Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

September 11, 2021

Ontonagon, MI

This park has been on my list for a long time. Granted, all of these parks are technically on my list. But there are few things I enjoy more than mountains. So it’s only fitting that this park marks the halfway point to my goal of visiting all of Michigan’s state parks.

We begin with the Presque Isle River Waterfalls Loop. We follow the Presque Isle River through the woods all the way to Lake Superior, stopping to admire a few waterfalls along the way. Each is unique and magnificent.

Eventually the dirt path turns to a boardwalk, then the boardwalk turns into a bridge leading across the river to form a loop. A small trail splits away from the bridge, seducing us towards Lake Superior. We follow as though we had a choice. A father and two sons are fishing at the mouth of the river. Gob hops along the shore with abandon. I caution him that he needs to watch his footing. These rocks are slippery after all. No sooner are the words out of my mouth than I find myself suspended in midair having banana-peel-slipped. I land with a thud and already a bruise is forming. A reminder that I will surely break a hip if I continue these explorations much beyond my youth. Gob comes to check on me with a big puppy smile on his face. His way of laughing at me I’m sure.

We splash and play for a bit, then take the bridge to the other side to continue. Playing in the water that is.

As we retreat from the pebble beach, we find ourselves in the middle of a dried up portion of the river. You can see the waterfalls in the distance. Sunlight catches on the mist, creating a sparkling cloud. Leaves rustle in the wind, and the bubbling and rushing of the water form a melody while the waves behind us play percussion. I could stay here forever. This place feels magical and I am more relaxed and calm than I have been in a long time. If only the pictures could portray some semblance of the experience.

We follow the river back to the van, load up, and head to our next destination.

Next stop, the highest point in the park: Summit Peak. Multiple people comment on what a well behaved dog Gob is. I laugh and reply that he has them all fooled. Seconds later, as if to prove me right, my well behaved dog has taken a dive off the platform in pursuit of a chipmunk. He will not listen to my pleas to get back on the trail. And my tugs on the leash are hindered by the side rails. Ten minutes into the struggle, nobody is remarking on how well behaved my dog is. They are watching. Giggling at his mischief. It’s a good thing he’s cute.

Finally back on the trail, Gob is a trooper climbing up the observation tower. I think he feels guilty, because he even semi-tolerates being picked up for a selfie. He does not appreciate the view as much as I do.

A sprinkling of orange amongst the green. The trees that go all in for fall at the first cool breeze. Akin to the college girls ordering pumpkin spice lattes, donning sweaters and scarves mid September. Is it too soon if it’s not even the first official day of fall? Maybe. But will they ever be persuaded otherwise? Absolutely not.

Our third and final stop in the Porkies: Lake of the Clouds. I had originally planned to hike the 8 mile Escarpment trail, but Gob is starting to drag so we end up driving to the lookout instead. Even on this short hike, the sun is roasting down on Gob and he is in search of water. He, of course, finds a giant puddle and immediately immerses himself. I groan. Fellow hikers laugh at his puppy smiles.