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MUNISING
POINTS
OF
INTEREST
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Sandstone bluffs up to 300 feet high have been shaped by wind, waves, and ice into dramatic columns and caves, and stained red, blue and green by seeping minerals to form colored "pictures" ...
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Hiawatha National Forest/ Pictured Rocks Visitor Center. This is a recommended first stop for every new visitor---for maps, handouts, scheduled talks and walks on nature and history, and customized, impartial advice from a knowledgeable staff of adults who live here and know the area well. Also a nature bookstore ...
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Pictured Rocks Cruises. This cruise is the way to see the Pictured Rocks, preferably in the late-afternoon light, unless you have your own boat or take a kayak tour, ...
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Glass Bottom Boat Shipwreck Tour. This tour combines perspective about shipwrecks with the chance to peer down through a large boat's viewing wells at three shipwrecks south of Grand Island. ...
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Lake Superior. Of all the U.P.'s features, none rival the largest freshwater lake in the world. ...
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Central Munising. A wonderful picnic spot, with grills, bandshell, and farmers' market on Munising Bay; a popular coffeehouse-bookstore, some specialty stores; and a kids' castle playground ...
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Alger County Heritage Center. Here you'll see an authentically furnished 1830s fur trader's cabin from Grand Island, and vintage Munising Woodenware products (clothespins, hand-painted bowls, and lots more), once marketed nationally ...
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Northern Waters Sea Kayaking. An adventurous way to see the cliffs, caves, and shipwrecks by Grand Island and the fabled Pictured Rocks ...
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Grand Island Scenic Overlook. A breathtaking vista out beyond Munising Bay of Grand Island ...
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Munising-area Waterfalls. Avoid crowds and visit four delightful, secluded falls in and near Munising: Horseshoe Falls, a quaint private attraction; the Twin Waterfall Plant Preserve; and Wagner Falls off M-94 ...
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Valley Spur Cross-Country Ski and Mountain Bike Trails. Artfully laid out, meticulously groomed, this 38-mile trail system is a favorite destination of dedicated cross-country skiers from far and wide ...
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McQuisten Recreation Area. The views from boardwalks on this beautiful pond are hidden gems for birders and naturalists, within walking distance of the Super 8 and Comfort Inn motels. There's an elaborate playground, too ...
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Region: Pictured Rocks/Munising/Au Train
MUNISING
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Founded: 1850
Population: 2,539
Ringed by dramatic, steep, forested hills, Munising looks out on Grand Island across Munising Bay, sometimes sparkling blue, sometimes shrouded in mist. It has one of the most beautiful settings of any Michigan town, though motorists may not readily see it. From the east travelers approach the town on M-28 along a strip of commercial sprawl. As one turns left and passes through town just a block from Munising Bay on the right, much of the striking bay view is blocked by a big gas station and other unattractive buildings.
To better see the grand view, turn north at Elm (the main downtown intersection at the temperature/time sign). This also leads to the Pictured Rocks Boat Tour dock. Just beyond Munising Bay looms huge, irregularly-shaped Grand Island with its ancient lighthouse and dramatic bluffs. Tucked just out of sight along the shoreline to the east is one of Michigan's most famous sights: the Pictured Rocks. The picnic tables and benches here at Bayshore Park, up from the marina, are a good place to take a break and enjoy the often sublime view of the harbor, Grand Island, and the misty interplay of light, clouds, and water.
Grand Island helps protect Munising's splendid harbor from Lake Superior storms. From the early 20th century until 1953 most of the island was a hunting retreat and the pet project of William Gwinn Mather, head of Cleveland Cliffs Iron in Ishpeming and Cleveland. The 13,000-acre island is now, a federally protected national recreational area well suited to beach-lounging, hiking, mountain biking and kayaking. Only a few privately-owned summer homes remain.
The Grand Island ferry is off M-28 four miles northwest of town. For a great view of the island, there's a Grand Island scenic lookout on a mainland hilltop off M-28 just west of Munising.
