Michigan's Upper Peninsula Travel Blog

It’s the last weekend of March and the early spring weather we experienced a few weeks ago has left us. For the weekend, the weatherman is calling for temperatures to reach the mid-20s and drop in to the low teens at night. This is quite the contrast to the balmy weather we had a bit ago. They’re also forecasting snow for the next several days but nothing major, an inch here and there. If you’re wondering about the big storm that swept through the Midwest earlier in the week, that one missed us and stayed south. I think Lake Superior played a part in that and that’s why they say the weather guys have a hard job around here. Lake Superior plays a major role in our weather patterns and she’s pretty unpredictable. With this cooler weather, the snow should be holding up at Valley Spur X/C ski trails if you’re looking to get out skiing a few more times. Also, any diehard snowmobiler should find snow in the Kingston Plains area as well as in the woods. The winter season has definitely not left us, yet.

Make sure to check out our new Coupons page on the Explore Munising website. This will be updated as we receive new coupons from local businesses, so visit the page regularly. Yesterday, we added a new coupon for manicure/pedicure specials by Mari Jo. A week or two ago, we added a coupon for the AmericInn Lodge & Suites of Munising, which has the Splash Bay Adventure pool area. There’s also a discount coupon for Sydney’s Restaurant so you can save some money on your next meal. Click here to save!

Well, enjoy the last weekend of March and we hope to see you around!

There wasn’t a whole lot happening with the weather UP here this past weekend but I woke up this morning to a pleasant suprise. We received 3 to 5 inches of fresh snow overnight! The temps are suppose to get up into the 30′s today but drop back down into the 20′s for the remainder of the week. More snow is in the forcast, so for all of you diehards out there who are still interested in getting in those last rides of the season, we still have snow here in Grand Marais. The season is not “officially” over until April 1st and as you know, a lot can happen with the weather UP here between now and then. We had several groups up this past weekend. They drove out to the staging areas & said that once you got out into the woods, the trails were still in decent shape for mid-March with plenty of snow to ride. They just confirmed what I’ve been saying all along. The colder temps & a little more snow this week will make them even better. Who knows, maybe the groomers will be able to get back out there & smooth them out a night or two this week. I haven’t heard the fat lady sing yet and we still have a week & a half left before the trails close for the season. Don’t forget to ask about out spring riding specials when you call. (906) 494-2331 at Hilltop Cabins and (906) 494-2681 downtown at the Beach Park Motel. Hope to see you again 1 more time before the first. Thanks again for all of your support!

- John at Hilltop Cabins (906) 494-2331 and the Beach Park Motel downtown at (906) 494-2681.

The first half of March had us spoiled UP here in Grand Marais and we were hoping for the St. Patty’s Day storm to continue the trend right on through until the end of the month. Unfortunately, we got a little thunderstorm with spring time temps in the 40′s instead. Not all is lost though. There’s still quite a bit of snow out in the woods for those of you diehards itching to get in those last rides of the season. Off trail riding is still an option & a lot of fun out in the plains & 2 tracks. Getting in & out of towns on sleds is not an option at this point so you’ll have to trailer out to the staging areas and ride from there. Be prepared for spring riding conditions this weekend even though the temps are suppose to drop back down into the low 30′s. I spoke with Norm, (the trail boss) yesterday and unless we get one last blast of snow before April 1st, grooming is pretty much done for the season. Wish I had better news, but it is what it is….and it’s time to start thinking about getting the ATVs & golf clubs out. For me, I may have to head south for a few days in April to break in my new driver that I got for my birthday. Unfortunately, I can’t play golf UP here until all of this snow melts and even with the warmer temps & a thunderstorm here & there, that may take awhile. Thanks again for all of your support this season and special thanks to all of you who dropped some cash into the groomer boxes. Without your support, none of this would be possible. Take care & we hope to see you again soon.

- John at Hilltop Cabins (906) 494-2331 and the Beach Park Motel downtown at (906) 494-2681.

