Day 5 – To Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

We had a straightforward plan to leave the island early this morning so that we could get on the road and arrive in Munising, Mich., just to the west of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, on Lake Superior’s southern shore, by lunchtime. A food truck there called The Fish Basket boasts out-of-this-world reviews from diners who declare their fried Lake Superior whitefish and chips to be the best they’ve ever tasted. I have been looking forward to this meal for weeks.

What do they say about the best laid plans?

The plan to leave early was foiled by a long wait to check out, and a long wait for a horse-drawn taxi to take us to the dock, and another wait for the next ferry boat. By the time we got back to our car, loaded up our packs and got on the road, it was already noon, and we were still facing a two-hour trip to Munising.

We adjusted, and decided that the wait for lunch would be worth it. But when we pulled into Munising we discovered that the Fish Basket was inexplicably closed (despite daily hours posted online, and very recent TripAdvisor reviews, which suggested that Covid hadn’t shut them down). 

We adjusted again, found a pastie counter down the street, and enjoyed the meat and potato pies on a picnic table in front of the restaurant.

Special treat: A BLUEBERRY pastie!

On this sunny, cool day, a kayaking trip to see the Pictured Rocks lakeshore would have been a stunning experience. But since the tour was canceled due to choppy waters, we used the time to pick up a few groceries and stop at one of the Pictured Rocks landmarks before driving to our campsite at Twelvemile Beach Campground, an hour east of Munising along the Pictured Rocks lakeshore.

Miners Castle Rock. S T U N N I N G.
I can't wait to return for a more in-depth exploration of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. 

This campground. This campsite. If all of today’s delays and frustrations were simply the lead-up to this evening, then I would do it all again. And again.

With about 20 campsites spaced out on a small, sandy bluff overlooking Lake Superior, the campground is quiet, clean, rustic and gorgeous. Our campsite is just across the lane from the bluff, and we can hear the waves breaking on the beach below. A few of coveted sites on the lake side of the campground loop have hammocks strung out between trees overlooking the water. All of the sites are full. Of all the plans I made for this trip, a reservation at this campground was the most difficult one to come by. And now I see why.

Lake Superior has an energy, and, to me, an allure that none of the other Great Lakes has. As soon as we pulled into the campground, I felt that force. I felt the lake beckoning. This dark, deep, cold, mysterious lake is so familiar to me. The smooth flat stones on the beach. The clean Northwoods breeze coming off the water. The shaggy fringe of birch and jack pine along the bluff. It feels like home.

We unfurled our still-soggy tents (remember the rain two days ago?)  and let them dry in the breeze. Then, after a quick supper, we slid down the sandy bluff to the beach to skip rocks and watch the sun set.

This is just a quick stop. Tomorrow, we’ll say good-bye to Pictured Rocks and head west, toward Duluth.  If it wasn't for the fact that we’ll be in Minnesota by this time tomorrow, I woudn’t want to ever leave this place. We will be back.