Spring, Summer and Fall Activities

Local Activity Map

We tried to put together a map of all things local and semi-local that we thought our guests might be interested in. If you have any feedback or changes, please let us know! We will be adding to this as we find more gems in our area! If you click on the icon on the top left of the map, you can hide or show different categories of entries.

FISHING

The Ottawa National Forest offers 953,000 acres with more than 500 lakes and 2,000 miles of streams to fish in! In the Upper Peninsula, the Michigan trout season runs from the last Saturday in April to September 30. Later seasons are set for bass, walleye, northern pike, and muskellunge. See the MDNR Fishing Guide for exact dates. Generally, spring (May-June) is the best time for lake fishing on the Ottawa; summer (July-August) is somewhat slower, with fall (September-October) somewhere in between. Stream fishing for lake-run salmon and steelhead usually picks up around April 1 in streams with an extended trout-salmon season, such as the East Branch of the Ontonagon River North of M-28, or those with no closed season, such as the Black River. The best fishing on these streams starts around mid-September and lasts until the snow flies. Stream fishing for resident trout is generally best near the end of the legal season, especially for brook trout, which start upstream migration at this time. Check out the Recreation Opportunity Guide for Fishing in the Ottawa National Forest for more information.

HUNTING

Hunting is a major recreational activity in the Ottawa National Forest. Deer, black bear, and grouse hunting is excellent. Hunting for other types of small game, waterfowl, and furbearers is also quite popular. All hunters are required to hold a valid State of Michigan hunting license and obey all fish and game regulations. Here is the Ottawa National Forest link For Hunter Walking Trail maps and Grouse/Aspen maps.

HIKING

Hiking trails in the Ottawa National Forest offer something for everyone. More than 196 miles of hiking and backpacking trails vary widely in character. Some provide short easy walks to points of interest, such as waterfalls and historic sites. Cross-country travel is also another challenging opportunity that is offered.

Check out the Recreation Opportunity Short Hikes guide from the USDA.
Here is a great resource for all of the hiking trails around Lake Superior - Lake Superior Circle Tour - Hiking Trails
Information on the North County Trail, which connects Vermont to North Dakota, and crosses the UP from east to west (and across the Mackinac bridge) can be found here - Michigan North Country Trail
Here is a great resource for some of the most popular trails in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (State Park admission fees apply) from AllTrails
If you are in the area and need help with food pickup, package pickup, or need a ride, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Lake Superior Performance Rally

Every October, the area hosts the Lake Superior Performance Rally. There is nothing like seeing cars traveling at high speeds on back country forestry roads. Keep up to date with the event on Facebook too - Lake Superior Performance Rally.

For the Rock Hound in your Group

This area, and much of the UP, is well known for copper, silver, iron, and semi-precious stones and minerals associated with the mining of these materials. If you get a chance to check out some local streams, rivers, rocky beaches, and quarries, you just might also find lake superior agates, fossils, amethyst, and fluorescent sodalite. Please respect private property and rock collecting laws in Michigan.

There are some mines in the immediate area worth visiting. Two that we recommend are:

The Adventure Mine - Experience rappelling down a mine shaft, underground drilling and blasting workshops, or an easy guided walking tour.
The Caledonia Mine - Enjoy the finest copper and mineral collecting in the world! At Caledonia Mine you spend the day digging through your own private ore pile, and with the help of our experienced staff, you take home whatever treasures you find!