4 Days on the Lakeshore Trail: Pictured Rocks
One trail, cliffs, waterfalls & dunes, above Lake Superior.
Four days backpacking the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore Trail above Lake Superior: Miners Castle, Mosquito Beach, Chapel Rock and Chapel Falls, Spray Falls, Grand Portal Point, the Log Slide, and the Grand Sable Dunes.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”
14 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Pictured Rocks: every stop pinned in order.
Munising · Chapel Rock · Grand Sable Dunes · Lake Superior
Every stop on this trip, in order, opens as one driving route in the Google Maps app. No copying addresses across one at a time.
Pictured Rocks in photos: 5 of the stops.
Plan and book your 4 days in Pictured Rocks, one step at a time
How 4 days in Pictured Rocks split up
Plan 4 days for Pictured Rocks. Total distance: ~42 mi. Difficulty: Moderate. Permit: Required. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore stretches for more than 40 miles along the south shore of Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, named for the multicolored sandstone cliffs that rise straight out of the cold blue water. The Lakeshore Trail, a signed section of the North Country Trail, runs the full length of the park from Munising to Grand Marais and is the classic way to see it all on foot.
Day 1: Munising to Mosquito Beach · Miners Castle & the first cliffs
4 stops · Day one
Day 2: The cliff miles · Chapel Rock, Spray Falls & Grand Portal Point
4 stops · Day two
Day 3: Twelvemile Beach & the Au Sable Light Station
3 stops · Day three
Day 4: The Log Slide, the Grand Sable Dunes & Grand Marais
3 stops · Day four
Munising to Mosquito Beach · Miners Castle & the first cliffs
Sort your shuttle and pick up your backcountry permit, then start from the Munising end of the Lakeshore Trail. The first miles roll through forest and along the bluffs, with a worthwhile stop at Miners Castle, the park's most famous formation, a turreted sandstone point standing above the impossibly blue water. From here the cliffs begin in earnest.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
Start fromPermit pickup · shuttle hub · DriveMunising is the western gateway to Pictured Rocks and the main base for logistics. Pick up your backcountry permit, sort your shuttle to Grand Marais, and consider the Munising boat cruise to see the cliffs from the water. Marquette (MQT) is the nearest airport, about an hour west.
- Miners Castle
The park's most famous formation · ViewpointMiners Castle is the park's most famous formation, a turreted sandstone point standing above impossibly blue water. It is also reachable by car so it can be busy by day, but it marks where the cliffs begin in earnest on your walk east.
Lakeshore Trail to Mosquito Beach12 mi from Munising Falls (NPS mileage chart) · bluffs & first shoreline · HikeThe Lakeshore Trail rolls through forest and along the bluffs to Mosquito Beach and the Mosquito River, one of the prettiest stretches in the park with flat sandstone shelves and clear water. This is a signed section of the North Country Trail.
Camp at the Mosquito backcountry siteReserved permit site · recreation.gov · lodgeCamp at the reserved Mosquito backcountry site (or nearby Cliffs) so you fall asleep to Lake Superior. Every night needs a reserved permit through recreation.gov, and these sites fill fast for summer weekends. Filter your water and secure your food overnight.
The cliff miles · Chapel Rock, Spray Falls & Grand Portal Point
This is the heart of the trip and the most spectacular cliff walking in the park. Side-trip up to Chapel Falls, then drop to Chapel Beach and Chapel Rock, the iconic sandstone arch with a lone pine growing on top, its roots stretched across the gap to the mainland. From here the trail clings to the cliff tops past Grand Portal Point, one of the great viewpoints on Lake Superior.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Grand Portal Point
A great Lake Superior viewpoint · ViewpointFrom Chapel the trail clings to the cliff tops past Grand Portal Point, one of the great viewpoints on Lake Superior. Stay well back from the soft, undercut sandstone edges, especially when they are wet, and keep kids and dogs close.
- Chapel Falls & Chapel Rock
The iconic tree on the arch · ViewpointSide-trip up to Chapel Falls, then drop to Chapel Beach and Chapel Rock, the iconic sandstone arch with a lone pine growing on top, its roots stretched across the gap to the mainland. This is the photographic heart of the trip.
- Spray Falls
Waterfall straight into the lake · ViewpointSpray Falls is where a creek pours straight over the cliff edge into Lake Superior, best seen from the trail above or from the water on a boat cruise. It is one of the most striking sights on the whole Lakeshore Trail.
