The Porcupine Mountains, or “the Porkies,” are one of the last great wild places in the Midwest. Once a hub for copper mining in the 1800s, this rugged stretch of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula became a state park in 1945 to protect its old-growth forests, rocky ridges, and miles of Lake Superior shoreline. Today, it’s a haven for anyone looking to connect with nature, and it was finally our turn!
There’s a special kind of magic here — the kind that reminds you what it feels like to breathe deep, slow down, and just be. For Jay and I, this weekend was about chasing that magic. Fishing rods packed, boat in tow, coffee and donuts in hand; we hit the road ready for whatever the north shore had in store.
This destination has has always been on my bucket list. It’s one of those places so close to home, yet somehow I hadn’t made the trip until a few weeks ago. I had the privilege of working with the Porcupine Mountains Ontonogan Area CVB team for this adventure, and we were graciously hosted for a weekend that left us recharged, refreshed, and already planning our return. There’s something about the Porkies — the mix of wild beauty, small-town charm, and quiet peace that you just can’t explain until you’re standing there. This place makes you feel small in the best way, and I’m excited to share our story.
Friday: Waterfalls, Wild Streams & Yooperlite Dreams
The day started before sunrise, hauling our boat north to Ironwood with sleepy smiles and a sense of excitement that comes with a fresh adventure. A gas stop in Ironwood earned us a free donut at Kwik Trip, the kind of perk that somehow feels like a good luck charm or omen to the trip ahead. We took our time pulling off at nearly every trout stream that called to us between Ironwood and our first destination on the trip up. This stretch of the U.P. boasts several Class II and III streams, and as you head further north, you start finding more of those coveted Class I waters.
Jay managed to land a few brook trout along the way, while I proudly claimed the title of reigning creek chub queen for the day. It was one of those stretches where the fishing wasn’t just about the fish — it was about the adventure of exploring, casting into new waters, and seeing where the road would take us. It’s also where we spotted a wood turtle, slowly making its way along the bank to the water – a quiet, wild reminder of how alive these places really are.
Our first destination: the Presque Isle River Waterfalls Loop Trailhead, a beautiful hiking area in Gogebic County, Michigan. The recent rains had turned the Presque Isle River into a rushing force, and the waterfalls — Manabezho, Manido, and Nawadaha — were absolutely breathtaking. The trails were wet from fresh rain but worth every step, with lupines swaying along the path and the roar of the falls filling the air. We tried our hand at brook trout fishing in a few spots, but the fast water wasn’t forgiving. It didn’t matter, though… just standing there watching the river work its way to the big lake was enough.
Driving the winding South Boundary Road felt like stepping deeper into the heart of the park. A two lane road, no center line and nothing but woods and steep hills for miles to see. At Summit Peak, a short uphill hike awaited us up to one of the best views in the region — endless trees, distant hills, and that feeling like you’re on top of the world. It’s the highest point in the Porcupine Mountains!
Traveler tip: The upper parking area doesn’t exactly allow for those hauling trailers, so make sure to utilize the first parking lot off South Boundary Road: it’s majorly convenient, providing safe parking for the boat trailers, campers, etc. A small but real victory on trips like this.
A short stop at Lost Creek Outpost Campground gave us a peaceful pause, where the Little Iron River meets Lost Creek in a quiet, sandy bend. It was an alluring class II stream that we couldn’t pass up. The water was shallow, but on a few bends we did have some eats we ultimately couldn’t land. That’s where we spotted it: a massive bear track, fresh in the sand, reminding us that we were truly visitors here. While fishing didn’t exactly pan out here, the adventure had Jay and I laughing like little kids traversing through he woods.
Emerging from South Boundary Road, we finally reached Union Bay — and hunger hit hard. Porkies Outpost delivered exactly what we needed: burgers that tasted even better after a day on the trails. Bacon grease, fully loaded with onions, lettuce, tomato… all the goods. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a burger faster in my life.
The shop itself was one of the coolest tourism stops of our trip. It had everything from clothing and souvenirs to essentials for the camping crowd. They even had light groceries and liquor for those who partake. It’s the kind of place you walk into for a meal and walk out with a few extra goodies for the road. We also couldn’t leave without taking silly pictures with Big Foot and the Black Bear.
After a full day on the move, we finally rolled into our lodging at Sunshine Motel and Cabins, ready to relax and soak in the quiet. This place is great. There are options for camping, small cabins, and motel rooms. Our cabin was cozy and clean, with a full kitchen and plenty of space to unwind. After settling in a little for a quick nap, we woke up and started browsing for the best local pizza and placed at order.
