlooking the bright blue water going on for days. It was bliss. Not so blissful was my decision to run then down the dune and climb back up. Shiv waited for me at the top, and I only regretted my decision a little bit while my calves screamed at me and my breath slowed from the vertical trek. 

Grand Sable Dunes

But, after a glorious morning, we came back to reality and established that we really needed firewood if we were to eat anything remotely tasty that evening (and we simply wanted a bonfire). This mission took us in to Grand Marais, a quaint little northern Michigan town complete with a few bars, tourist shops, and a general store which finally had firewood. Stocking up on that and ice, and admiring the sailboat bobbing out on the water, we were good to go. Our next stop was to hike down to Sable Falls. Though the rest of the dunes trail was closed due to recent erosion (the downside of leaving all this beauty to nature), we were still able to see the cascading falls.

Sable Falls

Back at the Twelvemile Beach Campground, our relaxation continued at the beach. Shiv attempted to lay on the sand but was chased away by the bugs and relented to join me up in the trees. With our hammocks strung up above Lake Superior (Kitchi Gumi, in Native American language), we sort of felt like we were in a tropical paradise! There weren't any palm trees, but the sky was so blue, the water glistened in the sun, and a slight breeze gently rocked us into daydreams. 

A few guys (one with an MSU hat) passed by while I was hanging there sort of (actually, completely) blocking their way. I'm very curious what happened on their hike because they said they were on their way to the lighthouse they saw down the beach. Yes, it was the same lighthouse we'd gone to earlier after taking about a 10-15 mile drive east. My conclusions are that either they made a hiking record, slept in the sand, or were sadly disappointed. 

Twelvemile Beach Campground

Saturday was our big hiking day! Even though our legs were a little sore from Friday, we managed to get out of bed, pack up, and hit the road to hike the ten mile Chapel Loop.

Chapel Loop

It started out with a hike through the woods to this hidden gem called Chapel Falls. 

Chapel Falls

Lots of Twenty Questions, games of Would You Rather, and cute mushroom filled trees got us through the first few miles in the woods...

...until we encountered this! There were a lot of other people there admiring it since it's one of the most famous sites, but I can definitely see why. Erosion has created a truly gorgeous sight. 

Chapel Rock

For the most part, I think the pictures speak for themselves!

Nearing the end of the hike, we made it to Mosquito Beach. It was a unique beach made more of foliated rocks, but luckily it didn't live up to its name.

Mosquito Beach

And this is Mosquito Falls, a sign we were almost to the end of our ten miles. Thankfully, since our legs were burning.

Mosquito Falls

A need of an oil change took us in to Munising, but we had no luck finding a place. We did, however, find coffee and souvenirs before stopping at the somewhat touristy but still pretty Miner's Castle. 

Miner's Castle

Our campground for the night was Pete's Lake, which was, in fact, along Pete's Lake. Here's Shiv at her photography, once again.

 Pete's Lake

We stopped at the Big Spring, Kitch-iti-kipi, near Manistique on the way home. It's the largest natural spring in Michigan connected to Indian River which allows some big (gross) fish to swim up into the crystal clear water. There's a boat on a wire pulling people across with a hole in the center allowing a view straight to the bottom. I'd been before when I stayed in the UP with a friend at their hunting cabin, but it was cool to see again!

Kitch-iti-kipi

I got some well-deserved Mackinac Island Fudge ice cream in Manistique to celebrate the wonderful weekend as we headed back across US-2 toward the bridge and straight down I-75 home. 

I am so incredibly lucky to have such a wonderful, goofy, adventurous roommate/friend/partner in crime to go with me on this trip. It was such a perfect weekend of endless laughs, breathtaking sights, lack of showers, and talks about life. Northern Michigan is a gem and I'm fortunate to call it part of my state, and I'm even more lucky to be able to go back to my EL home with this girl. Baby, you're lightning in a bottle and I can't wait for our next adventure!