No motorized vehicles are allowed on Macinac Island, so all transportation is by horse and buggy or bicycle.
We strolled the beach and watched fisherman bring in their catch at the Black River.
Eagle Harbor Lighthouse has guided mariners on Lake Superior for over a century.
Enjoying a horse and buggy ride on Macinac Island.
Just east of Ontonagon, the Keweenaw Peninsula juts out into Lake Superior. At the far northern tip lies the small lakeside village of Copper Harbor. We arrived in town on a cold and blustery fall day, but as we walked the charming streets and chatted with the locals, we got a whiff of what a wonderful place this must be for vacationers in mid-summer. Colorful kayaks were laid up for the winter already, and most of the tourist boutique shops were closed for the season, but it was easy to imagine boats coming and going from the small harbor and families strolling on blissful sunny days, ice cream cones in hand. Nearby we admired the historic Eagle Harbor Lighthouse. It has stood sentinel by the rocky shore and guided mariners to safety for more than a century. After visiting Copper Harbor, we drove south and east to the town of Munising, and to our delight the fall colors had just begun to peak in the Hiawatha National Forest. Some of the best spots for leaf peeping are on the shores of the small lakes and ponds that dot this National Forest, and we did many treks along the dirt roads that lead to the edges of these bodies of water. Dawn and dusk saw us setting up our tripods next to Moccasin Lake, Red Jack Lake, Worm Lake, and East Lake. The still water reflected the colorful trees, doubling the radiant shades of red and orange that filled the branches. On a
few mornings, a mist hovered over the water giving the scene a mystical aura. One of the most delightful places for soaking up the crisp air and vivid colors of autumn was at Mequesten Recreation Area just three miles south of Munising. A wonderful boardwalk winds around and across Cox Pond, offering lovely viewing areas on all sides. This made it ideal for visits at both sunrise and sunset, and we found ourselves going back several times for a leisurely stroll and photos. Munising was a terrific home base for leaf peeping, but it also gave us a chance to visit nearby Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. One day we took a short drive to Miner's Castle Lower Overlook where the shockingly clear turquoise water of Lake Superior looked almost tropical. Viewing our photos later, if we hadn't known we were wearing jackets and hats when we were at the overlook, it might have seemed like an inviting swimming hole! At the far eastern end of the U.P., Straits State Park on the edge of the town of St. Ignace gave us some wonderful evening views of the famous Macinac Bridge as the sun set and the lights on the bridge lit up. The next morning we stopped for coffee at Harbor Hope Coffee, an unusual coffee shop that overlooks St. Ignace Harbor. Run by a church group that worships each week
JEWELS ON AN AUTUMN TRIP
COAST TO COAST FALL MAGAZINE 2019
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