Grand Island was the area's first important settlement, the home of Grand Island Band of Ojibwa and of other people before them. Groups of Ojibwa long made use of sheltered Munising Bay as a favorite summer camping grounds. The 1940 Writers' Project Michigan: A Guide to the Wolverine State recounts, "The splendor of [the Pictured Rocks] cliffs and the thunder of the waves in the caverns filled the Indians with awe; the Chippewa, who controlled most of the Upper Peninsula and camped here each summer, believed that the gods of thunder and lightning lurked in the resounding caverns. They believed that Paupukkeewis lived among the crags in the form of an eagle; and that many of the cliffs housed evil spirits that had to be propitiated at stated intervals. Hiawatha, their hero, hunted in these woods, stalked game along these cliffs, and waded past the palisades, indenting them frequently with his fist in its magic mitten."
In a small, stable town like Munising, Ojibwa history is alive and told by descendants, who may be bankers and lawyers, paper mill workers and casino employees. Before Munising was settled on the mainland, Grand Island became a fur-trading outpost, steamship fueling station, and destination for adventurous tourists. Abraham Williams and family, the area's first white settlers, ran a hotel on Grand Island along with supplying cordwood to steamships and many other money-making activities. An iron blast furnace attracted permanent settlers to Munising in the 1870s. The town's growth was furthered by sawmills, a tannery, a paper mill, and after 1911 the Munising Woodenware Company.,/b> ...continued below...
Its wide array of household products are displayed in the local museum.
The scenic sandstone cliffs of Pictured Rocks and Grand Island contributed to the large number of shipwrecks,/b> here. Winds off the cliffs sometimes caused ships to sink or run aground, often as they sought refuge in Munising's safe harbor. The waters off Munising are now the Alger Underwater Preserve, with eight major wrecks within the 113 square miles. Unusually clear waters and eroded underwater "caves" are other diving attractions. Contact the Alger Chamber of Commerce (906-387-2138) for a dive brochure,or visit exploringthenorth.com/alger/algerhtml. Dives are easily arranged through Captain Pete Lindquist's Munising-based Grand Island Charters (906-387-4477.) His shipwreck cruise enables sightseers to peer down through glass windows at three of them.
Like most Michigan towns, Munising has been steadily losing population; it was over 4,400 in 1940, 3,000 in 1980, 2,783 in 1990, and about 2,400 in 2005. (Alger County, however, after shrinking to 8,972 in 1990, grew to 9,862 in 2000.)
Munising has begun refocus itself on its natural beauty with Bayfront Park, a point of civic pride, even more improved in 2008. Downtown has been spiffed up. But it's hard to compete as a place to live and shop with Marquette just 45 minutes away.
As in other Michigan paper mill towns, Munising voters had viewed their city as an industrial town, with tourism an undependable extra. Hence, the waterfront had been largely blocked instead of zoning it to enhance choice bayfront land and views. But government-citizen efforts are changing that. Some day hike/bike paths will connect many parts of town, lead to neighborhood streets going to Sand Point, and even lead into the bluffs that rim town.
A big boost to the local economy occurred in 1990 when the Alger Maximum Security Prison or "Supermax, "courted by civic leaders, was built south of town. It has a staff of some 400 and can hold over 500 prisoners. The Kewadin Casino in Christmas has become a major employer.
Sizable industrial plants using Upper Peninsula timber are an even bigger part of the local economy. The big paper mill was started in 1903. Kimberly Clark, a later owner, sold it to Neenah Paper in 2004. The mill dominates the shoreline just east of downtown. Take a good look and you can see the original limestone building, now part of the mill complex. With hundreds of employees, the plant uses U.P. hardwoods to make special papers such as the brown patch on the back of Levi's jeans, the little label on Chiquita bananas, and the labels on Elmer's glue bottles.
There's a big sawmill now owned by Oregon-based Timber Products on M-28 six miles east of Munising, with some 200 employees. Its site, timberproducts.com, calls Munising's Hardwood Lumber Division "the Maple King of the industry," while touting its full range of hardwood lumber: hard and soft maple, cherry, ash, beech, basswood, red oak, and birch in all grades. Furniture- and cabinet-makers use its top grades, while pallet makers buy the lower grades. Timber Products says its high-tech computerized dry grading and sorting system is a big plus in grading. The Munising hardwood veneer facility is a major U.S. manufacturer of maple veneer and maple-faced hardwood plywood. The site shows how precision veneer machines peel off 1/36" strips from top-grade hardwoods.
