Terry and Kathy Living Our Dream: Pictured Rocks

We made the short drive over to Munising, Michigan from Newberry on Tuesday September 3^rd. Arriving at Wandering Wheels Campground early in the week before Labor Day Weekend gave us the opportunity to cherry-pick our camp site. The majority of the sites were to close for comfort but we did luck up and find a few sites in the back of the campground that were spacious. The tradeoff for more space was poor cell phone and internet service. Our friends we met in Newberry, Ron & Kay Servies were parked in the back with us which made it nice for visiting. While hanging out with Ron & Kay we met Joe & Cricket Cherry, little did we know at that time we would be traveling together the next few weeks.

Driving the back roads is where we usually always find hidden jewels. Pictured Rocks National Shoreline was the main purpose for our stop in Munising but discovering Munising Falls and a small beach along Lake Superior one afternoon was very pleasant.

The Pictured Rocks are colorful sandstone cliffs that tower 50-200 feet directly from Lake Superior. The area is sure to take your breath away. We toured the shoreline on a boat cruise. In 2010 Michigan born pop-star Kid Rock used the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore to film his video for the song Born Free. His video has sparked an increase in tourism for the area which has become frustrating for the local folks who have enjoyed the area for years with few tourists.

It was time for a little shopping so we drove 50 miles to Marquette. Once we arrived shopping became insignificant and spending time at Presque Isle Park became our main attraction for the day. The locals refer to the park as the “Island”. It is 323-acre forested oval shaped peninsula which juts into Lake Superior in the northern tip of Marquette. We drove through the park in the midst of natural beauty from the sun rays beaming into the woods and viewing Lake Superior off in a distance.

The last day in Munising was wet and soggy so we were looking forward to pulling out the next morning.

Our home on the road. Setting up at Wandering Wheels Campground then packed up and moved to site #20. Most of the sites in the campground are just like this one - not very favorable.

Munising Falls drop 50 feet over sandstone cliff and in the winter the falls will freeze forming an ice column.

This rose caught my attention in the stream below the falls. As I watched the water rush around the rose I couldn't help but think of how it was stuck now but would soon be flowing freely downstream again.

The soothing sound of water flowing around the rocks caused us to stop and listen for awhile.

So much driftwood on the beaches

The gull gliding over the lake but staying near the land.

Seeing the sun rays penetrate the clouds and add sparkle to the clear water was truly a moment to stand still and think of how great our God is.

As light as it was with the sun beaming all around this gull and yet darkness stood along the side of it.

Our first glimpse of Pictured Rocks on our tour of the shoreline.

The water was blue green when looking at it up close but from a distance the color was a royal blue.

The cliffs stand 50 to 200 feet above the lake. Notice the royal blue water in this picture.

Miners Castle

A good example of healthy trees growing on the rocks.

Mineral seepage creates the colors - Red and Orange are from iron.

Blue and green colors are from copper, black is from manganese, white is from lime and the red and orange colors are from iron.

The blue green water against all the different colors in the rocks was gorgeous.

Amazing

Twelve Mile Beach

Caves of All Colors

Lovers Leap - legend has it that an Indian couple jumped together to show their love for one another but the water is only a few feet deep so it is stressed don't jump

Rainbow Cave - water from the rocks was falling into the lake as if it were raining

Rainbow Cave from a distance

This is where Pictured Rocks name came from it was like a mural painted on the rocks. What do you see?

Indian Head

Battleship Row

The Flower Vase

Indian Drum

Not only could you see the different colors on the rocks but also in the water.

Chapel Cave -The captain of our cruise boat pulled into this cave. We were so close to the rocks we could almost touch them. Notice all the blue green colors on the rocks at the entrance into the cave.

Chapel Rock - a single tree perched atop its column. The small surface area of land on the top of the rock is insufficient to sustain a tree of this size. The tree's root system is stretched back to the mainland.