Before totally settling in, we made a trip to Ontonogan to see the lighthouse. We couldn’t actually tour it due to the hours of operation we were late for, but just seeing it stand against the backdrop of Lake Superior was worth it. We swung into the boat landing next: one, to scope out the river conditions and marina/launch situation if we were going to try it, and two: to check out the fish cleaning station and chat with anglers about their day. There’s something about seeing what came out of those waters that gets you even more fired up to fish again. The gentleman we saw had a successful day with a harvest of fresh splake.
Eventually we grabbed our to-go pizza from Syl’s Cafe (a classic meat lovers for those wondering) and brought it back to the cabin. It was insanely good food that hit the spot after a long, happy day.
After pizza and some vegging out, we made our way down to Union Bay Campground to visit with my cousins Abbie, Corey, and their kids. On the way there, we stopped at the iconic Porcupine Mountains sign for some pictures. The sky that night was incredible — streaks of orange and purple reflected on the still water, the kind of Superior sunset that leaves you standing there, quiet, taking it all in. We spent the evening hanging out at the campfire, catching up on life, telling stories, and enjoying each other’s company.
After we said our goodbyes, Jay and I decided we weren’t quite ready to call it a night… even at 11pm. We set out along the Union Bay shoreline, pulling off at different spots along the way, and made our way down to the beach to start our Yooperlite hunt, something we have always wanted to do. Just the two of us, walking for hours, scanning the sand for agates and those elusive glowing stones. The beach was quiet except for the sound of the waves and our excited chatter whenever we thought we spotted something. No luck on this stretch, so we headed back to our motel.
Sunrise Motel and Cabins has a very neat perk. We followed a candle-lit path that led down to their private access stretch to Lake Superior. The glow of the candles felt a little spooky, a lot of magical — the perfect setup for the next chapter of our hunt. We felt like kids up past bedtime on an adventure, waves rolling in at the shore, our tiny UV light sweeping across the sand.
Then we spotted it: a soft glow just offshore, about the size of a quarter. We froze, weighing our options, but curiosity won. Jay rolled up his pants, kicked off his shoes, and stepped into the cold water to grab it. Our first Yooperlite — and it felt like gold. We couldn’t stop laughing and cheering, completely caught up in the moment. We kept at it until nearly 3 AM, chasing the glow and soaking up every bit of the night.
Saturday: From Dams to Dusk
Saturday started with soft morning light and my plan to take advantage of the quiet hours for some early content around the property. I grabbed my camera, stepped outside, and was immediately greeted by a surprise visitor — a sphinx moth resting right on our cabin door. What was meant to be a quick content mission turned into an impromptu photo session, the moth pausing just long enough for me to capture its delicate details. Moments like that always make me think of my mom. Whenever I come across a creature as lovely as this, I like to believe it’s her way of dropping in, reminding me she’s with us on these adventures. It felt like a small, quiet gift and the perfect way to start the day.
We headed into Ontonagon for breakfast at the Up North Cafe. I had a basic breakfast, and Jay went with biscuits and gravy. The service was great, basically no matter where we went, everyone we interacted with was friendly and welcoming. You can tell these folks truly love where they live and sharing it with outsiders. Genuinely happy to see you, wondering where you’ve come from, and very wonderful. Afterward, we popped over to get coffee at Connie’s, a renovated corner gas-station and charming spot filled with plants, baked goods, ice cream, souvenirs, and small-town charm.
Back at the cabin, we took a bit of downtime. Jay napped while I caught up on editing photos, with a Harry Potter marathon playing on the TV; a cozy way to reset before heading back out.
Later in the day, we made our way up to the infamous Lake of the Clouds and let me tell you, no photo truly prepares you for what it feels like to stand there in person. The view is something you’d expect to find out west, not tucked away right here in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. Endless treetops stretch as far as you can see, with the lake hidden deep in the valley like a secret. The horizon just keeps going. It’s peaceful, humbling — the kind of place that reminds you how big and wild the world really is. We stood there for a while, taking it all in, and talked about how incredible it would be to fish that lake one day. But with everything we had packed into this trip already, that adventure would have to wait.
Traveler tip: This spot is surprisingly easy to access. You can drive almost right to the top, and the viewing area is handicap accessible and universally friendly with a ramp system — no stairs to climb, just big views for everyone.
After taking in the view at Lake of the Clouds, we headed back to the cabin, grabbed the boat, and made our way to the Victoria Dam Reservoir, a flowage that had been on our list to explore. The dam itself dates back to the early 1900s, originally built to generate hydroelectric power for the copper mining operations that once fueled this region’s growth. The structure is massive, towering over the flowage, and it’s impossible not to feel small standing beneath it. You can’t help but imagine what it took to build something like that back then, and how much history is tied to its walls. There’s something humbling about seeing a piece of engineering like that still standing, woven right into the landscape of the Northwoods. I’m not normally an architectural geek, but this place and it’s size and the beauty of it’s falls was mind blowing to me.
