Camping in Cutie RV: Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park, Ontonagon, Michigan

An early start along the Lake Superior Circle route along the Upper Peninsula of Michigan took us through Marquette for breakfast. We found a great food store for provisioning We headed to Ontonagon stopping in the local library for internet before we headed towards Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park on Lake Superior for two nights. This was our first Michigan State Park so we got our recreation pass and set up camp in a muddy, tiny site under a crab apple tree. The heat was sweltering so after dinner in the screened porch we crawled into the air conditioning. We got up early and the temperature was in the 60's as we headed to Lake of the Clouds Scenic Overlook with our coffee. It was a stunning view of the lake and the most photographed part of the park. After hiking two miles along the Escarpment Trail to a stone overlook where the creeks fed into the lake, we headed back into Silver City for a second cup of coffee. Not finding a place for coffee, we stopped back at the Union Bay Camp Store for a coffee and pastry before heading to the Visitor's Center. The Visitor Center had a great wildlife exhibit and then we continued on to the Summit Peak Scenic Area and hiked to the Summit Peak Observation Tower for a great view of Government Peak and surrounding old log forest. Next we drove to Presque Isle Scenic Area and hiked the two mile loop along East River Trail past Manabezho Falls, then Manido Falls and then Nawadaha Falls before crossing the bridge and following the West River Trail back for a picnic lunch. We then headed back stopping to hike to Nonesuch Mine Historic Site and waterfalls and then our last stop was the Union Mine Trail loop for a total of 11 miles hiked today. We had a delicious pork stir fry for dinner and it was a cooler, pleasant evening in the screened porch before we packed up camp before dark for an early start in the morning.