Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

One of the places I really wanted to stop in the upper peninsula was Pictured Rocks. Having grown up in Michigan I was always disappointed that I never took more time to explore the upper peninsula and see what it had to offer. So an afternoon boat tour felt like a must.

Pictured Rocks was designated a national lakeshore in 1966, protecting about 13 miles of colorful sandstone cliffs reaching as tall as 200 ft.

Geologically, per Wikipedia,

“The colors in the cliffs are created by the large amounts of minerals in the rock. The cliffs are composed of the Munising Formation of 500-million-year-old Cambrian Period sandstone. The Munising Formation sits atop Precambrian sandstone of the Jacobsville Formation. The mottled red Jacobsville Formation is the oldest rock in the park. On top of the Munising Formation, acting as a cap over the other layers is the hard sandstone of the younger Au Train Formation from the Ordovician Period. Streaks on the face of the cliffs come from groundwater leaching out of the rock and evaporating, leaving streaks of iron (red), manganese (black-white), limonite (yellow-brown), copper (pink-green), and other minerals.”

Because we were somewhat time limited, we took the Spray Falls tour from Pictured Rocks Cruises. It was a 2 hour boat ride that felt just about right in terms of time on the water, sights seen, and good commentary from the onboard guide. But if we’d had more time a kayak excursion would have been much more intimate and allowed for better photos.

Still, a great afternoon with wonderful scenery!Read more