Munising Falls

Just inside Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore’s [1] western boundary, a short trail leads to 50-foot Munising Falls, which spills into a narrow gorge before emptying into Lake Superior’s Munising Bay. The highlight of this spot used to be the trail that led hikers behind the falls, but erosion problems prompted its closure. It’s still worth a stop here, though, for the falls and the adjacent interpretive center, which offers a glimpse of this peaceful area’s history, home to a belching pig iron furnace in the 1860s.

Munising Falls also marks the west trailhead for the Lakeshore Trail, a 43-mile segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail that spans seven states from New York to North Dakota. The Lakeshore Trail runs the length of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore—predictably, never far from the water’s edge. The park’s eastern trailhead lies near Sable Falls.

Past Munising Falls, the paved access road ends at Sand Point, home of the national lakeshore headquarters. While the headquarters primarily houses offices (not visitor services), it displays some interesting Coast Guard and shipwreck artifacts on its grounds. Sand Point has a small beach and a boat ramp, a good spot to launch a small craft for exploring nearby Grand Island [2].