David Wilson from Oak / CC BY 2.0Camp at the Beaver Creek backcountry site~10 mi from Mosquito · reserved permit site · recreation.gov · lodgeCamp at the reserved Beaver Creek backcountry site, about 10 miles from Mosquito and past the Coves sites. Every night needs a reserved permit through recreation.gov. Filter your water and secure your food.
Twelvemile Beach & the Au Sable Light Station
The cliffs give way to forest and long sand beaches. The trail runs behind Twelvemile Beach, past the Hurricane River, and out to the Au Sable Light Station, a classic Lake Superior lighthouse on the point.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Twelvemile Beach
Long sand beach behind the trail · flat miles · ViewpointThe cliffs give way to forest and long sand beaches. The trail runs behind Twelvemile Beach on the way to the Hurricane River and the Au Sable light.
- Au Sable Light Station
Classic Lake Superior lighthouse · ViewpointA spur leads to the Au Sable Light Station, a classic Lake Superior lighthouse on the point and often the highlight of the day. Build in time for it, as it is one of the most photogenic stops on the route and easy to skip if you are rushing.
- Camp at the Au Sable Point East backcountry site
13.3 mi from Beaver Creek · reserved permit site · recreation.gov · lodgeCamp at the reserved Au Sable Point East backcountry site near the light station, 13.3 miles from Beaver Creek on the NPS mileage chart. It leaves only 7.1 miles to Grand Marais tomorrow.
The Log Slide, the Grand Sable Dunes & Grand Marais
The final stretch trades cliffs for sand and lighthouse history. Climb to the Log Slide, a steep dune overlook where loggers once sent timber sliding 300 feet down to the lake, with a huge view back toward the cliffs and ahead to the dunes. A spur leads to the Au Sable Light Station, a classic Lake Superior lighthouse on the point, often the highlight of the day.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- The Log Slide overlook
Steep 300-ft dune to the lake · ViewpointClimb to the Log Slide, a steep dune overlook where loggers once sent timber sliding 300 feet down to the lake, with a huge view back toward the cliffs and ahead to the dunes. It looks like an easy run down, but climbing back up the soft slope is exhausting, so enjoy it from the top.
Tony Webster from Minn / CC BY-SA 2.0Grand Sable DunesPerched dunes above the lake · ViewpointThe trail runs above the Grand Sable Dunes, perched sand banks rising hundreds of feet above Lake Superior, before easing down toward Grand Marais at the eastern end of the park. It is a sandy, scenic finale after the cliff miles.
Tony Webster from Minn / CC BY-SA 2.0Finish in Grand Marais · ALTRAN shuttle to Munising7.1 mi from Au Sable Point East · ALTRAN backpacker shuttle, pre-paid a week ahead · DriveYou finish in Grand Marais at the eastern end of the park, where your shuttle car or service meets you. From here it is roughly an hour west back to Munising and about an hour and a half to Marquette (MQT) for flights out. Confirm your shuttle pickup before you start the trip.
Operator info →
Sort where you sleep each night
Most nights on this trip are in a tent. Reserve any campsite the route needs, and the room either side of it if you want one.
Tell us your dates and we will do the calling: the rooms either side, and the guided days in between. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Pictured Rocks
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping out 3 nights
For the drive to the trailhead
What we actually learned on the Lakeshore Trail.
Reserve a backcountry permit and campsites
Every overnight on the Lakeshore Trail needs a backcountry permit with reserved campsites, booked through recreation.gov. Popular sites like Mosquito, Chapel, and Coves fill fast for summer weekends, so reserve as early as you can and camp only at your assigned site.
It is point-to-point, so plan a shuttle
The trail runs one way from Munising to Grand Marais, about an hour apart by road. Arrange a hiker shuttle or spot a second car at the far end before you start. Most hikers run the shuttle so they can walk west to east and finish at the dunes.
Filter your water and respect Lake Superior
There is no potable water on the trail, so filter or treat from the lake and creeks. Lake Superior is frigid year-round and the water is for cooling off, not swimming. Sudden storms and waves can blow up fast, so do not rely on the shoreline as a route.
Stay back from the sandstone cliffs
The 200-foot multicolored sandstone walls are soft, often undercut and crumbling, and whole sections can collapse suddenly into Lake Superior, so never stand close to the raw cliff edge for photos. Stay well back from the rim, especially when it is wet, keep children and dogs leashed, and never try to climb down to the water from the cliff tops.
