Lake Superior takes center stage at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, just three miles wide but spanning more than 40 miles along this magnificent lake from Munising to Grand Marais. Pictured Rocks derives its name from the sandstone bluffs that rise 200 feet directly up from the water’s surface. Washed in shades of pink, red, and green due to the mineral-rich water that seeps from the rock, these famous bluffs extend for more than 15 miles, at times sculpted into caves, arches, and castle-like turrets.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore also features a lesser-known, but equally spectacular, stretch of shoreline called the Grand Sable Banks, where 200-foot sand dunes are hemmed by a 12-mile ribbon of sand and pebble beach. If that’s not enough, you’ll also find lakes, forest trails, waterfalls, a lighthouse, and other historic attractions—plenty of reasons to put Pictured Rocks at the top of the list for anyone visiting the eastern U.P.

Getting to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

H-58 provides access to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, winding roughly along the park’s southern boundary and linking Munising and Grand Marais. A large stretch of the road—from Beaver Lake to the Grand Sable Dunes—is unpaved and can deteriorate into washboard rough enough to jar your dental work loose. Leave the ’55 T-bird at home and plan your time accordingly—it’s about a 90-minute trip from one end to the other.