Desolate Hike along Lake Superior shoreline and Montreal River: Part One

*Note: I was gone for two days and blogger was SUPPOSED to publish THIS post before the next one on my blog. I just got home and wanted to publish this now, due to their error. Please read this first and then the blogpost under this one next. Sorry for the inconvenience!

About a month ago, we went on a beautiful hike to explore a desolate part of the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the U.P. of Michigan with my brother and his wife and two dear friends.

It was a tough hike for me, as it was about 5 miles, but it was worth every sore muscle.

We actually took a short stop first to walk out the the very most northernmost point of Michigan, at the tip of the Keweenaw peninsula. Please take a minute to click on this link
to see where this is on the U.S.A. map, because it really is an incredible geographical site.

Across from the tip of this peninsula is Canada (on the other side of Lake Superior).

The second hike we took is not developed yet. It has been purchased by the State of Michigan to be preserved, but the state has not put in a good path yet.

The hike goes through desolate forest with roots and hills and rock cliffs and ends where the Montreal River dumps into Lake Superior in a beautiful waterfall.

On our hike, we actually went above that set of falls to another set of falls on the same river.

I thought I was taking FAR too many pictures during the hike, but now that I am back and have recouperated, I wish I would have taken even more photos.

So, with no further delays, here is Part One of my two part series on this wonderful hike:

This was taken during our first "short" hike at the very tip of the peninsula. Across and a little to the left of the look out point at the tip is a lighthouse wayyyy in the distance. I had to beg my zoom to capture it, and it did...hazy of course, because of the distance, but still pretty:

Then, we were off to our second, longest hike after a bumpy ride in my brother's truck to the start of the hike.

This is a shot of the shoreline as we began the hike:

A shot of the many points where we hiked through "the enchanted forests" of cedar trees along the Lake Superior shoreline during the hike:

We hiked along the shore where there were cliffs at many points, with wonderful, knotty trees and great shorelines:

You know my love for tree mushrooms!

Well, imagine my delight when we saw THIS tree with MANY mushrooms on it!:

One of the highlights of the hike...this wonderful rock where the Lake Superior waters ate away all around it and left it orphaned in the water:

More of the wonderful shoreline views of Lake Superior during the hike:

As we hiked away from the mainland, you had wonderful views in back of you too;

When I didn't know if I could hike any more, we reached the falls!

This is the Montreal River dumping its waters into Lake Superior:

Stay tuned for PART TWO tomorrow, as there are plenty more pictures of the beautiful hike that we took...where we climbed up higher to the 2nd set of falls and then came back down to hike home.

Oh, and yes,.....I did need a whole bunch of Aleve after that day...but like I said, it was SO worth it!!

Desolate Hike along Lake Superior shoreline and the Montreal River: Part Two

If you haven't read yesterday's post before this one, it would be great if you would go down and read that post first....
This is Part Two of a set of photographs from my hike on the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula of Michigan of the U.P. of Michigan, along the desolate shores of Lake Superior.

Here is another awesome tree mushroom we saw along the hike:

And, the top shelf of the Montreal River waterfall, that pours into Lake Superior:

This shot is how beautiful it was the day we hiked there...this is the mouth of the river, pouring itself into Lake Superior:

Another view of looking back at the peninsula we had just hiked along:

Boy, was I pooped!

But we rested and sat along the mouth of the river, just admiring its glory.

Then, after getting a second wind, we decided to hike up even farther to see the set of the upper falls of the river.

This is a shot of the river flowing along on our hike up to the second set of falls:

We had some steep hills to climb and I was wondering if it would be worth it.

But then, finally...

through the trees, we spotted the upper falls!:

Yes, ...I hear you telling me it WAS worth it.

And, you are right.

Here is another picture out in the open of this beautiful set of falls:

Here is a close up of the falls:

Gorgeous!

So, now, we had to hike back.

But, not to worry...because look at the view as we hiked back to our car!:

We made it back late in the afternoon.

Thirsty, hungry and happy.

We decided to all drive back to my brother's camp on Lake Medora, which was about 10 miles away. I just happened to have baked a homemade apple pie (ahead of time) for that exact moment....


Let's just say, an apple pie never tasted SO GOOD!!

Then, we waited for the perfect end

to

the perfect day.

The sunset over his lake:

It will be a memory we will all remember for a long while.

(Especially my muscles and back).

But, did I tell you yet that it was totally worth it???