2013 Summer Trip, Porcupine Mountains

It is a long haul from Tahquamenon Falls to the Porcupine Mountains. Over five hours without stops.   We are so glad we did not try to do the pictured rocks boat tour on a day of travel.   We arrived at the "porkies" as they are called in late afternoon.    This is not a problem as we are at the western tip of the UP and at a latitude where tyhe sun set at 9:30 at night and it is very light until almost 11pm.  

Our campsite was about 100 ft from Union Bay on Lake Superior.   The lakeshore greatly contrasted the others we have visited with large flat sections of sandstone that breaks like slate from the wave action.   At night we could hear the waves crashing on the shoreline from our camper.   It was pleasant to fall to sleep to.

We also had the coolest temperature of our trip.   One day barely made it into the 60s and it was 42 at night but very dry.   It reminded us of a winter day in Florida.

We drove around the porkies , visiting Presque Isle, Lake of the Clouds and the summit peak.   It is an unusual geology as it was formed by volcanic activity millions of years ago.   Because of that activity it was once a heavy mining area for iron and copper.    Some mining still exists there.   here are some images from the porkies.

Our new friends from Duluth MN give tailgate rides around our campground.   At one point they had 20 people in and on the truck.

The next day we headed for the Keweenaw Peninsula.   A further extension of the volcanic rift with lots of tall bluffs overlooking picturesque lake shores.

On to the Peshtigo River in Wisconsin.