(Monday, 3/14/11) According to all of the reports that I received yesterday, the weekend traffic did a number on the trails, especially for those of you coming into Grand Marais from the east. Wow, did I hear about it…and it wasn’t because of the lack of snow, with the exception of around the Rainbow Lodge area. All I can say is that when you have that many sleds on the trails, they’re going to get beat up, especially on your way in during the late afternoon hours on the weekend. The groomers do their best to keep up but the Grand Marais crew can only do so much since they groom primarily at night. The best time to be out there on freshly groomed trails is early in the morning. Then hit the off-trail stuff out in the plains in the afternoon. That’s what we do (when we can get away) & have a blast doing it! There’s still plenty of snow UP here even though it’s mid-March already. The weather forecast is calling for temps to start climbing into the upper 30′s during the daylight hours this week but drop back down below freezing at night. Spring riding conditions will be here soon, so be prepared for snirty spots here & there, especially in the open areas, in & out of town and some bare pavement if you’re riding the lakeshore trail 89. Don’t forget to ask about our spring riding specials! Enjoy, be safe and please, don’t drink & ride. Thanks again for all of your support!

- John at Hilltop Cabins (906) 494-2331 and the Beach Park Motel downtown at (906) 494-2681.

The big storm that we were predicted to get yesterday ended up not being so big (for our standards). The weather folks originally forecasted for us to get over a foot of snow. By the time the storm did reach us, it had fizzled out some and we ended up with 5-6″ of snow. With our lack of snowfall in the recent weeks, we’ll take anything these days. The good news, the snow was wet/dense (not the fluffy stuff) so it should help snowmobile and cross-country ski trails build on to their base.

For those still looking for some great cross-country skiing conditions, we’re definitely the place to be! The Munising area has several skiing opportunities and here’s a little info about them.

Valley Spur Ski Trail – 27 miles of trails

Lakeshore Ski Trails – Munising & Grand Marais

• Consists of two networks of ski trails located within the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
• Variety of habitats and topography
• Trails groomed for classic skiing (skate skiing is not permitted)
• Some of the loops do cross snowmobile trails so be cautious at those intersections
• Munising Trails – 11.7 miles with 8 loops
  • Loops range from easy to difficult
  • Located just north of downtown Munising off Sand Point Road and near Munising Falls
  • View trail map (pdf)
• Grand Marais Trails – 10 miles with 6 loops
  • Trails rated novice.
  • Located west of Grand Marais off H-58 with parking across from the Sable Lake Ranger Station
  • View trail map (pdf)
• Learn more about the Lakeshore Ski Trails

McKeever Hills – 6 miles of trails

• Within in the beautiful Hiawatha National Forest
• Located 15 miles south of Munising, off Highway 13.
• Quieter, less manicured ski trails
• Groomed weekly for classic style skiing
• 3 loops ranging from easy to most difficult
• Many downhill runs and the trails pass beside several lakes and forest types
• McKeever rustic log cabin available for rent throughout the year – spend a night in the wilderness.
• No trail fee required
• Learn more about McKeever Hills trails
• McKeever Cabin rental info

So there you have it, a look at some of the great skiing available in Munising.  Remember, just because the calendar says March doesn’t mean you have to put away your winter gear. Travel north to Munising for winter adventure and fun!

3/10/11 – Fishing was a bit slow. A lack of snow is still causing a slippery commute for those heading out, so cleats would be a good idea. Anglers are now turning their attention to fishing shallow waters for coho, splake and smelt. Whitefish action was slow. For coho, try jigging rapalas or Swedish pimples. Average size was 15 inches. Some were fishing on flow ice in Trout Bay however extreme caution needs to be used. Schools of smelt are being marked on a regular basis but catch rates were slow. Try hali-jigs with natural bait. Those spearing lake herring have taken a few fish in the early morning. Splake action was slow. Anglers reported mixed results for perch over the weed beds in 30 feet of water.

