Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Lover's Leap - Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

We crossed the Mackinaw Bridge on Friday, 7/10, and were officially in the Upper Peninsula. It’s absolutely gorgeous, but bring your bug spray! Lol. It's a toss up which I hate worse, mosquitos or biting flies. We had plenty of opportunity to decide. I think I'll go with, whichever one is currently stabbing or biting me! 

Crossing Mackinaw Bridge to the Upper Peninsula. 
(Have I mentioned that I really hate tall bridges in the RV? Lol.)

We had two nights scheduled at Bay Furnace Campground in Munising, MI. Prior to our arrival, we’d looked at options for seeing Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. While there are hiking trails along the lakeshore, the consensus was that the best way to see the famous formations is from the water. We could either see a lot from a tour boat or a little from a kayak tour. We opted for the sunset boat tour, it was sold out for Saturday, so we made our reservations for Friday evening.

Pictured Rocks Cruises is the authorized concessionaire
and offers a variety of boat tours.

In 1966, Congress authorized the first national lakeshore. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore protects a portion of Lake Superior’s shoreline, watershed, beaches, cliffs, and dunes. The park is just over six miles across at its widest point and covers more than 40 miles of shoreline. The name Pictured Rocks comes from the streaks of mineral stains decorating the face of the cliffs. The streaks occur when groundwater seeps out of cracks in the cliff face. The dripping water contains iron, manganese, limonite, copper, and other minerals that paint the cliffs turning the buff sandstone into an artist’s palette.

A lone paddleboarder in front of the Painted Rocks cliffs.

The colors are phenomenal!

The boat tour that we booked (Classic Sunset Boat Tour with Pictured Rocks Cruises) traveled 33 miles roundtrip and lasted about 2 ½ hours. It took us past 15 named formations, lots of interesting sea caves, and many areas where the mineral stains paint the cliffs in beautiful colors. The crew provided lots of interesting information about the formations and Lake Superior, which is the world's largest body of fresh water by surface area, covering 31,700 sq miles. Come along with us on the tour! Here are the highlights and I did my best to match the pictures with the formation names. Yes, I took notes as the captain narrated, that's how much I love you. Lol.

Each Channel Lighthouse, circa 1856.

Sea caves carved by the waves, most are 10-12 feet deep.

Miner's Castle is 80'  tall.

A kayak tour checks out Bridal Veil Falls on the right.
We were told the falls are much more impressive in the spring.

Painted Cove.

Caves of All Colors.

Another shot of Lover's Leap.
(Don't jump, it's only a couple of feet deep here!)

Rainbow Cave.

Indian Head.

Grand Portal.

Battleship Rocks.

Flower Vase.

Indian Drums.

Chapel Cove.

Chapel Beach and waterfall.

Chapel Rock.
(Are you noticing a theme? Did they just run out of ideas? Lol.)

Sunset Cruise selfie! It was a breezy, chilly ride but well worth it.

We noticed this diesel pump on the dock.
I sure would love to fill up the RV here!

And here's the sunset part of the Sunset Cruise. :)

Beachcombers silhouetted on the shore of Lake Superior.

Bay Furnace Campground had lovely wooded sites just a short walk to the lake. There were no hookups, but since the temps were moderate we assured the pups that they would survive without their air conditioning. Lol. We did a quick reconnaissance of the beach, it was sandy along the shore but too rocky for Riley to walk out very far into the lake. He does not like the rocks at all, but I sure do! The Great Lakes are a mecca for rockhounds, with Lake Michigan and Lake Superior at the top of the list.

Orange Hawkweed bloomed all around our campsite.

Riley wasn't thrilled with the rocks, but I was!

On Saturday, we found a little trail through the woods that took us to a secluded beach close to our campsite. We decided to have a down day, so we packed our chairs to our “private beach” along with snacks and beverages. The pups had a blast! Carole and I hunted for agates and cool Lake Superior rocks. Lake Superior agates are highly sought after, but I just pick up whatever catches my eye. You can take 25 pounds of rocks per year, and I’m sure I’ll have no trouble filling my quota. Lol.  The water was so calm and clear, I walked out quite a ways hunting for rocks. Raney was either very curious, very concerned, or thought there was something edible involved because she walked all the way out to where I was. She was way past her comfort zone, so kudos to our brave girl. It was a wonderful, relaxing day and a good time was had by all!