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Back to Pictured Rocks/Munising/Au Train
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MUNISING
RESTAURANTS,
LODGINGS
& CAMPGROUNDS
These are our choices, not ads.
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MUNISING
RESTAURANTS
See also: Shingleton, Au Train, Eben, Lakes Area. Country Connection has closed.
For full write-ups of our recommended restaurants,
click here.
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MUNISING
LODGINGS
The sprawling commercial strip of busy M-28 is at the east edge of the compact little town of Munising. Motels on the strip are within easy walking distance of the waterfront park and downtown, but in an environment dominated by vehicles and truck noise. High season rates typically apply in Munising from July through fall color season (ending in early October) and in snowmobile season (mid-December through February and into March). Motels are arranged from north (in-town and closer to Lake Superior) to south. Two large new moteled open in 2005: an AmericInn next to Pamida on M-28 in Wetmore, three miles south of Munising, and a Holiday Inn Express several miles west of town on M-28, with a beautiful bay view.
See also: Au Train, Inland Lakes area, Marquette (for Seacoast at Sand River, halfway between Marquette and Munising.)
COMFORT INN
(906) 387-5292; comfortinnmunising.com
This 61-room motel, owned by the same people as Days Inn in town, has an attractive pool room with hot tub set up so adults ! can socialize. The continental breakfast includes waffles, hard-boiled eggs, and fresh fruit. There's in-room coffee and wi-fi internet. Mini-fridges and microwaves to rent. McQuiston Park, used by many local families, joggers, and walkers, is just 1 ½ blocks away.
M-28 in Wetmore, south on M-94, up the hill from Alger Falls. Some rooms wheelchair-accessible. Children 18 and free with parents. Pets: $10 in designated rooms.
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS LAKEVIEW
(906) 387-4800; hiexpressmunising.com
On a bluff overlooking Grand Island and Munising Bay, this luxurious, smoke-free newer hotel was built to take maximum advantage of its fine view and the bay's often lovely light effects. Towards sunset, the low sun glints on the westernmost sandstone cliffs of the Pictured Rocks. The bay view is shared by the lobby's common area/breakfast room, by the attractive pool room, and by nearly half of the hotel rooms, including 4 of the 6 suites. Some outdoor tables and chairs are in the back. (For walkers and joggers, it's less than ¼ mile along M-28 to the residential West Shore Drive.) It's a mile to the Bay Furnace beach at Bay Furnace and the Kewadin Casino at Christmas.
All rooms have in-room coffee, microwaves, and mini-fridges. Wi-fi internet throughout, and a guest computer. Varied room configurations. Some king rooms have a pullout sofa. Summer non-weekend, non-holiday rates for 2 queens on the hill side are $149 for up to 4 people, or $169 on the lake side. Other seasons cost less. Points of pride for the staff are the custom sauna, the regional-flavored gift shop, and the outstanding free breakfast bar with Holiday Inn cinnamon rolls, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage gravy and biscuits, and more. (—March, 2008)
E-8890 M-28 by West Shore Dr. 2 miles west of Munising, 2.4 miles east of Christmas. Children: rates by room, not person. Pets: $25/day in designated first-floor rooms. 2 ADA accessible rooms, 4 with grab bars.
