Backpacking Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Eight years ago now, I stumbled across a YouTube Channel called Homemade Wanderlust run by female hiker/backpacker/traveler, Dixie. From the moment I “met” Dixie, I wanted to be just like her. At that time, Dixie was backpacking the Pacific Crest Trail (a 2,600 mile trail spanning from Mexico to Canada following mountain ridges through California, Oregon, and Washington). I had no idea what backpacking even was, but I was enthralled. I watched with abject curiosity as this twenty-something woman carried a forty-pound backpack on her back as she hiked 20+ miles a day and camped every night. What a life! What a badass!

I was a middle-aged mom with two young kids at home at the time, wishing upon wishes that I’d had the forethought to pursue such an adventure when I was her age, but knowing deep inside that even if I had, I wouldn’t have been strong enough or brave enough to undertake such a feat.

After watching Dixie’s adventures backpacking thousands of miles through some of the most beautiful scenery I’d never known existed, I came across the Wander Women on YouTube, a pair of retired women who’d sold all of their possessions to travel full time. That summer, the Wander Women were backpacking the Appalachian Trail, another one of our national scenic trails, from Georgia to Maine. Now I was really intrigued – these ladies were two decades older than me and still out doing amazing things! If they could do it, why couldn’t I?

Well, there were many reasons. One, I was overweight and terribly out of shape. Hiking dozens of miles each day for six months straight is no task for the weak. Two, there was no way I could take six months off of work to attempt such a feat. Three, backpacking equipment is expensive and I certainly didn’t have that kind of extra cash lying around. So, I continued to follow my favorite backpackers on social media and dream of the day that maybe I’d get my chance to have a great adventure.

Fast forward years, and one day last winter Dixie posted a video detailing a few of the best backpacking trips for beginners, and much to my suprise, one of the featured routes – Pictured Rocks – was located not terribly far from where I live in southern Wisconsin. I watched her video twice, and then immediately went on the National Park Service website, strung together an itinerary, and booked the trip that very day. I had no equipment and no experience, just the desire to be feral, have a big adventure, and test my limits. I was finally in the right place in my life to try something new. I was going to backpack Pictured Rocks.

Over the next few months, I researched, purchased, and gathered gear. The day I went to REI to get fitted for a pack was like Christmas morning! I was so excited to finally have the piece of gear that would enable me to carry the rest of my gear – and also incredibly intimidated. Huffing around REI with twenty pounds of weight in my pack was overwhelming and I felt like such an imposter. My 18-year-old daughter laughed at me the entire time and legitimately thought I’d lost my mind.  Who was I to take on this crazy hobby? I wasn’t sure, but I knew that deep inside, it was what I was being called to do. It was what I needed to do.

Once summer rolled around, I practiced setting up camp in my yard, filtering water, and hiking with a loaded backpack. It all came more easily than expected, and by the time it was August, I was feeling more confident than apprehensive and ready to get my adventure started. After witnessing my excitement, my 12-year-old son decided that he wanted to join me, so at the last minute, we bought him the equipment he needed and he and I set out to complete a 42-mile thru-hike of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Getting There

Ian and I left early Sunday morning and drove the six hours from our home in southern Wisconsin to the UP. It was a lovely drive, with a long stretch of the highway following the coast of Lake Michigan. As we neared our destination, we drove past roadside waterfalls and sparkling streams, which only increased my excitement for the upcoming adventure. 

Our first stop was Munising Tourist Park Campground located right outside of Munising. We needed a night to settle in and rest up before beginning our thru-hike the next morning. Our campsite was right on the beach of Lake Superior, which provided a relaxing soundtrack of lapping waves and stunning views. We practiced setting up camp one more time, took our last showers for the week, and got a good night’s sleep before waking up early the next morning.

First Steps on the Trail

We woke Monday morning to a gorgeous sunrise over the lake. After enjoying a cup of coffee and watching the sunrise for a while, we packed up camp and drove to the Munising Falls Visitor Center, where we met the shuttle that would transport us to the beginning of our Pictured Rocks backpacking trip at Grand Sable Visitor Center, 42 miles away. We shared the ride with a dozen or so other backpackers who, upon learning that it was our first backpacking trip, gave us plenty of advice and encouragement.

