On the shores of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore provides some of the best views in all the Midwest.
Come with us as we backpack through the Pictured Rocks, the famous coastline of Lake Superior on Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and one of only three national lakeshores in the country (and the nation’s first!). Known for its fantastic views of Lake Superior and beautiful “painted” sandstone cliffs, Painted Rocks is a haven for nature lovers.
On this trip, we’ll spend 5 days backpacking 30 miles along the cliffs and lakeshore, seeing all sides of the lakeshore up close and personal. After our backpacking trek, we’ll land back in civilization for an afternoon and evening exploring Munising and enjoying a celebratory dinner and optional sunset boat tour of Pictured Rocks, to see our trek from the water and fully witness the beauty of the lakeshore.
This one is a can’t miss, friends!
Adventure Rating: Intermediate
This trip is rated as Intermediate because while being an extended backpacking trip, it’s a great route and location for folks who have never done a longer backpacking trip before.
Backpacking with Wander Women: Things to Consider
Wander Women backpacking trips are physically exerting as you will be carrying up to 30-35 pounds of weight in your backpack while hiking in hilly terrain.
If you are looking for a trip where you can sneak away for lots of alone time, this is probably not the trip for you. Although, there will be chill time built into the trip!
This is a very hands-on trip. You will be expected to help with different aspects of setting up and tearing down camp, and general camp duties. This will all be done under the guidance of experienced guides.
There will be personal items you will need to pack. We will provide you with a detailed packing list prior to the trip.
Be prepared to camp in all types of weather (rainy, cold, hot, stormy)
ACTIVITIES
Backpacking 30 miles along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Optional sunset boat tour on the last night of the trip. The tour takes you by water to all of the famous spots along the lakeshore, and lets you see the painted cliffs and beautiful scenery you just hiked!
ACCOMMODATIONS & LOCATION
The night before our trek, we’ll be staying at the Munising Tourist Campground and preparing for the week. While backpacking, we’ll be staying in large group sites each night. Every site except one has a pit toilet available. The last night, we’ll be staying at a hotel in Munising to rest and relax after a hard week’s hiking!
About Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Feel overwhelming awe and wonder as you enter the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The mineral-stained sandstone cliffs and Caribbean-blue Lake Superior stretch 42 miles between Munising and Grand Marais. A geological masterpiece, its ancient spell has captivated millions of visitors from the Upper Peninsula’s first inhabitants to you. Source: uptravel.com
WHAT’S INCLUDED
Your registration provides you:
Two professional Wander Women guides to help make the trip as seamless and fun as possible
Camping accommodations & parking
Backpacking permit
A Wanderer swag bag full of goodies
All backpacking meals, including a snack pack
Group backpacking supplies, including water filters, satellite communicators and first aid kits
Shuttle service to/from trek starting & ending points
Hotel accommodations after hike
A detailed pre-trip online guide with everything you need to know for your trip
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED
Participants will be responsible for providing/paying for:
Transportation to/from the trip (we always encourage carpooling and can connect you with other participants to ride with!) and to trip activity locations
Gear: Participants are able to rent camping gear from Wander Women
National park entrance fees
First and last night dinners
Optional boat tour (add on option available at registration)
INVESTMENT
$1200
Optional boat tour: $50/person
PAYMENT PLAN
We offer payment plans for all our trips, so you can pay a deposit now and the rest over time! WeTravel (our booking platform) easily lets you make a downpayment (this is also your non-refundable trip deposit!) and set up automatic payments for the remainder. For the payment plan schedule, just check the WeTravel page for details. There is NO fee for choosing the payment plan option!
Deposit for this trip: $600