52 - Helpful Area Information
For tips and knowledge about the U.P., it's hard to beat the Michigan Welcome Center on U.S. 2 at the west edge of Ironwood, just inside the Michigan line. It serves the entire state with printed information, but makes a point to be up on points of local interest. Ask about the Heritage Trail booklet with things to see off the beaten path in western U.P. counties. Be sure to get the information-packed Upper Peninsula Travel Planner, a free glossy magazine. Currently open Mon-Fri 8-4 Central Time. (906) 932-3330. . . Online, find lots of info on destinations, activities, and events in Hurley and Iron County, Wisconsin at http//Xhurleywi.com/
LODGINGS TIPS: Ski and snowmobile season is the busiest season here. Christmas week and President's Day weekend, the busiest times of all, command premium rates. Six months' lead time isn't a bad idea if you want your choice of lodging with amenities like indoor pool, in-room whirlpool, trail side chalet, etc. . . Summer brings bargains at ski resorts, especially for family accommodations with kitchens. Availability of highway motels is generally pretty good. Harder to get are cottages on and near water. Homecoming events on July 4 weekend fill area motels. So do the water-ski championships held every other August on Sunday Lake in Wakefield. . . . Reserve ahead for fall color season, especially if you want more amenities.
PUBLIC LAND: The Ottawa National Forest supervisor's office on U. S. 2 is not only an information center, it's a nifty small nature book store with well chosen books for adults and children, plus detailed maps for sale showing the national forest. Open Mon-Fri 8-4 Central Time. It's on the north side of U.S. 2 at the east edge of Ironwood, west of the figure of the giant skier and Big Powderhorn turnoff, just east of Grandview Hospital. (906) 932-1330; http//Xfs.usda.gov/
EVENTS: Look in at http//Xwesternup.com for an extensive calendar. It may still distribute a giant map of attractions at visitor centers. . . July 4 means homecomings and parades in Bessemer, Wakefield, and Marenisco, with fireworks over Wakefield's Sunday Lake. Bessemer's parade, at 7 p.m. July 4, is widely considered one of the U.P.'s best, featuring a big drum and bugle corps, and followed by fireworks in Bluffs Park . . . In mid to late July downtown Ironwood throws a four-day party for the Ironwood Festival with music and more. See info on this festival and on early December's Jack Frost Festival at http//Xironwoodmi.org. . . In and around Hurley, the Iron County Heritage Festival offers three weekends of events from late July into mid August: homecoming, dinners, dances, the county fair on the first weekend of August, and the popular Paavo Nurmi Marathon, a challenging hilly course for runners. See http//Xhurleywi.com for details.
PICNIC PROVISIONS and PLACES: See index for location and details on parks unless otherwise noted.
■ There's no outstanding deli in the area, making the top destination for picnic fixings the area's big supermarket, Super One Foods at 411 E. Cloverland in Ironwood. Or you can get take out food from an area restaurant. Joe's Pasty Shop at 116 W. Aurora is Ironwood's legendary pasty purveyor. In Wakefield (see the Wakefield Restaurants column to the right), Randall's Bakery on Sunday Lake St. in Wakefield is another pasty powerhouse.
■ Handy to U.S. 2 in Wakefield is pretty Eddy Park on the north side of Sunday Lake with a picnic area and warm swimming.
■ Bessemer has the idyllic Bluff Valley Park, where a creek winds by the playground and tennis courts. See distant hills as you hear the water. From U.S. 2, turn north onto Moore Street at the main light, by the sign to Black River Harbor. Look for the park to your left in three blocks, just past Massie Field.
■ The bluff-top picnic area at Little Girl's Point, about 15 minutes northwest of Ironwood looks out across Lake Superior. Its cobble beach is a magnet for rockhounds. Right in town, the flower-filled Pocket Park (see Central Ironwood) on Aurora at Suffolk has benches but no tables.
■ Parks all along the west shore of Lake Gogebic have picnic areas. So do the museum and the park in Bergland.
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