Regardless, I couldn’t help feeling overwhelmed and intimidated by all of the experienced hikers around us. We were the only newbies, and most everyone was impressed that we were taking on the entire trail our first time out. I began to think that I’d lost my mind, but decided to stop thinking about it and take a nap instead.

Two hours later, we arrived at our destination – the Grand Sable Visitor Center. We popped into the visitor center to use the last indoor plumbing we’d see for the week, chat with the rangers, and get our bearings. Finally, we strapped on our packs, adjusted our hiking poles, and hit the trail around 10 AM.

Our plan for the first day was to hike 7.1 miles from Grand Sable to our first reserved campsite at Au Sable Point East. On a regular hiking trip, I can easily hike seven miles in less than three hours. We quickly learned that with packs, it would take us much longer. Regardless, it was a beautiful day of hiking with perfect weather and temperatures in the mid-60s all day. Our hike took us through fields of wildflowers, along lakeshore paths, perfect forest, and finally, Lake Superior. We met few other people along the way, which provided a peaceful and serene experience.

One of the highlights of this section of trail is Log Slide. Back in the day, there was a long, wooden chute spanning from the top of the bluff 500 feet down into Lake Superior on which logs slid down the cliff. Today, crazy tourists test their luck sliding down the dunes and then climbing back up. Of course, Ian was determined to join their ranks, which he did enthusiastically, at least on the way down. It took him about 20 seconds to reach the bottom, but over an hour to crawl his way back to the top of the bluff! He took his shoes and hiking poles with him, but they turned out to be more of a burden than a help, so I’d recommend going barefoot and carrying nothing with you if you attempt this feat! 

There is a parking area with water fountains at Log Slide, so we took advantage of the opportunity to fill up our water bottles and then headed back to the trail to hike the remaining two miles to our campsite.

 By this time, Ian was exhausted. It was a challenge to keep him motivated to keep hiking, but really, there was no other choice. He attempted crawling for a while, his back sore from carrying his back, but eventually came to the conclusion that walking just might be easier. We finally made it to our campsite at Au Sable Point East around 5 PM, set up camp, cooked dinner, and enjoyed an early bedtime – after all, hiker midnight comes early!

Getting in Our Groove

After a restful night’s sleep, we woke up ready to take on the day. The plan today was to hike the 7.3 miles from Au Sable East to Sevenmile Creek. After enjoying a leisurely morning at camp enjoying coffee and breakfast (and a latrine!) we set out for the day.

And what a day it was! Shortly after leaving camp, the hike took us past the Au Sable lighthouse. We were hoping to take a ranger-led tour, but the timing didn’t work out, so after taking some photos we proceeded on down the trail.

The hike today was simply gorgeous! Much of the trail hugged the rugged coast of Lake Superior, but it also wove through the most magical mossy forest I’ve ever experienced. Ian enjoyed splashing in a few of the many creeks we traversed and was in much better spirits than the previous day. We encountered many wild raspberry bushes along the trail and were happy to have some fresh fruit to snack on. Ian had to prod me to move along many times because I was enjoying so many berries!

After a fabulous and much more efficient day on trail, we reached our campsite at Sevenmile Creek early in the afternoon. After setting up camp, we ventured out to explore the creek and lake shore. It was a stunningly beautiful afternoon with some of the bluest skies I’ve ever witnessed. Ian enjoyed throwing rocks and playing in the surf while I enjoyed the sunshine and some quiet moments of reflection.

We enjoyed cooking our dinner with fellow campers around the campfire, and swapped stories and recommendations for future adventures. It was such a lovely evening, and we decided that we weren’t ready for it to end, so we hiked back down to the beach to watch the 10 PM sunset over Lake Superior. We stayed out late enough to see the stars, and then hiked back to camp, catching a few frogs along the way for fun. It was the perfect ending to the most perfect day./

Rain, Rain, Go Away

I’d been keeping an eye on the weather forecast whenever I was fortunate enough to have cell service, and knew before going to bed the previous night that rain was forecasted for the day. I decided the best plan was to get up as early as possible to get as much of the day’s hike completed before the rain started.

