DEER PARK

Region: Tahquamenon & Seney, Grand Marais & Whitefish Point

Click to enlarge

Except for a huge pile of sawdust, no trace remains of the small sawmill town of Deer Park, begun in 1888. It was on the site of the current-day Muskallonge Lake State Park. Muskallonge Lake was the holding pond for logs brought by narrow-gauge railroad from the surrounding forests. Finished lumber was shipped from the Lake Superior dock. The Superior shore here is part of the "shipwreck coast." A life-saving station was here, too.

A choice rustic U.P. campground, Blind Sucker #2 has pleasant, private sites on a big, popular fishing lake.

This area is a treasure for many local people and outdoors-lovers who feel pressed-in by the summer crowds of visitors attracted to the more spectacular and more famous beauty spots at nearby Pictured Rocks and Tahquamenon Falls.

The Lake Superior shore here is unaffected by nearby roads, yet easily accessible to hikers along the North Country Trail (see below). Unusually varied rocks, including agates, attract rockhounds. The woods are a diverse mix of species, with good fall color added by oak and maple. Wild blueberries (ripe in August) flourish on the sand ridges.

Because of the unpaved roads, it's really a long way to a store of any size. So the tackle shop and general store at the DEER PARK LODGE (906-658-3341) near the state park come in handy for many necessities, in addition to beer, wine, and liquor. The lodge's six attractive rental cabins, off the road on Muskallonge Lake, are often taken but sometimes available.

Return to Tahquamenon & Seney, Grand Marais & Whitefish Point

PLACES AROUND DEER PARK TO

Eat Sleep Camp