Grand Marais, Michigan
A day trip to Grand Marais, Michigan
Some people come to Grand Marais for the first time almost by mistake. A scenic drive along the Lake Superior coast from Munising and the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore brings many visitors. Other travelers come to explore the natural beauty of the area and one or more of the recreational opportunities. Upon arriving in Grand Marais, one is taken by the beauty of Lake Superior which dominates the view from nearly every spot in town. Whether coming for a day or a week, Grand Marais has plenty of outdoor fun to offer in any season.
If you are staying over there are several options. The Superior Hotel is a step back in time. It was built in 1894 as the Pippin Hotel and was remodeled in 1939 and renamed the Superior Hotel. It operated much as it did back in the day and is a favorite with the nostalgia crowd. Another popular option is camping. Close by is Woodland Park on Lake Superior. A rustic choice is Lake Superior State Forest Campground, 12 miles east of town and just 6 miles from Muskallonge Lake State Park.
Regardless of where you stay, the out of doors beckons.
Hikers can make their way along the famous North Country
Trail. For something different check out the Grand Marais
School Forest. It is well protected and has an excellent
system of well-marked trails. It is also a real school.
Students are able to learn outdoor skills including tree
identification, conservation, wildlife identification,
survival skills and a whole lot more. The forest has several
loops of varying difficulty ranging from about a half mile
to more than three miles with reasonable elevation changes.
Some of the loops intersect the North Country Trail. If you
need a hiking break there is a Disc Golf Course in the
forest as well. An excellent map is posted at the Forest
entrance. In winter the School Forest becomes a
cross-country ski trail and this entire region is one of the
most popular destinations for snowmobiles. Sledders have
miles and miles of trails to run. The whole town welcomes
them by the hundreds, catering to the specific needs of the
snowmobilers.
Sable Falls is the closest waterfall, just a few miles west
of town. Biking is a popular way to tour the area. The roads
are mostly paved, including H-58 which was paved a few years
ago. Fishing is great. You can try your luck on the inland
lakes or just catch whitefish right off the pier. The harbor
is perfect for all types of kayaks. Lake Superior is where
you find the Hiawatha Water Trail. It is a sea kayaking
route that runs from Grand Marais to Big Bay, 120 miles.
Grand Marais is the site of the annual Sea Kayaking
Symposium. Of course, if you just want to kick back the
beaches are right on the edge of town and they are
beautiful.
ARCHITECTURE
The architecture in town provides a glimpse into the past
with several unusual buildings from the good old days. The
most noticeable structure is the Pickle Barrel House. The
Pickle Barrel House was originally constructed on the shore
of Sable Lake for William Donahey. He was the creator of the
Teenie Weenie children’s comic strip. After the building was
moved to town it served several different purposes from ice
cream shop to private cottage. These days the Pickle Barrel
is a museum exhibiting Mr. Donahey’s work and is open during
the warm season. Another building that will catch the eye is
the old Hotel Nettleton building constructed in the 1890s.
It is easy to spot due to the steel ladder/fire escape that
adorns the front of the building from the second story up to
the third story. During one period when the building was
vacant, it was known for village kids sneaking in at night
to have seances up on the third floor. It is currently
privately owned.
The Superior Hotel was built in 1894 as a private
residence and was converted to a lodging establishment about
two decades later as the Hotel Pippen. After 1939 it was
updated and became the Superior Hotel. It soon became an
important hub of community activity. In addition to
refreshments and confections the hotel had the town’s main
switchboard and all long-distance calls came to Grand Marais
through the hotel. Later the Western Union Telegraph Office
was located there as well. Much of the history of Grand
Marais is preserved there and you can still get a
comfortable room at the Superior Hotel.
A couple dozen other historic locations remain in town. The
best way to visit them is to use the self-guided tour
booklet, “Promenade Through the Past”. The “guide” provides
a map, historic photographs, and details. You can get a copy
“Promenade Through the Past” in the lobby of the Superior
Hotel and most businesses around town.
If you get hungry while wandering around town there are good
restaurants. My favorite is The Lake Superior Brewing
Company. It’s not because they are necessarily better than
the rest. It’s just that they still offer those scrumptious
Scotch Eggs, one of my favorites, though not recommended for
breakfast. The brewery is right across the street from the
Grand Marais Outfitters.
Pickle Barrel and Superior Hotel photos courtesy of the Superior Hotel.