A short jaunt through the woods... 

...and we were at our "private beach". Woohoo!

Raney usually doesn't go in past her ankles. What a brave girl!

Ruby takes a break on the beach.

Bald Eagle soaring over the beach.
We put Ruby on a short leash while he was around. 

Branch Manager is on the job. Lol.

Riley loved the sandy beach, the rocks not so much.

We have another National Park coming up, although this one is a bit tricky to get to. We only have two options – boat or plane. Do you know where we’re headed?

Lake Michigan is Pup-Approved and a New Family Moochdock.

 

Lake Michigan sunset.

This is why we travel. We got tucked into our site under the trees at Lake Michigan Family Campground on Sunday, 7/5. We parked right next to Bob and Carole sharing a patio space, so dinners and happy hours together were super easy. We had no pressing agenda, so we could just kick back and relax. Cell service was nonexistent and with the trees Starlink wasn’t even an option, luckily the campground had a fairly robust wifi system and we were able to call and take care of the basics using that. And a huge plus – the weather was perfect! Between the more moderate temperatures, high 70’s, low 80’s during the day and shade, we didn't even had to run the air conditioner. We could sit outside without melting and actually enjoy a walkabout. Hurrah!!

Parked Jack and Jill, we happily share a patio with Bob and Carole.

 

Lake Michigan Family Campground, what a gem!

It was fairly short hike over the dunes to the beach and what a beach it is! Beautiful soft sand and hardly anybody around. From the beach, the lake is shallow (not even up to my waist) with a sandy bottom for 50 yards or more. We first took Raney to check out the trail and see if it was feasible for Riley. The campground has two incredible staircases that go up and over the dunes and down to the beach, but stairs (especially going down) can be hard on the big dogs.

Soft sandy beach on Lake Michigan.

Raney scouts the beach.

The campground built two of these amazing staircases over the dunes.

I thought it might be a bit of a trek for Riley since he’s been spending way too much time just hanging out in the RV and holding the couch in place. Well, he proved me wrong. He was like a new dog. He went up the trail, over the dunes, and headed straight to the water like he was a four-year-old, not looking in the rearview mirror at his ninth birthday. He was just so happy, it made my heart happy to watch him.

My superhero, leaping tall dunes in a single bound. Lol.

Raney tried to catch the waves. 

Lake Michigan is Riley approved. Lol.

Both of them had a blast.

Tired pups back at the campsite for a break.

On Monday we took the advice of camp staff and went to the Pentwater Farmer’s Market. What a great recommendation! It wasn’t a huge market, but had a fantastic selection of produce, baked goods, artisanal cheeses, coffee, and so much more. Of course, we brought home fresh picked cherries and blueberries, three kinds of cheese, *ahem* several baked goods, and a fun splurge. Goatmilk soaps are a farmer’s market staple, but one local gal was putting Lake Michigan stones inside the soaps. As you use the bar, you find a treasure.  She had one with a Petosky stone inside (my holy grail to find on this trip), and I thought that was just too fun to pass up. I’ll tell you more about the stones in just a bit. 

Pentwater Farmer's Market - Mondays and Thursdays, don't miss it!

In the evening we climbed the stairs to an observation deck that was perfect for catching the sun set over Lake Michigan. We were very impressed with the amenities at the campground. What a view!

Huge observation deck built into the stairs.

Sunset - you can never capture it in one picture. Lol.

We dedicated Tuesday as beach day. We took chairs, a small cooler with drinks, snacks, and some very excited pups over the dunes. There was absolutely no one else on the beach as far as we could see. Perfect weather, deserted beach, it felt like we’d won the lottery! Riley was again in his element, Raney and Ruby had a blast racing up and down the beach. We played in the water and then sat in the shade and then played in the water some more. We finally decided we didn’t want Riley to overdo it and headed back. He took a long nap and then ate every bit of his dinner. A little exercise was just what the doctor ordered.

Back on the beach! We only had to share it with the seagulls. 

The boys.
Bob, Rog, and Riley. 

Raney on the dunes.

Riley, Raney, and Ruby - soggy doggies.

The chase is on!
What goofballs. Dignity is highly overrated. Lol.

