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Hunts' Guide to Michigan's UPPER PENINSULA

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ON THE WAY TO BIG BAY
POINTS
OF INTEREST

Points of interest along CR 550 are arranged from Marquette and the south to Big Bay and the north.
How to get to CR 550 from downtown Marquette: Go north on Front St. until it dead ends at Fair. Go left on Fair. In two blocks, turn right onto Presque Isle Ave. At the third blinking light turn left onto Wright St. Look for Sugar Loaf Ave./CR 550 on the right.

Phil's 550 Store. An old-timey convenience store run by a blacksmith, with a good wine selection, smoked fish, a free maps for bike trails and area waterfalls ... more

Sugarloaf Mountain. A 20-minute walk up to the summit of this cherished local landmark gains grand vistas of Lake Superior, Marquette, and surrounding forests. Especially spectacular near dawn or dusk ... more

Wetmore Pond. Walk through an old-growth forest to a platform for viewing a sphagnum bog with carnivorous pitcher plants. Hike up to red rocks, nice for picnics and contemplation, with another great view. Hogback Mountain offers a third. ... more

Little Presque Isle, Wetmore Landing & North Country Trail Segment. Along this beautiful shore are rocky and sandy beaches, coves, sandstone cliffs, and an island for kayaks to explore. Nearby pines, berries put favorite northwoods habitats in one hikeable area. Get map of trail network for skiing and hiking. ... more

Songbird Trail. A 1.1-mile loop has 10 stops with signs about songbirds you're likely to see and hear along the way ... more

Harlow Pathway/Cross-Country Ski Trail. Two ungroomed trails-5.6 miles in all-with easy to intermediate skiing are near remote, rustic state forest cabins one can rent for the night ... more

Granot Loma. Banker Louis Kaufman's remarkable log lodge, built for $2 million in the early 1920s, is off limits unless you rent it for $10,000 a day. The public can see the show barns of Loma Farms and the colorful postmodern gates made ... more

Little Garlic Falls. Formed by a productive trout stream, this secluded falls are a 2-mile hike from the road ... more

County Road 510 to Big Bay. Crisscrossing the Yellow Dog River and its tributaries, this road is the gateway to several beautiful waterfalls ... more

ON THE WAY TO BIG BAY

County Road 510 to Big Bay

CR 510 crosses the spring-fed Yellow Dog River and its tributaries, the Big Pup and Little Pup, all noted brook trout streams. They tumble down the cliffs and granite outcrops of this rugged part of the Canadian Shield, forming several beautiful waterfalls that can be found by following directions carefully on the waterfall and lighthouse map published by the Marquette Country Convention & Visitors' Bureau. Get it at the Marquette Welcome Center or request it by e-mailing mailroom@marquettecountry.org .

County Road 510 is easy enough to follow, though it winds so much that you're likely to be carsick unless you get out and walk to a waterfall or two. But road signs on the intersecting back-country roads are scarce. Consider going on the four-hour waterfall and mountaintop tour, daily at 10 a.m., starting from big bay outfitters. It's $35 a person, including lunch. If this is a family outing, contact Martha Bush at Little Tree Cabins for a tour priced for families on a budget.

For a great fall color tour - assuming you plan for stops and make it a day - take a circle route from Marquette to Big Bay along County Roads 550 (the main road past Sugar Loaf) and 510. Stop at Sugar Loaf, Little Presque Isle to hike the North Country Trail segment, see the lighthouse at Big Bay, and stop to walk to at least one waterfall on CR 510.

The nickel sulfide mine Kennecott Minerals wants to build upstream on the Yellow Dog Plains would dramatically impact the wild and scenic character of County Road 510 with trucks and equipment. The mine might contaminate the Yellow Dog and affect the health of its fish. Read about Kennecott's controversial mine in the profile of Big Bay.

To get onto CR 510 head west from Marquette on U.S. 41/M-28. About 1 1/2 miles after the commercial strip stops, you'll pass under a railroad trestle. Look for the CR 510 turnoff on the road's north side just past the Northland Chapel Gardens.

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