Upper Wisconsin and UP Michigan residents--question

[rockrat]

Wife and I have been thinking of taking a vacation next year and going to the upper part of Wisconsin then over to the UP of Michigan, in the early Fall. Traveling using a travel trailer, but wondering when the RV parks close for the Winter?

Places to see and places to stay away from?

Thanks

[TurnipEaterDown]

Grew up in the very Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan (Troll land, i.e. "under the bridge"), and spent 6 years in NW Upper Peninsula (UP), so here are things I found nice to see / do:

St Ignace has (had??) a LARGE car show last weekend June -- historically ~ 2500 vehicles.
Eastern UP has (had??) nice fishing in many places. Perch, Salmon, Whitefish, Northern Pike -- many seasons, many places.
Eastern UP has nice limestone rock formations, and a high lookout pt just north of St Ignace (Castle Rock).
Watch freighters go through the locks at Sault St Marie
Mid UP has Seeney Wildlife Refuge (large peet bog, site of a Major fire in (?) mid-late 70s that might still be burning underground.
Munising has the Pictured Rocks and shipwrecks you can tour by boat.
Keeweenaw peninsula has too many things to list: waterfalls, old mines, Brockway Mountain drive, Calumet is a neat town to see (dying town, I find the greatness of the not too distant past versus today's state interesting), Fort Wilkins, Copper Harbor, Rabbit Bay, etc. etc.
L'anse has some of the best Cinamon rolls you will eat -- Hilltop restaurant (limited hours now)
Porcupine Mountains / Lake of the Clouds
Southern Shore of the UP has Fayette (ghost town / museum town) of a very old iron shipping harbor
Mid to later September is a great time to see the fall colors, and Brockway a fantastic viewing point. (Don't pull your trailer up Brockway.)

Just some things that might start your search. Some of my memories 30-50 years old, events: check into them rather than trust my typing 100%.

[dverna]

There is a fall colors train ride. We are planning to take it this year.

[Lloyd Smale]

im from munising and will say this. its a beautiful area that makes most of its money off of campers in the summer and snowmobiling in the winter. orobably more campgrounds and rsorts per square mile then anywhere in thw
e up or northern WI. that said from late spring till color change its a take you chance thing to get a camping spot. right now you wont find a spot anywhere. id suggest you book this year for next at a private campground because the city and state campground are about always full. example would be my nieces resort in autrain. its right on the biggest lake in the area and is only 10 miles from munising. they rent cabins lodges for big groups and have some spots for campers. but they too are usually overflowing this time of year so youd best book asap for next year. this is there website https://www.superiortimesresort.com/ not trying to sell you on my nieces place theres other resorts and two private campgrounds in christmas (half way between munising and autrain) where i live and another in autrain and the city has a big campground and so does the government. a few others around on small lake in the area but they are rustic. i live here and take it for granted but there is good reason coming here is so popular. it is a beautiful area. but keep in mind its a tourist town because gas and resteraunt costs are a bit higher then neighboring towns. if you come for the fall colors this area is good for that too. want peace and quiet? far eastern tip of the up is the Detour/Drumond Island area. if you go there bring a boat because the st marys river is about as good as it gets for boating and fishing. you can ride right uo to 1000 foot freighters coming up and down river. another less hectic but just as beautiful area is the Kewanna peninsula north of houghton but its a more rugged area and there is not alot of beach access. couple other hidden gems are grand marais and big bay locations

[bedbugbilly]

+++++1 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Can't help you on the RV park availability . . .

My wife was born and raised in L'Anse - we got married there. BEAUTIFUL Country and the above excellent suggestions!

Had to chime in on the Hilltop Restaurant at L'Anse - have eaten there many times and they are FAMOUS for their Cinnamon Rolls! They were fifty tears ago as well! Whenever we were up to visit her folks, we always picked up a half dozen (they are huge), froze them and then try to make them last after we got home - but they never lasted long!

If you can figure out the routes you want to take and the things you want to see, then google RV parks in the area and contact them to see when they shut down might be a good thing to do. My guess is that it varies after Labor Day when the tourist trade drops off - there will still be those making the journey to see fall colors but I know from years past, many of them stop at motels for the nighty. Winter often comes early.

