Michigan's Last Great Wilderness
Most people who've heard of the Porcupine Mountains have seen the famous photo: Lake of the Clouds, a glacial lake resting in a bowl of unbroken old-growth forest, with Lake Superior visible beyond the ridge. What most people don't know is that the park has 87 miles of trail and a system of backcountry cabins and rustic campsites that make it one of the best backpacking destinations in the Midwest. The Porkies have no cellphone signal, minimal crowds on weekdays, and one of the only remaining unlogged forests in this part of North America.
Trip Overview
- Duration: 3 days / 2 nights
- Distance: ~22 miles
- Permit: Backcountry permit required ($15/person/night). Reserve cabins through the Michigan DNR reservation system up to 6 months in advance. Backcountry campsites first-come.
- Base town: Ontonagon, MI (35 minutes from park entrance)
- Best months: Late September for peak fall color; June–August for fullest waterfalls
Day 1 — Lake of the Clouds Escarpment (8 miles)
Begin at the Lake of the Clouds Overlook on South Boundary Road — the view is immediately one of the best in Michigan: the cloud lake resting in the forested bowl, the Lake Superior horizon beyond the ridge. Most visitors stop here. You keep going. Hike the Escarpment Trail west along the rim for 4 miles above the lake, then descend to Mirror Lake on the park's interior trail. Mirror Lake is smaller, quieter, and backed by old-growth hemlock — the Mirror Lake backcountry cabin (sleeps 4-8) is the most coveted overnight spot in the park. Reserve months in advance or take the primitive campsite if the cabin is full.
Day 2 — Mirror Lake to Presque Isle (7 miles)
Follow the river trail down from Mirror Lake through the heart of the old-growth zone — trees here are 300-400 years old, with hemlocks over 4 feet in diameter. The forest understory is clear and cathedral-like due to the hemlock canopy blocking light. Exit the forest at the Presque Isle River, which cascades through a series of 5 waterfalls in its final mile before Lake Superior. Each cascade is different — Nawadaha Falls, Manido Falls, Manabezho Falls (the largest, 20 feet wide) — connected by a boardwalk loop from the campground. Camp at the Presque Isle primitive campsite above the river.
Day 3 — Presque Isle to Union Spring (7 miles)
Return via the Lake Superior shoreline trail — the beach here alternates between sand and polished Lake Superior agates (mineral collecting is popular and legal in the state park). Collect agates, watch for bald eagles fishing the shallows, and rejoin the interior trail at Union Spring for the walk back to the trailhead on South Boundary Road.
Fall Color Note
The Porcupine Mountains is the best fall color destination in Michigan. The maple-hemlock-birch canopy covers 60,000 continuous acres — when the maples turn in late September, the view from the Lake of the Clouds Escarpment becomes a mosaic of red, gold, and orange that rivals New England. Cabins on peak fall weekends book solid within minutes of the 6-month booking window opening.
