Half Day in Ontonagon
One of my favorite places to visit in autumn is the Porcupine Mountains! I knew I had to go this year, and spend at least a half day, but now in retrospect, I wish I would have taken a full day… or even an overnight. I tried to pack a little too much in, and felt like I was rushing around a bit. But it was still a great day full of fall color, local history, a lighthouse in the distance, a fun dive bar, and conversation with the local Yoopers! It’s about a 2.5 hour drive from Marquette, but plan to spend a little more time driving once you’re in the Porkies. Read on for my full (half) day in Ontonagon!
ONTONAGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY
My first stop once I got into town was to the Ontonagon Historical Society. You definitely won’t miss it… it’s a distinctively purple building on River Street. They have lots of different exhibits — displays highlighting mining, historical logging and fishing industries, medical tools, musical instruments… and they have the Ontonagon 5th order Fresnel lens available for viewing! This is also where you can sign up to pay for a self-guided walking tour of the Ontonagon Lighthouse. I toured this lighthouse in 2015 when they were doing bus tours, but I’d love to go back and revisit it again someday!
After checking out the historical society for a bit, I just walked around scoping out the downtown. You can check out some of the signage, and you can see the Ontonagon Lighthouse from across the Ontonagon River. I… tried to find another lighthouse I’m missing, but didn’t spot it easily, so I’ll have to go back. I think maybe it’s where the Ontonagon Lighthouse is, just further out west from it, but it’s all on private property… so that’s still on my list. It’s just a pierhead lighthouse (a smaller one) but I am… adamant on seeing them all. 😂 No exceptions! So I’ll be back… Ontonagon.
STUBB’S MUSEUM BAR
Before venturing off into the Porcupine Mountains, I decided to stop into Stubb’s Museum Bar for a glass of wine! This place was so fun. I walked in… in the afternoon, and there were some rowdy (and very endearing) locals that I had a fun conversation with. They even offered to buy my wine! I left there… just again, in love with the Upper Peninsula and Yoopers. This place is so unique though! So many things to look at on the walls, they have a pool table, arcade games, tons of places to sit, a juke box, and they are known for their homemade pizza! They don’t take credit cards, beware, but thankfully they do have an ATM inside.
SUMMIT PEAK
My first adventure after that was out to Porcupine Mountains. I’ve been to Summit Peak before, and knew it was a relatively easy hike, so I went here first. Again, I wish I would have planned more time to explore more. There’s so much to see in the Porkies, but Summit Peak is an easy hike if you’re looking for fall color and scenic views! After a short hike, you’ll reach an observation tower… and it’s the highest point in the Porkies, at nearly 2,000 feet above sea level. The tower is 50-feet, and on clear days you can see the Apostle Islands to the northwest and Isle Royale (a major bucket list item) to the northeast. Definitely worth the visit!
LAKE OF THE CLOUDS
My last stop was to golden hour at Lake of the Clouds. I’m really glad… I went on a weekday, and even then, it was busy! Weekends here in autumn though are nuts, so if you have the luxury of visiting on a weekday, I’d recommend it. This is one of my favorite spots in the Upper Peninsula though. It’s magical every time I visit. This spot is super easy to get to… just take M-107, which leads to a fully-accessible overlook. It can also be reached via the Big Carp River Trail and the Escarpment Trail. The overlook has lots of parking and restrooms, and is just a short walk up some rocks to the overlook… with lots of viewing points! I love going to the east side, and walking beyond the barrier/fence for photos.
I hope you enjoyed my half day in Ontonagon! There’s so much to see and do here… I will definitely be back to explore this area, and will give myself more time. I want to check out more waterfalls and do some longer hikes, and revisit the lighthouse… and find that west pierhead light! If you have any tips or recommendations for Ontonagon, the Porkies, or the surrounding area, let me know in the comments below! Happy adventuring!