The Fall of the Keweenaw: Michigan's Upper Peninsula in October trip with Bronco Black Diamond

[BroncoRick]

After visiting Copper Harbor back in July, we decided to return in mid-October for a short weekend trip away to see the fall foliage, and find some adventure. After the 10 hour drive up through Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan's Upper Peninsula, we continued to head north on U.S. Route 41 through the Keweenaw Peninsula, and up to Copper Harbor, where we arrived to stay near the shore of Lake Superior.

U.S. Route 41 runs 1,990 miles from downtown Miami, Florida, all the way to Copper Harbor in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan--passing through Atlanta, Chattanooga, across the Ohio River, through Chicago, Milwaukee, Green Bay, and across Michigan's Upper Peninsula--all the way to the shores of Lake Superior at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

In October, U.S. 41 along the Keweenaw Peninsula, and specifically on the approach to Copper Harbor, is a spectacular fall color drive.

After cruising back through US 41 and Lac La Belle Road, we headed up Smith Fisheries Road to start in on one of the better hikes in the Upper Peninsula.

Opposite Copper Harbor on the other side of the Keweenaw Peninsula, the Grinnell Nature Sanctuary is home to the Bare Bluff Trail, a rugged loop trail that carries hikers up and along Bare Bluff, giving spectacular views of Lake Superior and the fall foliage below. The bluff is a large monolith of rock that rises nearly 600 feet straight out of the lake. This remote sanctuary is the most prominent landmark of the Keweenaw's southern shore.

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[BroncoRick]

Michigan highway 26 shares a junction with U.S. route 41 in Copper Harbor, and taking M26 southwest from Copper Harbor to Eagle Harbor provides an extremely fun to drive and scenic route along the Lake Superior Coastline.

After hiking Bare Bluff, we stopped in at the Eagle Harbor Inn for a late lunch and pie. The fresh lake trout is excellent, as is the cheesecake, and a variety of local brews are available.

On the way back from Eagle Harbor, you can detour on your way to Copper Harbor by way of the Brockway Mountain Drive. Summiting Brockway Mountain provides amazing, 360 degree panoramic views of Lake Superior, Copper Harbor from above, and the rest of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

This 9.5 mile drive is the highest above sea level drive between the Rockies and the Alleghenies, and climbs to 1,320 feet. On a clear day, you can even see Isle Royale National Park far away in the waters of Lake Superior.

The roadway is named for a pioneer settler to the region during the area's copper mining boom in the 1800's. The value of copper mined from this area was greater than that of the entire California Gold Rush.

Later that evening we headed back over to Mt. Bohemia to pick up some wood-fired pizza. The Mt. Bohemia ski resort is also home to the second highest vertical drop in the midwest, Olympic trained athletes, and NO snow making equipment--it relies entirely on it's 300 inch year average of lake effect snowfall for its ungroomed ski slopes, all of which contain only single and double black diamond runs.

At this point we were starting to get some weather reports of the area's first snowfall for the year, a fast moving system that might arrive by the next night and drop local accumulations up to 18 inches. Our time, it seemed, was starting to run out, but not before another set of adventures the next morning.

 

[BroncoRick]

The next morning, we woke to drive the Mandan Road out to High Rock Bay, at the very end of the Keweenaw Peninsula.

Mandan Road continues where U.S. 41 ends, and is a gravel and dirt track that loops through various forest preserves at the end of Peninsula.

It's another great road to drive for fall foliage.

 

[BroncoRick]

The access to High Rock Bay is via the High Rock Bay Road, a short trail intersecting the Mandan Road. High Rock Bay Road will take you past Schlatter Lake and to a panoramic view of Lake Superior at High Rock Bay, where Manitou Island is also visible.

Don't stop at the end of the High Rock Bay Road, however, as the coastline can be walked here, and has many interesting natural features.

 

[BroncoRick]

Close by the High Rock Bay Road spur, is another narrow trail, the Rocket Range Trail. The trail leads to the site of an actual rocket range--the place where the first rocket to reach space from Michigan, was launched on January 29, 1971.

The rocket range was active from 1964 to 1971. NASA launched Nike Apache and Arcas rockets from here to collect data about electron density, solar X-rays, and other scientific measurements.

This is a great place to stop, check out the launch pad, and hike the surrounding coastline.

 

[BroncoRick]

After spending time exploring the Keweenaw Rocket Range, we headed back on the Mandan Road towards Copper Harbor. With heavy snowfall on the way in the evening, we needed to get back on the road, off the Keweenaw Peninsula, and through the U.P. to Wisconsin.

Before that however, there was time for one more trip up the Brockway Mountain Drive, to get a view of Copper Harbor below, before we headed out U.S 41 towards home.

We'll be back to see the fall colors again, for sure. The forests of the Keweenaw Peninsula are spectacular in October, and well worth the visit.

 

[tdiddy]

Very cool trip and beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing!

 

[spedfrek]

Excellent post

 

[Macjr]

Beautiful country!!!

 

[Layman]

Stunning. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BroncoRick]

Here is the whole drive out to High Rock Bay. The road is rough but an easy drive; the destination is pretty great, landing on the tip of the peninsula out in Lake Superior.

 

[tobyw]

Beautiful scenery, thanks for sharing!

 

[BroncoRick]

Here is the whole drive out to the Keweenaw Rocket Range via the Rocket Range Trail. This is a short trail just wide enough for a Bronco, but it's loaded with great history.

 

[Special Decor]

Fantastic post. Thank you for sharing your adventure.

 

[Felix808]

Oh the fall colors. Great pictures

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