Looking for things to do on your Pictured Rocks vacation this summer?
Our ranger-led programs begin in less than a month! These include:
💡🏠 Au Sable Light Station Guided Climbs: Learn about the history of the Au Sable Light Station and climb the 98 stairs of the lighthouse to enjoy the views of the Grand Sable Dunes and Lake Superior. Climbs are free and are first-come, first-served. Climbs take place every day from June 7 - October 15 at 11 am, 11:30 am, 12 pm, 1:30 pm, 2 pm, 2:30 pm, 3 pm, 3:30 pm, and 4 pm.
🛶 Wilderness Canoe Expeditions: Join rangers for a guided paddle and hike to one of the park's least-traveled beaches. Reservations required, please call (906) 202-5958. Canoe expeditions will take place on Sundays, Thursdays, and Saturdays from June 14 - October 3.
🪨 Miners Castle Geology Walk: Travel back into the geologic past of Pictured Rocks! Join a ranger to learn about the rocks that give the park its name. Geology walks will take place Monday - Saturday at 11 am and 1 pm from June 9 - October 17.
🌿 Marsh Trail Walk: Join rangers for a guided walk through the Sand Point Marsh and discover what makes this ecosystem special. Marsh Trail Walks will take place on Wednesdays at 10:30 am from June 10 - October 17.
🎣Fish with a Ranger: Ever wanted to try your hand at fishing? Join us for a hands-on experience where youth will learn how to “think like a fish” and develop basic fishing skills. All equipment is provided and lesson is free. Participants will even receive their own fishing rod to take home! Reservations required, please call (906) 202-5958. Fishing programs will take place on Fridays from June 14 - October 3.
All programs are free to attend. View our full program calendar at the link in our bio.
NPS Photo. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
Want to experience the beauty of Pictured Rocks with your furry best friends?
There are many places within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore where your leashed pet is welcome to join you, including:
⛺ Twelvemile Beach and Hurricane River Drive-In Campgrounds
🏖 Sand Point Beach, Miners Beach, and Lake Superior Overlook/Beach
🥾 Miners Castle, Miners Falls, and the Au Sable Light Station from Hurricane River Campground
Learn more about pets at Pictured Rocks at the link in our bio.
NPS Photo. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
Ringing in May with a dusting of snow! ❄️
Warmer weather is taking its time to get to us: yesterday brought a dusting of snow to higher elevations around Munising and flurries persisted this morning!
Most park roads are now passable, but be aware that park trails, especially in the Chapel/Mosquito area, are very wet, muddy, and snow-covered in parts. Be prepared for wet feet and plan accordingly!
NPS Photo. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
Signs of spring at Miners Castle: Bridalveil Falls is roaring, wildflowers are getting ready to bloom, and you can actually get to Miners Castle! 🌱
After months of being buried under several feet of snow and ice, the roads to Miners Castle, Miners Beach, and Miners Falls are passable again!
As always, drive with caution as there are still a few snowy spots. Expect trails in the area to be muddy and wet from snowmelt and rainfall.
NPS Photos. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
Thinking about your summer visit to Pictured Rocks? Be sure you plan ahead and prepare!
🎟 Buy Your Pass and Make Reservations: All visitors must have an America the Beautiful Pass or Pictured Rocks Annual Pass to enter the park. Stop by a visitor center to get your pass! All camping within Pictured Rocks is by reservation only, make your reservations on Recreation.gov.
🗺 Know Where to Go: Looking for waterfalls? Sand dunes? Cliffs? Be sure to plan your route ahead of time - stop by or call a visitor center for help planning your trip!
🛟Prepare for a Safe Trip: Know your limits and remember to keep safety in the picture.
Learn more about preparing for your Pictured Rocks trip at the link in bio.
NPS Photo. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
Did you get to visit Miners Castle when it still had two turrets?
On this day 20 years ago, Miners Castle changed forever when the northeast turret collapsed into Lake Superior! The collapse was witnessed by fishermen on the morning of April 13th, 2006, who notified the park.
For centuries, Miners Castle has captured our imagination. Its turrets, columns, and caves creating a castle-like appearance. Miners Castle, like the rest of the Pictured Rocks cliffs, is comprised of sandstone.
This sandstone is crumbly and prone to weathering and erosion, resulting in collapses. While they can create dramatic changes on the landscape, these collapses are not uncommon and are a natural part of sandstone’s lifecycle.
NPS & Alger County Historical Society Photos. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
A reminder that beach days on Sand Point are only a couple of months away 🤩
Dreaming of the beach? Us, too. Luckily, Pictured Rocks has miles of beaches to make your dreams come true!
Sand Point Beach, Miners Beach, Chapel Beach, Twelvemile Beach, and Sable Beach are all iconic Pictured Rocks Beaches. Which is your favorite?
NPS Photo. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
What’s the weather like near you? It’s still winter up here!
All park roads within the park except Sand Point Road remain unplowed. There are still several feet of snow on most park roads and trails.
NPS Photo. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
Today is International Geologists Day 🪨
Rocks (and the study of them) are very important to our park (for obvious reasons!). We are very lucky to have Ranger Maggie, a geologist, to help us make sense of the amazing rocks around us.
Ranger Maggie helped create our interpretive Miners Castle geology program, which debuted summer 2024. She has helped us teach hundreds of visitors about sandstone, erosion, and the law of superposition!
Ranger Maggie's favorite geological formation in the park? The Chapel Rock Member of the Munising Formation. Her favorite beach rocks? Basalt and pink granite with epidote inclusions.
Want to learn more about Pictured Rocks' geology? Join us for a ranger-led geology program this summer or check out the geology section of our website.
NPS Photos. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS #InternationalGeologistsDay
📍Grand Sable Dunes, circa 1980
The Grand Sable Dunes are best viewed from the Log Slide Overlook. This vantage point provides a sweeping view of Lake Superior and the 300' Grand Sable Banks, but there is more to the dunes than their impressive height.
The Grand Sable Dunes are a special kind of sand dune, known as perched dunes. Perched dunes form atop a large bank of debris left by glacial activity. The Grand Sable Dunes are one of the few examples of a perched dune system in the entire world!
Special plant species, like Pitcher's thistle and Lake Huron tansy, are at home in the Grand Sable Dunes. These plants have adaptations to help them thrive in the harsh conditions of the dunes. Velvety, light-colored leaves help retain water and reflect excess sunlight and long taproots help find deeply buried water.
Want to visit the Grand Sable Dunes next time you're at Pictured Rocks? The Dunes Trail and Log Slide Overlook are the best places to see the dunes. Remember to tread lightly and leave no trace!
NPS Photos #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
40+ inches of snow later... ❄️
The Munising area received a historic winter storm this weekend, bringing high winds and drifting snow.
Our maintenance crews have been working hard to dig out Sand Point Road, the Munising Falls Visitor Center, and Pictured Rocks Headquarters!
All ski trails in the Grand Marais and Munising areas are ungroomed. East City Limits Road and the ski trail parking area off of East City Limits are unplowed at this time.
NPS Photos. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
Winter isn't over yet!
Alger County is set to be hit by a winter storm this weekend, which will bring several inches of snow and high winds to the area.
The Munising area is likely to receive 18 inches of snow or more by Monday. This snowfall, in combination with high winds, will make travel difficult this weekend. Be sure to check conditions and be safe out there!
NPS Photo. #PicturedRocksNationalLakeshore #MidwestNPS