The moody, overcast skies provided a stunning backdrop to the now rocky coastline. We passed several notable sites along the way, including Chapel Rock and Spray Falls. We made it about three miles before the rain started, so we donned our rain gear and kept plugging along. At only six miles, we were thankful for a lower-mileage day, and made it to camp a little after noon. We set up camp as quickly as we could, just in time to crawl in our tents to take a nap during an afternoon rainstorm.

When we woke up, the rain had stopped and we spent the afternoon at Chapel Beach. Even though it was cool and cloudy, I relished the peaceful quiet that the afternoon provided. I spent a great deal of time here just sitting with my thoughts and working out solutions to the world’s problems while listening to the waves crash along the beach.

The next morning, we woke to a chilly, but sunny day! Having no cell service in this area, I had no idea what the weather would have in store for us, but I was grateful to be off to a good start. I enjoyed my morning coffee by the creek and watched in delight as several deer walked right through our campsite. We packed up our gear and hit the trail once again. Today’s views included strikingly turquoise water in rocky coves, secluded beaches, and plenty of wildflowers.

As the day progressed, it turned colder and windier, sure signs that a storm was brewing. Gratefully, we reached our campsite at Potato Patch and set up camp as quickly as we could. We built a fire in the communal fire pit to warm up, and enjoyed the company of a mother-daughter hiking duo as we ate our dinner together. We were all exhausted and by 8 PM, we were snuggled up warm in our tents.

It poured and the wind howled all night long. Still without cell service, I had no idea how long the storm was supposed to last. I knew that if it kept up like it was, there was no way we could hike the last nine miles back to our van. Lying awake in my tent, I made contingency plans to get off trail if the weather didn’t improve.

Finishing Strong

After a night of fitful sleep at best, I woke up at 6:30 AM to crazy wind but no rain. I decided we were going to take advantage of the moment, woke Ian up and we packed up camp as quickly as possible. I figured we’d see what condition the trail was in, and we’d make a decision about our next move once I picked up a cell signal. We put on every piece of clothing we had and hit the trail.

I picked up a cell signal about a mile down the trail, and was able to check the weather. It was going to be cold and windy, but the rain was supposed to hold off until evening. Seeing that we were safe – we were warm and dry with plenty of food and water – I decided we’d give it our all to finish what we’d started. Ian was not pleased with this decision and was advocating an early exit, but I convinced him to try to finish what we’d started.

It was a challenging day to say the least. Of course it was our longest mileage day at nine miles, and the trail was mud. In some places, the trail was literally a stream. We were covered in mud and our feet were soaked to the bone, but we saw several beautiful waterfalls and the forest was lovely. By the end, we were counting down by tenths of a mile, but we made it!

Approaching the Munising Falls Visitor Center where we’d started our journey five days ago was a bit surreal. Ian and I both felt an incredible sense of accomplishment and pride that we’d undertaken such a daunting task and succeeded! It was fun looking at the map and seeing just how far we’d hiked over the past few days. After a brief celebration, we collapsed into the van to begin our journey home.

We’d originally planned to stay one more night at the Munising Tourist Park Campground where we’d stayed the first night, but with more rain in the forecast, we decided to just drive home that day. We did stop at the campground to take a shower so we didn’t have to drive home sitting in five days of filth. Ian slept the whole way home and the long, quiet drive provided the perfect opportunity for me to reflect upon both the week’s adventures and looming life choices.

It’s safe to say that I’m hooked on backpacking now. I’ve always enjoyed hiking and camping, but there’s really something special about being feral in the woods for days at a time, relying only on yourself for survival. The freedom I experienced during this trip was liberating. Backpacking is both incredibly physically challenging and incredibly easy. After all, it’s just walking. You can always put one foot in front of the other one more time. Convincing yourself that this is true is the challenging part. Like most things in life, backpacking is a mental game and in the words of Hermes, “…the dog you really got to dread, is the one that howls inside your head. It’s him whose howling drives men mad and the mind to its undoing.” 

I’m thrilled to share that I have this year’s backpacking adventure already planned! In August 2025, I’ll be heading to the country’s least-visited national park, Isle Royale, for another week of freedom. I hope you’ll follow along 🙂 

Until next time,