M-26 from Eagle Harbor to Copper Harbor

Esrey Park, on a rocky shore of Lake Superior, is a pleasant place to stop for a picnic.

These 14 miles of M-26/Lake Shore drive are MIchigan's rockiest and most dramatic stretch of shoreline. (Brockway Mountain Drive intersects M-26 here. Its spectacular panoramic view of Lake Superior's shoreline and nearby inland lakes leaves you feeling you're floating above Earth's surface in a balloon. But that can be saved for a separate trip, timed at sunset, from Copper Harbor.)

Four and a half miles east of Eagle Harbor, a sign points out SILVER RIVER FALLS. By all means take the easy path through the overarching woods, both leafy and pleasantly piney. You'll hear and soon see the sparkling little river descending from a stone-arched bridge. Alternately it spreads out over rocky terraces and rests in a series of pools.

Soon you'll come to ESREY PARK, where picnic tables and grills overlook a particularly beautiful stretch of rocky shore.Sunrises and sunsets are both beautiful at this north-facing lakefront park. Stone steps go up to a rocky perch and a rustic gazebo - another charming Depression-era relief project of the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) in Keweenaw County.

Just west of the park is a Michigan Nature Association preserve. Look for the small signs that say "protected area." On the inland side of M-26, a posted hiking trail winds up to Brockway Mountain Drive through a magically mossy forest and loops across it. An unusual number of plants and lichens grow in this area, from the cracks in the wind-battered lakeshore rocks to the moist, protected areas in the woods. Inland, long strands of usnea lichen drape over conifers. The MNA recommends taking a compass on this walk.

Little Hebard Park is a terrific place to stop and enjoy a pleasant view of the lake.

A few miles east of Esrey Park, M-26 runs right beside a place where big, bare slabs of ancient volcanic crust tilt right into Lake Superior. A wide shoulder lets you get out and explore the rocks and the tiny lichen, tough little flowers, and stunted trees that find sustenance in cracks in these rocks. The beaches in this area are locally known as agate beaches.

Six miles east of here on M-26, HEBARD PARK is another simple little park with picnic tables, grills, outhouses, and wonderful view. Three more miles and you come to the village of Copper Harbor, Keweenaw County's tourism hub.

Return to Eagle Harbor

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