The reservoir felt remote and a little raw — tall trees, rocky shoreline, no real boat traffic to speak of. We were one of maybe three boats out there, plus a few kayakers. The recent rains had everything stirred up and muddy, and the rivers feeding in were fully blown out. With no mapping available, we ran auto chart and just started picking it apart, watching the screen fill in as we went. It was like building our own map in real time.
We were hoping for walleyes, but pike were the only ones showing up. Not that we were complaining — they kept the rods bent and made the casts feel worth it. Every cut and channel felt like another “maybe this is the one” spot. We barely scratched the surface on what’s probably a much bigger system, but the day was only so long, and there were still fish to chase.
But we weren’t quite done yet. We launched the boat at Union Bay to try a different kind of fishing, hoping that deeper, clearer water might give us a shot at something new. It was our first time taking our own boat out on Lake Superior, a big moment for us. We spent some time chasing what we believe were splake or trout hanging in the shallows. A couple teased us with bites, but we couldn’t get anything to hook up. Still, seeing those fish and just being out there, completely surrounded by the view of the entire Porcupine Mountains ridgeline from the water, was an experience in itself.
Eventually, the flies got so bad that we waved the white flag and called it. It was late, though the sky was still bright, and we decided to head back to get ready for dinner. We made our way over to Konteka Black Bear Lounge, a local gem that’s part bowling alley, part bar, part wild animal-viewing experience. That’s not an exaggeration, no – they literally feed bears out back, and you can watch them from the restaurant windows. We weren’t fortunate enough to see bears, but we were accompanied by Turkey Vultures all evening. We both enjoyed a delicious prime rib, great service, and checked the place out. The vibe is very classic Northwoods, and it was just the right kind of quirky, local stop to end a packed day. I think it’s a renovated school if I am not mistaken, but there’s a motel in this place too for travelers!
Back at the cabin, Jay was wiped and headed straight to bed, but I wasn’t ready to call it. Something about the night felt unfinished. I grabbed my camera and wandered down to the little beach path behind the motel. The lake was dead calm, just a faint glow left in the sky. I kicked off my shoes and walked the shoreline, taking it all in. It was quiet in the best way — no distractions, no service, just the sound of water and my thoughts finally catching up to me. I stood there for a while, just breathing, thinking back on everything we packed into the day. Those are the moments that stick, the ones you don’t plan for.
Sunday: Rainy Roads and One Last Cast
Sunday came early. 5:00am to be exact. We packed up, neither of us totally ready to leave, but we wanted to squeeze in a few more casts before heading home and before the weather turned.
We had originally planned to hit Lake Gogebic on the way out, but those plans started to unravel fast as we watched a massive storm system creep closer on the radar. So instead, we left while the skies were still just overcast and took the long, scenic route back fishing as many roadside trout streams as we could between Ontonagon and Ironwood.
The air was cool and still, the streams swollen but fishable, and we had them all to ourselves. There’s something about tossing a line into new water, even if you’re running on limited sleep and trying to beat a storm. It was one of those mellow, no-pressure mornings — just fishing to fish. We both caught some brookies and it was a successful morning. Better than coffee!
By the time we hit Ironwood, the storm caught up with us in full force. Thunder cracked, rain came down sideways, and we were officially done. The road pulled us the rest of the way home. We unpacked in the early afternoon, and not long after, I was back in the car and headed to Wausau to photograph a birthday party… back to real life, just like that.
Final Thoughts
Even though this trip was technically part of my job; documenting, photographing, and sharing the experience didn’t feel like work. Not even a little. Jay and I both said more than once how relaxed we felt the whole weekend. With spotty service and no real itinerary, we had the freedom to unplug, go with the flow, and actually enjoy the adventure for what it was. No agenda. No pressure. Just memories made one stop, one cast, one thing at a time.
The Porcupine Mountains gave us the kind of weekend that reminds you why you love the outdoors in the first place. Wild, beautiful, humbling, and full of surprises. We barely scratched the surface, and there’s already a running list of things we want to come back and see. And we will, because this place has a way of pulling you back.
Until next time, Porkies.
If you’ve been thinking about visiting the Porcupine Mountains, let this be your sign. Waterfalls, trails, history, sunsets, fishing — there’s something here for everyone. And somehow, no matter what you come looking for, the Porkies always give you something you didn’t expect.
👉 Book your stay today by clicking this link!
Thank you for reading. – Sarah
