No, not really, just wanted to share my pictures from my vacation last week with you.Michigan's U.P. varies greatly in terrain from the sandy shores of Lake Michigan to the more flat farmland, swamps and forests of the interior to the rugged shores of Lake Superior. The area I stayed in is known as the Michigamme Highlands, west of Marquette. It's in high elevation at the foothills of the Huron Mts. and contains some beautiful spruce forests as well as lakes, rivers and swamps too. It is a unique area in that it contains the oldest bedrock on earth, exposed by the volcanos and glaciers eons ago. No where else on earth can you find the type of rock that's here. A very unique geophysical area. Also 800 feet higher than the city of Marquette as well.
This is Deer Lake west of Munising (home to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore) and as Tessa contends,. a great spot to stop for a doggie "P" and a wade in the lake too
As you drive between Munising and Marquette you travel along the shoreline of Lake Superior and there are many scenic turnouts along the road to stop and enjoy and walk the beaches if you wish. This was taken east of Marquette.
We finally arriveed at our "home" for the week, Maple Ridge Resort
Morning coffee with a view
Lake Michigamme looking east from the west end of the lake. The lake is 9 miles long, has 22 islands and it's south arm reaches 2 1/2 miles before becoming the Michigamme River, flowing into the Menominee River and eventually into Green Bay.
A 100 mile drive south, west and back north one day, took us through some beautiful fall scenery, past a number of lake and river access sites which we ventured off on. There are way too many to see in a day's drive, much less explore. Good places to launch a kayak and explore though. Enjoy the ride.
Another day's ride was up the Peshekee Grade Road, just a few miles from the resort. The road follows the Peshekeep River and in some places reminds me of AK
This is Arflin Lake. Back off the Peshekee Grade a ways. The road to the access site, like many up here is winding and narrow, and if you meet another vehicle, well..... The spot I took the road picture here was of a straight stretch. Another of Tessa's dog wading lakes.
A trip to the Michigan Iron Mining Museum is well worth a visit while you are up in that area. It's located east of Negaunee, west of Marquette. On this day we went over and walked the trails.
Walking the roads around the resort was really enjoyable with all the beautiful fall colors
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Lake Michigamme from the Public Access around the road from the resort
This picture was taken east of Negaunee back on a county road where a new bridge has been built over the Dead River. It's turned into a tourist attraction especially in fall looking out over the Dead River basin
Finally on Thursday, Mom Nature decided that was enough Indian Summer and brought high winds into the are followed by cooler temps into Friday. The waves were rolling on Lake Michigamme both days as a strong cold front approached.
This scene was taken up on hill just outside Van Riper State Park. It's part of a bike trail that goes east from the park
And finally on Saturday the cold front had pushed through and Fall met Winter. This was the scene at morning's light utsie the window
It really was pretty and not unusual for this time of year. The dogs and I went for a walk to soak up the beauty of it all. It was a classic case of "Where Winter and Fall Combine".
The snow melted away in a few hours and later that afternoon we even had some feathered friends come to visit
Hope you enjoyed the little bit of fall in the U.P. There are way more places to see and explore in any season. I didn't even touch on the waterfalls and some of the other areas on this trip. Too much to see and too little time. But I will be returning to that land of the spruce, lakes, rivers and beautiful scenery. I may be home here, but my heart is up there in "Yooperland" as it's called by those who live there. Tessa says "heads up" to all you four legged kids who love water. There are lots of places to go in around up here and she will be glad to show you
and The William too!
