Our Favorite Hikes in Michigan
Michiganders and their visitors are spoiled with thousands of hiking trails, scenic paths, and picturesque lookouts. Odds are, if you’re in the Mitten State, you aren’t far from a hiking trail or a beach that you can wander down.
Despite making the most of the hiking trails wherever we are, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite hikes in Michigan. This list is subject to change, so check back for what we’ve been up to!
Hogback Mountain
3 miles, Moderate Difficulty
Marquette, Michigan
Hogback Mountain is one of the more unique hikes in Michigan, as it has an alpine climb at the end. There’s still some vegetation at the top; however, it feels more like a mountain than any other hike that we’ve experienced in Michigan.
Mount Baldy (Keweenaw)
6 miles, Moderate Difficulty
Eagle River, Michigan
The Mount Baldy trailhead starts sandy but starts to climb and eventually deposits you at the top of a ridge that overlooks Lake Superior, Lake Bailey, Mount Bohemia, Cedar Creek, and the Keweenaw Peninsula. When we last hiked this trail, we ended up hiking nearly 7 miles and climbing over 1,000 in elevation gain. The views were worth it, and the fresh breeze off Lake Superior was refreshing for the soul.
Hungarian Falls Area
Up to 5 miles, Easy Difficulty
Hubbell, Michigan
In addition to being one of the finest displays of Michigan’s waterfalls, the Hungarian Falls Area offers one of the best hiking trails in the state. You can make the hike as short or as long as you’d like, so, depending on how much time you have, you can have a whirl. The middle falls are picturesque, and you can wade into them, which is a great way to cool off on a hot day!
Presque Isle River Area
3 miles, Easy Difficulty
Ontonagon County, Michigan
This section of the Porcupine Mountains has numerous waterfalls and places to go rock hunting while still being accessible by car. Depending on the time of year, your route might have to change due to high water levels. Typically, the route up and down both sides of the river lasts 3 miles. However, when the water is high, you may have to make this an out-and-back, as you can’t cross the river on one side. All three falls are stunning, and Presque Isle is worth a wander, too!
Vermilion Point Nature Preserve
Beach hike, Easy Difficulty
Paradise, Michigan
This is undoubtedly the most remote hiking area on this list. Vermilion Point was a lifesaving station pre-coast guard, and many of the structures are preserved here. In addition to enjoying the history, you can hike on the trails, walk the beach, and look for rocks. Plus, you might see the Piping Plover, a near-threatened bird that calls this place home for parts of the year.
Upper Dead River Falls
2 miles, Moderate Difficulty
Marquette, Michigan
Upper Dead River Falls is a popular place for good reason. Any time of year, you’ll find hikers, snowshoers, and college students traversing the falls and surrounding areas. Depending on the trail that you take, you can hike up to four miles here, but the standard hike is just two miles. The falls are picturesque, the scenery is rugged, and you can try fishing here, too.
Have we documented your favorite hike? If not, drop us a line here to tell us what we should check out!