SUPERIOR MOTEL & SUITES
(866) 387-1600; (906) 387-1600; superior-motel.com
This attractively renovated motel (18 air-conditioned units on one floor) is 4 blocks from downtown and Bayshore Park, and 3 blocks or less from 3 restaurants and Glen's supermarket. Rooms (currently around $62) have 1 queen or 2 doubles. They are individually decorated in northwoods motifs. Each unit has a mini-fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker. 3 suites with one, 2 and 3 bedrooms ($80-$130 or less) have full kitchens, easy chairs, and pullout sofas in living rooms. (—May, 20080
500 East M-28 just south of Sydney's restaurant in town. Open year-round. Handicap access: call. Pets OK in all rooms.
DAYS INN
(906) 387-2493; daysinnmunising.com
This large (64-room, 2-story) motel, on the town side of busy M-28, has a kidney-shaped indoor pool of 30' or so, plus whirlpool and sauna, in a pleasant, sunny pool room. Large guest ooms with contemporary decor have many bed combinations. Rates for 2 in a standard room in high seasons (summer and snowmobile season): $70 (1 bed), $99 (2 beds). In off seasons, a double room is $78. A continental breakfast is included. Next to Sydney's restaurant. Within walking distance to town and Bayshore Park — a big advantage. (—May, 2008)
On M-28 on the strip east of town, across from Glen's supermarket. 4 blocks southeast of downtown. Rear faces Cedar St. Several rooms handicap accessible. Families: 18 & under free. Pets in the 9 smoking rooms. Call ahead.
HOLIDAY INN EXPRESS LAKEVIEW
(906) 387-4800; hiexpressmunising.com
On a bluff overlooking Grand Island and Munising Bay, this luxurious, smoke-free newer hotel was built to take maximum advantage of its fine view and the bay's often lovely light effects. Towards sunset, the low sun glints on the westernmost sandstone cliffs of the Pictured Rocks. The bay view is shared by the lobby's common area/breakfast room, by the attractive pool room, and by nearly half of the hotel rooms, including 4 of the 6 suites. Some outdoor tables and chairs are in the back. (For walkers and joggers, it's less than ¼ mile along M-28 to the residential West Shore Drive.) It's a mile to the Bay Furnace beach at Bay Furnace and the Kewadin Casino at Christmas.
All rooms have in-room coffee, microwaves, and mini-fridges. Wi-fi internet throughout, and a guest computer. Varied room configurations. Some king rooms have a pullout sofa. Summer non-weekend, non-holiday rates for 2 queens on the hill side are $149 for up to 4 people, or $169 on the lake side. Other seasons cost less. Points of pride for the staff are the custom sauna, the regional-flavored gift shop, and the outstanding free breakfast bar with Holiday Inn cinnamon rolls, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage gravy and biscuits, and more.
E-8890 M-28 by West Shore Dr. 2 miles west of Munising, 2.4 miles east of Christmas. Children: rates by room, not person. Pets: $25/day in designated first-floor rooms. 2 ADA accessible rooms, 4 with grab bars.
TERRACE MOTEL
(906) 387-2735; www.exploringthenorth.com/terrace/terr
This older motel is in a quiet residential neighborhood 2 blocks from M-28 and 9 blocks to downtown. Some of its 18 rooms open onto each other for family use. Wireless internet thoughout. The game room has a kitchen, pool table, air hockey, and darts, all free. There's also a sauna. Snowmobilers can use a heated garage for repairs; the trail starts here at the parking lot. Current winter and summer room rates: $50 and $55. Off-season: $40 and $45. 10 rooms are no smoking and no pets. (—March, 2008)
420 Prospect. From M-28, turn south (up hill) onto Brook at the Citgo station, then right on Prospect. Handicap access: call. Children: rates by the room. Small and medium-size dogs OK in smoking rooms. $3 extra.
SUNSET MOTEL
(906) 387-4574; sunsetmotelonthebay.com
This 2-story motel enjoys a beautiful setting. There's a gorgeous view across Munising Bay, with nice light
effects at dusk. The motel has a dock, seawall, small beach, and playground. Of 17 rooms, 5 stay open all year. 6 have kitchens ($4-$9 extra). All have phones, mini-fridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers. Rooms have extended cable TV and wi-fi internet. Over half are knotty pine. Some have air-conditioning, but being right on the water, less often needed. Current non-holiday rates from mid-June to Labor Day: 2 people with one king $76. 2 queens $80. Two 3-bedroom rental houses are open year-round. Call for rates. The winter clientele here is more skiers at Valley Spur than
snowmobilers. Lower winter rates. Book early for summer — some dates fill in March. No smoking. March, 2008
1315 Bay just north off East Munising Ave. about 1 1/2 miles east of town. Open year-round. Handicap access: call. Children: 12 free. $4/extra person. One dog per room in 4 rooms. $10 one-time extra charge.
