Copper Harbor

Wedged between Lake Superior to the north and long and lovely Lake Fanny Hooe to the south, Copper Harbor marks the end of the road in the Keweenaw Peninsula [1]. Literally. Even U.S. 41 peters out here, circling in a loop some 1,990 miles from its other terminus in Miami.

The tip of the peninsula probably draws people precisely because it is the end of the road. And when they get there, they discover one of the Upper Peninsula’s [2] most scenic natural areas and one of its most appealing little towns.

Tiny Copper Harbor, population 80, offers more than you might expect from its size. If shopping is your thing, check out the Finnish pottery at Sataman Ruukku (906/289-4636, hours vary), a shed-like storefront on U.S. 41. (No one has—or needs—a street address in a town just a few blocks long.)

Rock hounds will appreciate the Keweenaw Agate Shop (906/353-7285, hours vary) and Swede’s Gift Shop (906/289-4596, hours vary), both with a good selection of local minerals and, as the Keweenaw Agate Shop advertises, “advice and stories.”

You won’t find a full-service grocery store in Copper Harbor, so load up in Houghton [3] or Calumet [4] if you’re planning a campout or cabin stay.