[Lloyd Smale]

Grew up in the very Northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan (Troll land, i.e. "under the bridge"), and spent 6 years in NW Upper Peninsula (UP), so here are things I found nice to see / do:

St Ignace has (had??) a LARGE car show last weekend June -- historically ~ 2500 vehicles.
Eastern UP has (had??) nice fishing in many places. Perch, Salmon, Whitefish, Northern Pike -- many seasons, many places.
Eastern UP has nice limestone rock formations, and a high lookout pt just north of St Ignace (Castle Rock).
Watch freighters go through the locks at Sault St Marie
Mid UP has Seeney Wildlife Refuge (large peet bog, site of a Major fire in (?) mid-late 70s that might still be burning underground.
Munising has the Pictured Rocks and shipwrecks you can tour by boat.
Keeweenaw peninsula has too many things to list: waterfalls, old mines, Brockway Mountain drive, Calumet is a neat town to see (dying town, I find the greatness of the not too distant past versus today's state interesting), Fort Wilkins, Copper Harbor, Rabbit Bay, etc. etc.
L'anse has some of the best Cinamon rolls you will eat -- Hilltop restaurant (limited hours now)
Porcupine Mountains / Lake of the Clouds
Southern Shore of the UP has Fayette (ghost town / museum town) of a very old iron shipping harbor
Mid to later September is a great time to see the fall colors, and Brockway a fantastic viewing point. (Don't pull your trailer up Brockway.)

Just some things that might start your search. Some of my memories 30-50 years old, events: check into them rather than trust my typing 100%.

like he mentioned lake of the clouds, fayette are both high on the list for must see and the hilltop in lanse has the best Cinnamon rolls ever and one of them is big enough for a meal for two and no matter where you go you have to try pasties and cudighi sandwiches. wouldnt be a trip to the UP without them. little store in autrain make great pasties but you will probably have to take a road trip for a good cudighi. Tino's bar in Negaunee has the best cudighis around short of the ones i make from scratch out of pork buts. Lac La Belle om the Kewanna peninsula is spectacular during fall colors too

[Lloyd Smale]

+++++1 ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^

Can't help you on the RV park availability . . .

My wife was born and raised in L'Anse - we got married there. BEAUTIFUL Country and the above excellent suggestions!

Had to chime in on the Hilltop Restaurant at L'Anse - have eaten there many times and they are FAMOUS for their Cinnamon Rolls! They were fifty tears ago as well! Whenever we were up to visit her folks, we always picked up a half dozen (they are huge), froze them and then try to make them last after we got home - but they never lasted long!

If you can figure out the routes you want to take and the things you want to see, then google RV parks in the area and contact them to see when they shut down might be a good thing to do. My guess is that it varies after Labor Day when the tourist trade drops off - there will still be those making the journey to see fall colors but I know from years past, many of them stop at motels for the nighty. Winter often comes early.

like he said if your coming for colors you best pack a jacket and dont bother with Marquette 95% of the UP liberals live in there city limits

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

when I would go visit my brother in Detroit, I would always go through the UP to get there. I like out of the way places. Fayette was mentioned. I often camped near there in Portage Bay State Forest. It was never full in mid to end of August, but that was 20 years ago. Be forewarned, it's like 10 miles of twisty gravel road to get there.

https://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/details.aspx?id=667&type=SFCG

[TurnipEaterDown]

NOT a current recommendation -- BUT, when I was at MTU for college, there was a bar (Jake's bar) in Winona (about 30 miles SW of Houghton) that had a live mountain lion. No lie, god's honest, used to walk around the bar until one of the patrons taunted it and it bit off a finger.
Apparently I just missed that, but the cat was in a large chain link pen (maybe 25 ft on a side, 8-9 ft tall) when I went there (twice). It was entertaining to watch the cat, and in a selfish way, also to watch the idiots still taunt it. Friend brought a friend one night, and he rattled a deer leg through the fence. I told him not to. The cat nearly pulled his arm in after one bound from the other side of the pen. Scary fast.
Just a funny story about what you find in the UP
Also had a Moose wander across the highway in front of my vehicle one day in Michigamme, and a wolf cross a two track in front of me one day on way from Little Two Heart river (another recomended see) to a "town" called Pine Stump.

[Daver7]

I've spent a bit of time in da UP, all good suggestions I'll 2nd "you have to try pasties and cudighi sandwiches".
I'm not much for the pasties but love the cudighi. We make it out of pig and venison Thats the recipe I was given but the seasoning mix works good with cow and chicken also.

[MaryB]

In MN campgrounds shut off water end of September to keep it from freezing. Can still camp but no water. Might snow by mid October!!! National forest campgrounds are on a first come first served basis... some allow camping wherever you can find a spot...

Heading into hunting season so keep that in mind too! Going to be city dudes with guns running around...

[Bmi48219]

You might luck out on an RV site for late September. Kids will be back in school.