Grand Marais, Michigan

Last October, my brothers and I went on a two-night trip to Grand Marais, Michigan. Grand Marais is located in the Upper Peninsula along the Lake Superior shoreline (check out the map below!). With a population of only 300 people, this tiny town has a very important role – it’s the gateway to the eastern entrance of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore!

**As of March 1st, 2022, there are now entrance fees for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. You can find that information here.

Taken along Hwy 58

On our drive up to Grand Marais, we made a quick stop at Kitch-iti-kipi, a natural aqua-colored spring in the middle of nowhere. You can read my blog post about it here! This is a must-see if you’re in the area. I made two Instagram Reels about this spot; you can watch the first one here and the second one here.

After that, we went straight to our Aibnb called “Serenity Cottage” to drop off our luggage. I really enjoyed our stay here! It’s a quaint little cabin just a few blocks away from the main drag of Grand Marais. The place was so tidy and cutely decorated. It was also well-stocked with amenities which was super nice especially since we brought our own food and used the kitchen a lot.

Our Airbnb

After settling in, we hopped back in the car and drove to the Log Slide Overlook to catch the sunset. This was such a fantastic way to kick off our trip! The Log Slide Overlook is one of the best and most popular spots to see the Grand Sable Sand Dunes in all their glory! We were seriously in awe of these dunes and couldn’t believe they were in the Midwest.

My brother’s ended up going all the way down to the bottom of the log slide. By the time they got back up, they were both out of breath, and for good reason! It only takes a few minutes to go down yet much longer to come back up. It’s very deceiving! Park rangers have had to rescue people here before. Just something to keep in mind if you decide to go down.

Driving distance

Grand Marais to Log Slide Overlook | 17 min

The view of the Au Sable Lighthouse from the Log Slide Overlook, taken on my telephoto lens.

My brother’s at the bottom of the log slide!

The next day was spent exploring! We took a slow drive from Grand Marais to Munising and back, stopping at various points along the way. If you look at the map below, you’ll see how Grand Marais and Munising “bookend” the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Highway 58 connects these two towns and is a beautiful drive, especially in the fall!

Things to see along the way:

• • Twelvemile Beach: a beach that’s 12-miles long… who would’ve guessed?! 🙂 There’s also a campground here.
  • Miner’s Beach: another great beach; this one is a mile-long.
  • Miner’s Castle: one of the most iconic rock formations in the Upper Midwest. There’s a large parking area, a few different viewing platforms, and it’s really easy to get to.
  • Chapel Loop: a popular, 10-mile hiking trail where you’ll be able to see awesome cliffs. The parking lot is small so get there early in the summer before it fills up! (I’ve never personally hiked this but I hear good things!)

Driving distance

Grand Marais to Munising | 1 hr

Miner’s Beach

Munising

On our last day, we drove to the Au Sable Lighthouse. From the parking lot, it’s a 1.5-mile (one-way) walk along a flat, gravel path. I’m so glad we decided to come here because it’s such a beautiful and charming lighthouse!

Au Sable Lighthouse