Michigan Autumn Viewing Guide (Part 3): Northern Michigan

Name: Porcupine Mountains
Rating: 4.8

For other Northern Michigan guides, click on the Michigan Travel Collection 3️⃣ Porcupine Mountains (Wild Boar Mountain Area) When it comes to autumn leaf viewing in Northern Michigan, if this place claims second, no one dares to call itself first. 🏨 Accommodation & Dining AmericInn by Wyndham: A lake-view hotel from a chain brand. We haven’t stayed here (it’s a bit out of the way), but it’s on our list. Jackson Creek Summit at Snowriver Mountain Resort: A ski resort. Avoid staying here – we visited on 10/4/24 and it was a letdown 🚫. No service to speak of, and the facilities are outdated. The cable car ride for views is decent though 🚡. ⛰️ Attractions Lake of the Clouds Overlook: One of Northern Michigan’s must-visit spots 🌟. If you have time, wander the mountain’s forest trails – there are plenty of waterfalls and wooden bridges 🌊🌉. If short on time, head straight here for a photo op. Copper Peak: The second must-visit in Northern Michigan. It’s an hour’s drive southwest of Lake of the Clouds from Porcupine Mountains. Take a cable car up first 🚡, then climb the 18-story observation tower – the view spans 2,500 square miles! Experience the spectacle of “thousands of mountains ablaze with red, layers of forests dyed in color” 🍁. The top of the tower is made of wood and wire mesh, with hollowed-out metal grates underfoot – even I, someone without acrophobia, felt a little shaky up there 😱. Book tickets on the official website in advance ✨. Bond Falls Waterfalls: One of Northern Michigan’s largest waterfalls. It’s over an hour’s drive from both Copper Peak and Lake of the Clouds. There’s also a small dam near the waterfall 💧. The consecutive curves at the entrance to the waterfall’s parking lot have stunning scenery on both sides – perfect for photos 📸. 4️⃣ Marquette One of the major populated cities in Northern Michigan. 🏨 Accommodation & Dining Accommodation: Haven’t stayed here, but there are many chain hotels in the downtown area. Lake Superior Smokehouse Brewpub: Live music + American smoked food + craft beer 🍻. Having such a restaurant during a trip is pure bliss! Their smoked flavor is amazing – top 3 in my Michigan ranking. We stop here for a meal every time we pass through 🥩. Other Restaurants: We’ve marked quite a few, but haven’t tried them – most require reservations, and we had no bookings, so there were no seats when we arrived 🥺. ⛰️ Attractions There are many small waterfalls nearby, lakeside lighthouses 🗼, and numerous museums. Black Rocks: Large rock formations. People jump into the water here in summer – but forget about that in autumn ❌. Marquette Ore Dock: An abandoned ore-loading dock with giant mechanical relics left behind ⚙️. K.I. Sawyer Heritage Air Museum: An aviation museum with many fighter jets – though they seem to be models. We weren’t interested, so we didn’t visit ✈️. English Translation of Hashtags #LookingForAutumnWithHeadDown #HikingForAutumnScenery #MichiganLife #FallMapleViewing #ExploreChicago #ChicagoEntertainment #ChineseLanternFestival #Milwaukee #MilwaukeeArea #AmericanLife #DescribeAutumnInOnePhoto