Last Updated: July 2, 2026
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore stretches along the southern shore of Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and it earns every superlative thrown at it. The park is named for its stunning multicolored sandstone cliffs — streaked with minerals that paint them in shades of copper, iron, and manganese — rising as high as 200 feet above the water. Add in around 17 waterfalls, miles of pristine beach, and some of the clearest water in the Great Lakes, and it’s easy to understand why Condé Nast Traveler called it the most beautiful place in Michigan.
Munising, Michigan
We stayed at Pictured Rocks RV Park in Christmas, Michigan — not far at all from Houghton. The sites were large with full hookups and decent satellite internet. Amenities were minimal, but the park was quiet and well situated for exploring the lakeshore.
Each day we drove past this retired motorhome and found ourselves appreciating just how far RV comfort has come over the decades.
Across the street from the park was a biker bar with friendly patrons and decent food — a Voodoo Ranger IPA served in a Pabst glass felt exactly right after a day of exploring waterfalls.
Waterfalls
One of the great surprises of the Pictured Rocks area is the sheer number of waterfalls — around 17 in total, scattered through the surrounding forest and accessible on dog-friendly trails. Jake made the most of every one of them.
Munising Falls, Wagner Falls, and Alger Falls — each one worth the short hike to reach it.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
While there are over 100 miles of hiking trails winding along the cliffs and down to secluded beaches, the best way to truly appreciate the scale and color of Pictured Rocks is from the water. The cliffs simply cannot be seen in full from above.
The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore works with concessionaires who offer boat tours and kayaking along the cliffs. We opted for the catamaran cruise — about 2.5 hours and 30 miles round trip — which gave us an outstanding vantage point for photography.
Wave action over thousands of years has carved arches, sea caves, and dramatic formations into the sandstone — each one unique, each one striking from the water.
The vivid colors come from groundwater seeping through the rock — iron oxides create the reds and oranges, copper minerals produce the blues and greens, and limonite adds the yellows. The result is a natural canvas unlike anything we had seen.
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan far exceeded our expectations. Many of the trails and waterfalls were dog-friendly, giving Jake plenty of chances to stretch his legs and explore alongside us.
Spray Falls was the highlight of the boat tour — a stunning 70-foot waterfall that drops straight into Lake Superior and can only be seen from the water. Nothing quite prepares you for the sight of it.
The Grand Island East Channel Lighthouse was built in 1868 to guide ships from Lake Superior into Munising Harbor. Unfortunately its light proved difficult to see from the water, and it was decommissioned in 1908. The structure fell into severe disrepair over the following century, but a dedicated rescue committee has been gradually restoring it — a worthy effort for such a piece of Great Lakes history.
