Today was the day for us to explore a new National Lakeshore that we had never been to before – Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on the northern shoreline of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
I had watched a couple of videos during the dead of winter at home which talked about the majesty and beauty of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. These were videos by RVers who talked about the fantastic opportunities available for the RV community in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Many who had been to the UP recently commented – and I agree – that it was an underrated camping destination for many people who live outside of the Midwest. This is a beautiful area of the country with a lot of terrific outdoor activities – an interesting local history, hiking, birding, kayaking and some nice local breweries.
What more could you ask for?
As per normal, we started at the Visitor Center at Miners Castle (one of 3 in the park) to get a stamp for our National Parks Passport book. While there we did walk to two overview platforms that showcased a particular rock formation called “Miners Castle”.
This was really beautiful – and it was a teaser for what was to come in the afternoon.
We had booked a cruise on Lake Superior that followed 10 miles of the Michigan shoreline and showcased many different “named” geologic formations. These names all came from local lore – and were often passed down through the generations of people seeing the Pictured Rocks.
Did Aurora enjoy the cruise you ask?
No – she did not.
Alas – dogs were not allowed on the cruise boat. So – while we were on the cruise tour Aurora got to relax in the air conditioned camper while we enjoyed the rock formations and corny jokes from the Captain of the ship.
What type of corny jokes?
“Captain – I was told by someone that the formation over there looked like Duane Johnson. Dramatic pause. I thought it looked like a Rock. “
You get the picture.
The shoreline was stunning and we saw several waterfalls as part of the tour as well.
We also had a chance to get a nice selfie with a very colorful area of the shoreline ….
After our cruise – we returned back to the campground so that Noel could do some video calls.
She very much enjoyed her new office setting …
While we enjoyed what we saw – we got in the camper this morning and both of us commented on how much more we would do on a longer visit in the future.
We will certainly be back!
Kirk’s Travelogue 