BEST WESTERN MUNISING
(906) 387-4864
The area's only full-service motel, 80 units, sits back from M-28 three miles out of town up the hill in Wetmore. The restaurant is open in summer and again in snowmobile season. When it's closed, a free continental plus breakfast is provided. The large lawn has a playground, outdoor pool, and picnic area with BBQ. In the rear is a large, very pleasant indoor pool with big windows, now connected with each lodging building. High-speed Internet is now available in common areas and some rooms. Rates for a standard double: $79 to $89 (midweek and non-holiday weekend) in summer, $99 and up in snowmobile season. Deluxe room with microwave, refrigerator, freezer, lounger: $89 to $99 for summer, excluding holidays.
Three miles east of town on M-28. Three units ADA accessible. Families: rates by the room up to 5-person limit. Dogs welcome.
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MUNISING
CAMPGROUNDS
See also: Au Train, Christmas, Inland Lakes area in this chapter. For campgrounds in and near the east end of Pictured Rocks, look under Grand Marais in the "Tahquamenon & Seney, Grand Marais & Whitefish Point" chapter.
Most camping in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is closer to the Grand Marais end and therefore found under Grand Marais in the "Tahquamenon & Seney, Grand Marais & Whitefish Point" chapter. They take no reservations. Handouts on those rustic campgrounds can be had at the Visitor Center. Not far to the south of the National Lakeshore are several attractive rustic usually with excellent privacy between sites. For them also, see Grand Marais camping. Good bets for finding a campsite when other campgrounds are full: Island Lake and Widewaters, two inland campgrounds south of Munising in the Hiawatha National Forest.
WANDERING WHEELS CAMPGROUND
(906) 387-3315
This 89-site private campground scores high for a wooded setting and pleasant atmosphere. It has many kinds of sites, from various hookup combinations to none at all and sites for tents. Hot showers. Laundry. Grocery store. Group sites for tents. Lots of extras include heated pool, rec hall, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, badminton, and (for a fee) minigolf. Reservations recommended.
On M-28, 3 1/2 miles east of Munising. Open May thru mid-Oct. Handicap accessible: call.
LITTLE BEAVER LAKE CAMPGROUND/Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
(906) 387-3700;
not reservable
8 rustic campsites on the shore of Little Beaver Lake are closer together than the other two National Lakeshore campgrounds. Because this campground is so small and so well located, it is the most likely to be full. Have some backup campgrounds in mind. On the beautiful White Pine Trail, with interpretive signs, around the lake. Good location for day hikes. The road down to the campground is so steep, big RVs can't make it back up. (—May, 2008)
About 20 miles east of Munising on H-58, then 3 miles north on Little Beaver Lake Rd. $14/night. Open from May 10 thru Oct. 31. Handicap accessible: 1 site.
BACKCOUNTRY CAMPING ALONG PICTURED ROCKS' NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL
Permits required from the Visitor Center; (906) 387-3700
13 dispersed primitive campsites, to be used by hikers and kayakers, are along this popular trail. Most are at stream mouths or near lakes. Mosquito River, Chapel Beach, and Beaver Creek campsites are below the bluff, near beaches. Several designated backcountry campsites are along the way. If you get a permit, you can line up a campsite. They are available by reservation by mail or fax only from the Munising Visitor Center at (906) 387-3700. Reservations must be made at least two weeks before your trip. Group campsites are in greatest demand and get reserved first. For 2006 reservations may be handled through the national reservation system for national parks and forests. Cost: $15/permit (up to 14 nights) for groups up to 6; $30 for groups from 7 to 20. All that's provided is a fire ring and bear poles from which food must be hung. Leave-no-trace camping practices should be observed, and backpacking stoves instead of fires are encouraged.
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