Riley goes after the ball, his version of bobbing for apples. Lol.

Sandy paws and sandy maws. 
Sister looks like the Joker! Lol.

The gang's all here!

On Wednesday, 7/8, we parted ways with Bob and Carole. Don’t worry, it’s just for a few days while we go and visit Rog’s uncle. Tevis is Rog’s Dad’s older brother, and it’s been decades since we’ve seen him and his lovely wife, Karon. We contacted them when we knew our route would bring us close to their home in Cheboygan, MI and they kindly offered to let us moochdock in their driveway. We planned a two day visit, little did we know that Karon is the tour guide extraordinaire! 

We now have a Michigan moochdock! 

Tevis and Karon were fabulous hosts.

We spent many pleasant hours sitting on their lovely patio looking through old yearbooks and reminiscing about family and friends both current and long departed. It was so fun to see Roger’s mom and dad as high school freshman. Lol. Rog mentioned that I was in pursuit of a Petosky stone, so Tevis and Karon gifted Rog a bolo tie made with a Petosky stone that had been his grandfather Lowell’s. Karon, who was born and raised in Michigan, had given two bolo ties with Petosky stones to Lowell many years ago and when he passed, they were returned to her and Tevis. It was so lovely to have a piece of Michigan and a remembrance from Rog’s grandfather. Now we just have to get Rog a cowboy shirt and hat so he can wear it! Lol. 

Looking through albums and family history.

 

Tevis and Karon gifted Rog 
Grampa Lowell's bolo tie with a Petosky stone!

Rog and his Uncle Tevis.

Raney and Riley were very interested in the black squirrels.
Me too, I'd never seen one before. Apparently it's a mutation, they are actually Eastern gray squirrels, not a separate species.

We had dinner out Wednesday evening and Karon’s youngest daughter, Donna, joined us.  On Thursday, Karon and Tevis took us on quite the tour of the area. We started off driving through Mackinaw City and stopping at the Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse built in 1889. The lighthouse was vital to ships navigating the Straits of Mackinac which separate Lake Huron and Lake Michigan.

Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.

Mackinac Bridge. Cross it, and you are officially in the Upper Peninsula. 

Then we drove across the spectacular Mackinac Bridge. What a feat of engineering. The bridge, which opened in 1957, is the longest suspension span in the world. It is 8,614 feet across (almost 2000 feet longer than the Golden Gate Bridge!) and the main towers are 552 feet above the Strait. The massive foundations are anchored to bedrock more than 200 feet below the water’s surface. We stopped at The Straits State Park to get a great view of the bridge from the UP side. We learned later that Bob and Carole were camping at the same park and Carole shared her picture of the bridge at night. Wow!

Mackinac Bridge viewed from the Straits State Park.

Carole's shot of the bridge at night. Awesome!

We crossed back over the Mackinac Bridge and then drove south along Lake Michigan. Karon took us through Bayview, a very upscale residential area with lots of ornate Victorian style gingerbread architecture. Then she did me a solid, and stopped at a lakeside park about halfway between the towns of Petosky and Charlevoix so I could hunt for the towns' namesake rocks.

Lovely lakefront parks are a rockhound's dream.

The search is on!

So a little bit about these rocks. Petosky stones are Michigan's official state stone and are composed of fossilized prehistoric coral called Hexagonaria percarinata. Dating back over 350 million years, they have a unique, tightly packed, six-sided honeycomb pattern with a distinct "eye" in the center. Charlevoix stones are also fossilized coral (Favosites) from the same timeframe, but have a much smaller, tighter honeycomb pattern and lighter rays that usually do not attach to a central dot. I won’t say they are extremely rare, but they are highly sought after and finding one in the wild is on my rock bucket list. Rog and I spent about an hour combing the beach, I found one tiny Petosky stone and what I think is a Charlevoix. Now I just need to learn how to polish them. It was a super fun day!

Charlevoix (L) and Petosky (R) stones. 
(Photo: Google image)

Before we left on Friday, 7/10, Tevis and Karon took us out for breakfast at her daughter’s restaurant, the Step-Inn. It’s a family affair and we had a delicious send off.

We were treated to a yummy breakfast at the Step Inn.

Breakfast is served!

Our next stop is in Munising, MI and we have a special place to visit that you’re going to love.