Hike June through September
Summer and early fall are the window. Biting flies and mosquitoes peak in early summer, so pack a head net and repellent. Late September can bring beautiful color but cold nights. Snow lingers into spring and the trail is a winter undertaking after that.
Base in Munising or Grand Marais
Spend a night in Munising before you start or in Grand Marais after you finish to handle logistics. Both are small Upper Peninsula towns with limited lodging that books up in summer, so reserve ahead. Marquette (MQT) is the nearest airport, about an hour out.
Pictured Rocks: questions before you go
Pictured Rocks backpacking: the questions people ask most.
The Lakeshore Trail runs about 42 miles point-to-point from Munising to Grand Marais along the south shore of Lake Superior. It is a signed section of the North Country Trail. Most backpackers cover it over 3 to 4 days, camping at reserved backcountry sites along the cliffs and dunes.
Yes. Every overnight on the Lakeshore Trail requires a backcountry permit with reserved campsites, booked through recreation.gov. You camp only at your assigned site each night. Popular sites such as Mosquito, Chapel, and Coves fill quickly for summer weekends, so reserve as far ahead as you can.
Three to four days is typical for the full Munising-to-Grand Marais traverse. This plan takes four, splitting the 42.4 miles into 12, 10, 13.3 and 7.1 using the NPS backcountry mileage chart. It gives you the cliff miles past Miners Castle, Chapel Rock, Grand Portal Point, and Spray Falls, plus the Log Slide, the Au Sable Light Station, and the Grand Sable Dunes. Four days makes the daily mileage with a full pack more relaxed.
June through September is the season. Biting flies and mosquitoes peak in early summer, so bring a head net and repellent. Late September can bring gorgeous fall color along the trail but colder nights. Lake Superior stays frigid all year, and snow lingers well into spring.
Yes, because the trail is point-to-point. Munising and Grand Marais are about an hour apart by road, so most hikers use a hiker shuttle service or spot a second car at the finish. Arrange your shuttle before you start so you are not stranded at one end of the park.
The signature stops are Miners Castle, Mosquito Beach, Chapel Beach with Chapel Falls and Chapel Rock (the famous tree growing on a sandstone arch), Grand Portal Point, Spray Falls pouring straight into the lake, the Log Slide, the Au Sable Light Station, and the Grand Sable Dunes at the eastern end near Grand Marais.
Yes, and it is a great add-on. The Munising boat cruise runs along the base of the cliffs and shows the multicolored sandstone, Miners Castle, and Spray Falls from the water, angles you cannot get from the trail on top. Many hikers pair the backpack with a cruise day from Munising.
Munising at the western end is the main base for logistics, permits, and the boat cruise, and Grand Marais at the eastern end is a quiet base for the finish. Both are small Upper Peninsula towns with limited summer lodging that books up, so reserve ahead. Marquette is the nearest airport, about an hour from Munising.
Backcountry permits and reserved campsites are booked through recreation.gov, and reservations for the coming season typically release on a set date in winter. The most popular sites, like Mosquito, Chapel, and Coves, are competitive and can be claimed within minutes, so plan to book the exact morning the window opens, have your dates and campsite order ready, and check recreation.gov for the current release date since it can change year to year.
Tell us your dates and we ask a local guide who works this area what they can do on your days and what it costs. If nobody is free, we tell you. Asking is free: no card, no deposit, and nothing is held until you say yes.
Pick how you want to go.
Same 4-day route. Same 9 stops.
- 3 nights, sites along the route
- $75
- Rental car, 4 days
- $240
- Gas, about 61 miles
- $10
- A private local guide, campsites booked
- Included
- Airport pickup and every drive
- Included
- Park, permit and campsite fees paid
- Included
- All the gear and the trail meals
- Included
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Last checked September 2026
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All reviews are from verified guests. ★★★★★ 5.0 average from 20+ bookings.
"Felt like going out with a really knowledgeable friend who just happens to know everything about the area. No awkward tour-guide energy, just a magnificent day."
"Yulia is an incredible guide. She knew every trail, every viewpoint, and exactly how to pace the day for our group. The photos she took of us were stunning. 100% booking again."
"I was visiting Seattle solo and this was the best decision I made on the trip. Yulia picked me up, had snacks, and took us to a trail I never would have found on my own. Absolute must-do."
"We did this as a couple's trip and it was perfect. Yulia adapted everything to us, our pace, our interests, our photo obsession. The mountain views were unreal."
"Phenomenal experience. Yulia has deep local knowledge and a real passion for the outdoors. She went out of her way to show us the hidden gems tourists never see. Will remember this forever."
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