Michigan's Upper Peninsula Travel Blog

Explore Munising would like to introduce Paul Whitmarsh, a Custom Wood Artisian who’s workshop is located in Chatham, Mich. Drawing inspiration from past woodworkers, Paul’s creations are simple, yet elegant, and built to last for generations. His designs are available in a variety of woods and finishes, and he offers custom design pieces. Paul has over 25 years of experience and besides furniture; he is also a cabinetmaker. Visit Paul Whitmarsh’s Featured Artist Profile to view samples of his beautiful heirloom-quality furniture as well as contact information to purchase his work.

» View all Munising artists & crafters

Birdseye Maple & Cherry Bedside Tables

As always, it’s another beautiful day in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Actually, yesterday’s weather was really nice with temperatures in the low 70s. It hasn’t been that warm since about a week before Labor Day. Today is also supposed to be pretty nice but I think this is a gift from Mother Nature. Starting tonight and finishing by Friday it is going to be rain pretty hard. For the eastern U.P., they’re calling for 1-3 inches of total rainfall while the western U.P. is predicted to get 2-4 inches! The extended forecast is showing temperatures settling back to where they were before with highs in the 50s.

You may be wondering about the fall foliage. It’s starting to look pretty colorful around here with bright reds and oranges. The interior parts of the U.P. are about half way to reaching the full color peak (less than half, the closer you are to Lake Superior). The full peak usually hits around the beginning of October so we are pretty much on schedule. If you’re interested in visiting Munising and seeing the colors, make sure to book your lodging ahead of time. The lodging and restaurants in Munising are top-notch and there’s something for everyone. Also, Pictured Rocks Cruises is still offering tours daily and this is a very unique way to see the autumn colors!

Happy Autumn!

Beaver Basin Overlook - a great fall color spot

With the temperatures in the 60s and a cool breeze off Lake Superior, it’s looking and feeling a lot like autumn. For the last week or so, the temperatures have dropped and I had to run my furnace for the first time. Another sign of fall are the trees. Although we’re several weeks away from the peak of color season, there are a few maple trees starting to show their colors. Those early trees are really pretty with their bright colors so hopefully the rest of the trees will follow suit.

One of the many great spots for fall color viewing is the Beaver Basin Overlook located in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The Overlook features a great view of the Upper Peninsula wilderness as well as Lake Superior in the distance. This wilderness area features extensive beech-maple upland hardwood forest (which makes for great fall colors), 3 beautiful lakes and 5 coldwater streams. The spot features a picnic area so it’s a great place to have a picnic and enjoy the scenery. The Overlook is roughly 20 miles east of Munising and the last 3 miles of the road are a primitive, rough road so take it slow.

Need help planning your fall color tour? Visit the rest of our Explore Munising website or stop by our Central U.P. Tourist Information Center located on M-28 (next to Hardee’s) in Munising. We hope to see you soon!

With the temperatures in the 60s and a cool breeze off Lake Superior, it’s looking and feeling a lot like autumn. For the last week or so, the temperatures have dropped and I had to run my furnace for the first time. Another sign of fall are the trees. Although we’re several weeks away from the peak of color season, there are a few maple trees starting to show their colors. Those early trees are really pretty with their bright colors so hopefully the rest of the trees will follow suit.

One of the many great spots for fall color viewing is the Beaver Basin Overlook located in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The Overlook features a great view of the Upper Peninsula wilderness as well as Lake Superior in the distance. This wilderness area features extensive beech-maple upland hardwood forest (which makes for great fall colors), 3 beautiful lakes and 5 coldwater streams. The spot features a picnic area so it’s a great place to have a picnic and enjoy the scenery. The Overlook is roughly 20 miles east of Munising and the last 3 miles of the road are a primitive, rough road so take it slow. » View Beaver Basin Overlook on Map (circled in purple)

Need help planning your fall color tour? Visit the rest of our Explore Munising website or stop by our Central U.P. Tourist Information Center located on M-28 (next to Hardee’s) in Munising. We hope to see you soon!

Hard to believe it’s already that time of year, again. This weekend brings us the official end of summer. I can’t complain too much, though. This summer’s weather has been fantastic and one of the best in recent years. Overall, it seemed we stayed comfortable with a few warm streaks here and there. We also had quite a bit of rain, which helped us stay green and push the water levels closer to the norm.

As always, there are a couple annual events happening this weekend. Over in Grand Marais is 7th annual Grand Marais Triathlon happening on Saturday and Sunday. The events include a 5K run, a junior triathlon and the main triathlon for adults. Here in Munising, the annual Rubber Duck Race & Raffle will take place on Sunday on the Anna River. Each year the prizes and raffle items get bigger and better at this great event. Then on Monday, the Moose Lodge of Munising hosts its annual Family Fun Day. Open to everyone, they feature great food and games for the kids.

For all of those looking for a challenge, the annual “Tour da Woods” mountain bike race is just on the horizon. The main races will take place on Saturday, September 11th and then on Sunday, Sept. 12th is “Tour da Valley” – free event for youth pedalers. To learn more about this mountain biking spectacle visit www.tourdawoods.org. Make sure to visit the rest of the Explore Munising Michigan website to help organize your trip for this race and the autumn color tours.

Have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!