It just keeps coming! We received the snow that they were predicting pretty much all day yesterday with more in the forecast for today. Hard to believe it’s March 10; seems like mid-February without the bitter cold temps. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings a bit if this trend continued all the way through until April 10th. I think by then I’d be ready to play some golf, but for now, I intend to continue enjoying the ride. We’ve got plenty of snow UP here to do just that so why not take advantage of it while we can. It’s going to be another great weekend of snowmobiling in da U.P., that’s for sure. We still have a few openings and a couple of rental sleds available here at the Beach Park Motel if you’re thinking about heading this way. Just give us a call. (906) 250-7985. Hope to see you again soon. Enjoy, be safe and please, don’t drink or be under the influence when you ride.

- John at Hilltop Cabins (906) 494-2331 and the Beach Park Motel downtown at (906) 494-2681.

(From Monday, 3/7/11) Another weekend come & gone with some great riding conditions UP here all the way across the lakeshore from Marquette to the Soo. I love it when the snow falls like that & there’s fresh snow just about everywhere you would want to go UP here. I’ve always said that this time of year is the best time to ride. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen trail conditions this good both east and west! I’m really happy that Newberry and Paradise finally got as much snow as we’ve been getting…and so are all of our guests who headed east this past weekend. I didn’t hear one bad report even with all of the traffic we had UP here during the past couple of days. Got to love it, don’t put the sleds away just yet! There’s still plenty of good riding left UP here this season, especially for those of you who are fortunate enough to make it UP during the week. We still have openings here in Grand Marais but don’t wait til the last minute like some did last weekend. I couldn’t believe how many people we had to turn away. Give us a call to guarantee your spot for another great weekend of riding. Enjoy it while you can because unfortunately, it won’t last much longer. April will be here before you know it. Who knows, maybe the temps will stay below freezing all month & it will last…I’ve riden the first part of April before when they extended the season & it was still pretty good out there. Be safe & please, don’t drink or be under the influence when you ride. Thanks again for all of your support & we hope to see you again soon!

- John at Hilltop Cabins (906) 494-2331 and the Beach Park Motel downtown at (906) 494-2681.

We headed out today to see what’s happening in the Munising area and here’s some pictures from today’s drive. We received 3-6 inches of fresh snow yesterday so things are looking a little better around town. Enjoy!

Snowmobilers are still finding plenty of snow and are having a great time. Here’s a picture of Alger Falls Motel & Cabins newest cabin.

The Cherrywood Resort’s snowmobilers report great riding toward the Buckhorn, great trails heading to Grand Marais. The trails heading south to Steuben were rough.

Munising Ice Drags & Vintage Show. Racing begins tomorrow!

Busy getting ready for the ice drags.

Great ice conditions being reported for the weekend's ice drags on Munising Bay.

Splake and whitefish is what they are catching in Munising Bay.

WOW!!! Mother Nature smiles on us once again as we head into another fantastic weekend of riding UP here in the Grand Marais area. It snowed most of the day yesterday well into the evening and as long as the temps continue to stay below freezing as they have been, March looks to be a great month for riding in the U.P. Dave said it best…we are looking good for snow UP here along the lakeshore. We received close to 6 inches here in town yesterday with a little more out in the snowbelts. The Grand Marais trails are in great shape for all of you itching to get UP here this weekend. Shouldn’t even be rough getting in & out of town with all of this fresh snow. I was in Seney, Curtis and Munising yesterday & they were getting quite a bit of it as well. Hopefully east toward Newberry & Paradise got some too. The only unfortunate part for me is now I’ve got to get out & plow again. I wish there were some way it could all just blow onto the trails & stay off of the main roads. Enjoy, be safe and please, don’t drink & ride. The life you save may be mine or one of my kids. Don’t forget to stop at Renze Power Sports in Wetmore for all of your snowmobile supplies. Tell them John from Hilltop sent ya. Thanks again for all your support.

- John at Hilltop Cabins (906) 494-2331 and the Beach Park Motel downtown at (906) 494-2681.