Another Side Trip Section: Picture Rocks National Lake Shore

 

    After checking out Whitefish Point, the shipwreck museum, and the lighthouse at Crisp Point, we headed to Munising, MI for the next couple nights. We stayed at the hotel related to the casino in Christmas, MI, which was directly across the street from Bay Furnace State Park, where my husband and I had stayed previously. Our first night, we walked over to the park, played Poohsticks, checked out the history of the place, and enjoyed the shores of Lake Superior as we attempted to catch the sunset. The next day, we took the boat tour of the Pictured Rocks and enjoyed Munising. The last day in the Upper Peninsula, we headed to the Pictured Rocks and did another section of the NCT.

    My father-in-law dropped my mother-in-law and I off at the Log Flume trailhead, where we started our walk along the NCT west with the intention of being picked up 7+ miles down the way at 11-mile beach. The walk passed along the shore of Lake Superior giving us beautiful views of her and her glorious shorelines. In the middle of the trail, we got to pass by a lighthouse, where we stopped to enjoy the power of nature and read the history of the location. In the last 2 miles, we crossed the scenic road and entered a pleasant walk through the woods. At the end, we reached the 11-mile beach, where we met up with my father-in-law, who was sitting, relaxing, and reading a book as he waited for us. 

    After spending a little bit of time exploring the beach for rocks and dipping our tired feet in the water, we headed back to the hotel for the night. The next day, we headed back south touring the shoreline of Lake Michigan along the way. We visited a couple of lighthouses along the way, and drove through the Tunnel of Trees through Hart, MI. Eventually, we made it back to my in-laws' house, where I was going to spend the next few nights with the intention of visiting friends in the area. Unfortunately, I learned those friends were up near my mom's house. So, the next day, we drove back up to Ludington, MI to meet my mom for lunch, once again, as the parentals again exchanged me. The whole trip reminding me of my roots and how much the U.P. is my home and my heart.