Upper Penninsula riding & restaurant recommendations

[Marvinlungwitz]

We’re going to do a road trip to the Yoop in early October, and we’ve never been there (despite practically living in the TC area for many a summer).

A few days in Copper Country, and then over to Marquette for a few more. I don’t think we’ll go further eastward than Pictured Rocks and Hiawatha.

Any recs for short rides (about 30 miles) and restaurants?

Thanks.

[j44ke]

Paging Speedy.

[Kev inc.]

I was a tute at da tech in a previous life.
Haven’t been to Houghton in a number of years, but the Library in downtown and Pilgrim River Steakhouse east of town we’re good choices when parents came to visit.

[SpeedyChix]

We’re going to do a road trip to the Yoop in early October, and we’ve never been there (despite practically living in the TC area for many a summer).

A few days in Copper Country, and then over to Marquette for a few more. I don’t think we’ll go further eastward than Pictured Rocks and Hiawatha.

Any recs for short rides (about 30 miles) and restaurants?

Thanks.

Mountain bike heaven. Road less so. Marquette has become the Ann Arbor of the UP. Can get you links for resources for mtb rides up there and likely some restaurant recommendations from riding friends who travel to UP a couple times a month. Temps are usually in the 40-60 deg. range in early Oct.

[Marvinlungwitz]

I noticed there’s a ton of mtn. bike trails, especially in the Keweenaw Penninsula.

However, I came across the Tour Da Yoop, eh? site, and I could bring a road or gravel bike bike and knock off 2 of the sections (the loop that starts in Houghton and the Houghton to Marquette leg). I decided I’m going to do the challenge, but self supported over a year or two, and not the 1,200 miles in back to back stages. Of course, this means longer rides than I intended, and more patience on the part of the missus.

Thanks for the info, and I’m looking forward to more eating recommendations. And I may bring two bikes, so mtn. bike recs are welcome.

https://www.tourdayoopeh.com/

[Marvinlungwitz]

Well, not that much biking this week as the missus



wanted to hike and see the colors, waterfalls, and lighthouses,


and the November winds came early to the shores of Gitchigumie.


But it’s been fun and we head south soon.

[Doug Fattic]

I live in Michigan but the UP is 500 miles away. If you are still there I recommend going to Tahquamenon Falls. The water has a reddish color. There are 2 sections. The lower one is more spectacular but the upper one is more like a rapids and is cool too. It is one of the most beautiful sights in the Midwest.

[jdanke]

In pre-covid days our family took a long road trip looping through Michigan, the UP (it's own state, LOL), Minnesota, and Wisconsin to visit my sisters and the paradise that is the Upper Great Lakes.

I was very disappointed to not have the time budget to detour past Tahquamenon Falls.

[SpeedyChix]

But it’s been fun and we head south soon.

Great pics and looks like colors were stellar. Any northern lights?

[Marvinlungwitz]

Great pics and looks like colors were stellar. Any northern lights?

Nope, we were out at night a few times and never saw them.

We spoke with a photographer in Marquette who got some nice pics of them around Labor Day. He told us about the 11 year cycle, and that they’ll be more prominent over the next year or so. I looked it up, and it sounds like he’s correct.

We’re going back next year in late summer or early fall (with plans to do more riding), and we hope to catch them then.

https://www.mlive.com/weather/2022/0...pert-says.html

[Marvinlungwitz]

I live in Michigan but the UP is 500 miles away. If you are still there I recommend going to Tahquamenon Falls. The water has a reddish color. There are 2 sections. The lower one is more spectacular but the upper one is more like a rapids and is cool too. It is one of the most beautiful sights in the Midwest.

Some of the water falls we saw were indeed a red/brown color, but we never made it to the eastern part of the UP (next year).

We spent most of the week in the west (fascinating history - the geology, greed, and labor strife).

We watched one of the ore loaders in action. And I loved this painting of a miner I saw in a gallery, but the missus said I already exceeded my yearly quota.

[vertical_doug]

There are probably radio stations still playing The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald song up there. . .

From your photos, it looks like the UP can give the North Shore of Lake Superior a run for the money.

[Marvinlungwitz]

There are probably radio stations still playing The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald song up there. . .

From your photos, it looks like the UP can give the North Shore of Lake Superior a run for the money.

We’ve never been to the North Shore, but I have the impression that MN is more polished from a tourism perspective.