Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MI
A solo expedition to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula served as the perfect opportunity to refocus my lens from city streets to forest trails.
Wildlife
Least Chipmunk peaks into the sunlight along the North Country Trail.
Hiker’s Paradise
Multiple hiking trails take visitors through wilderness, multiple waterfalls and the Au Sable Light Station. Nature reclaims parts of trails with fallen trees and streams adding to the adventure of tackling these trails.
Common Raven soars over Lake Superior.
Bears and deer may first come to mind when you think about the U.P. but birds and small mammals were much more common hiking companions. Shooting from the hip was a must when working with these camera shy subjects, which kept the hike excitingly unpredictable. Along the miles of trail, I ran into chipmunks with blue jays and ravens flying along the cliffs. Many visitors have also seen bald eagles, beavers, and bears through the park’s multiple paths.
Curtains of Fall Colors
Traveling to through the region at the start of October was the prefect time to catch fall colors peaking as I drove to the lakeshore. Alger County Road H-58 that runs along the National Park Service owned land offers a ride through shades of green, red and yellow.
Lake Superior’s Cliffs
The trail that takes you along the lakeshore varies in elevation with heights up to 200 ft from the lake’s surface to low beaches. Lake Superior’s powerful waves have eroded sections of sandstone along the shore creating incredible cliff faces and arches.
