 | | Craig Lake conjures up the old phrase "land of the sky blue waters." Its peacefulness is profound, enhanced by the absence of cottages, motorboats, and auto access to the shoreline. | Michigan's wildest and least accessible state park is a designated wilderness area with no interior roads and no motors permitted on lakes. It's "a fantastic place" for birders, anglers, paddlers, hikers, and people who like really getting away. That's the enthusiastic opinion of Doug Barry, manager of Van Riper State Park. He's also responsible for Craig Lake. You're almost sure of hearing loons, he says, and possibly you can come upon a moose feeding in shallow water. Wolves have been seen here. Bring binoculars to view wildlife better. Almost certainly you won't encounter another hiker all day. Barry has never seen more than twelve cars in the parking lot at a time, and that includes people staying at the rustc cabins. Parl visitors have 7,000 acres to spread out in.
 | | Nelligan Creek veers right up to the edge of the road leading to Craig Lake. It eventually crosses under U.S. 41 and feeds Lake Michigamme at its western tip. | The trail around Craig Lake is ideal for snowshoeing, but nothing is plowed, so it's necessary to park along U.S. 41 and snowshoe in. Also, state parks policy permits snowmobilers in this wilderness area, though snow depths mean they might easily get stuck. Snow is so much deeper and heavier than in nearby Van Riper State Park, that when it begins snowing people parked on interior roads are advised to get their vehicles out of the area to avoid being stuck there all winter!
Irregular lakes with dramatic granite cliffs make for interesting paddling - and very good fishing. The president of Miller Brewing used what's now the park as a specially managed fishing retreat and named the lakes after his children. The 7+ mile Craig Lake Trail means that if you stay near the lake, you can't get lost, even if you can't read a compass.
Be aware that Craig Lake State Park is unlike any other state park in its rugged access. Normal vehicles can now use the seven-mile access road, but should take it slow and easy. The road is still dirt with fist-size stones, but after two months of dozer work the big rocks are gone, and it's graded and filled. It does washboard - gravel to fill holes and improve the surface is still an unfilled wish. Mead/Westvaco has clearcut some of the land south of the park, and their wide logging roads were confused with roads to the park. Now arrows at each intersection point the way to Craig Lake. Logging now takes place in winter, so park visitors won't have to back up when they encounter logging vehicles.
For canoeing, Craig Lake is a lot like Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota and Canada, but easier to get to, and with fewer people, according to park manager Doug Barry, who's familiar with both areas. Lots of red maple and yellow and white birch make for excellent fall color. Get out in a canoe when the colors change and you'll not likely forget it. Color peaks here in late September or early October. Like Boundary Waters, Craig Lake has iakes connected by portages, dramatic rock outcrops, and even a similar climate. Craig Lake, though much farther south than Boundary Waters, is very high and cold, with heavy snowfall (over 300" in some years).
Brewer Frederick Miller managed 307-acre Craig Lake to encourage muskie and northern pike. He instituted special fishing regulations still used today: catch-and-release muskie fishing and no live bait. Now northern pike and largemouth and smallmouth bass are also catch and release.
It's an easy 1/5 mile portage from the parking area to Craig Lake. Getting to twisting Crooked Lake is a longer portage - about 3,000 feet - over a wide, fairly flat pathway without too many rocks. There you're really away from it all, Barry says. Bass fishing there has been outstanding, well worth the extra effort - and now, with catch-and-release, bass are even bigger. Most secluded of all, a favorite hangout of loons, is Clair Lake, with good muskie fishing. It's accessible by foot trail. The portage up a rocky, rugged trail is very difficult.
Miller built a simple lodge and a caretaker's house on the northwest shore of Craig Lake, a 1 1/2 mile hike from the parking area. Remodeled, today they are used as rustic lodgings rented to park visitors. The lodge ($70/night) sleeps 14 and has a big rec hall with a huge stone fireplace. The caretaker's cabin ($55/night) sleeps 6 in two bedrooms. There's wood heat and no electricity. Water is carried from a pump. These cabins, open from May 15 to October 15, are extremely popular. Sign up as early as possible in January of the year before the year you want a reservation.
Clusters of tent pads are located on in two places: along the sandy beach on Craig Lake's east shore (south of the portage trail) and just off the east end of the portage trail on Crooked Lake. Camping is permitted, for backpackers only, everywhere in the park except around the two cabins. It's $10 a night, payable in the collection pipe by the parking area. The choicest spot - breezy, less buggy, and surrounded by water - is the little peninsula that sticks out into Crooked Lake not too far east of the portage trail.
Keep dogs on short leashes. Wolves are in the area. Some in other places have killed pets.
The entrance road is about a mile west of U.S. 41/M-28 at the Michigamme Mobil station. It's not currently marked for the park; look for Keewayden Lake Road. But now the M-DOT official who opposed a Craig Lake sign has retired. To get to the Craig Lake parking area, take the left fork of the Y in 2.7 miles. Parking is in another 3.9 miles. Drive carefully. Get maps and info at Van Riper State Park, about 7 miles east on U.S. 41. (906) 339-4461. Fax: (906) 339-4159. State park sticker required: $6/day for Michigan residents, $8/day for others. Annual stickers are $24 and $29/year. Handicap accessible: no.
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