Porcupine Mountains State Park

The Porcupine Mountains are home to the most extensive stand of old growth northern hardwood forest in North America west of the Adirondack Mountains, spanning at lest 31,000 acres. In these virgin forests, Sugar Maple, American Basswood, Eastern Hemlock, and Yellow Birch are the most abundant tree species.

Porcupine Mountains State Park was established in 1945 to protect this large stand of old-growth forest. Then in 1972, Michigan passed the Wilderness and Natural areas Act. This act gave the park the new designation of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The facilities provided by the park include an extensive network of backcountry trails for hiking and wilderness backpacking, rustic trailside cabins, modern campgrounds, swimming and boating areas, and various interpretive programs led by park rangers. The North Country Trail passes through the park, making up a portion of the 87 miles of hiking trails. In the winter, a ski area also operates within the park. Because of the copper mining history of the park, it is a cooperating unit of Keweenaw National Historical Park.

   
Fauna in the park includes moose, gray wolves, white-tailed deer, coyotes, gray and red foxes, river otters, beaver, fisher, marten, mink, bobcats, lynx, black bears and porcupines.  
 

Skinning Dipping
A great weekend hike follows a loop linking three trails – Escarpment, Big Carp River and Lake Superior – to take in the finest scenery. Fancy a dip? Seven miles west of the trailhead lies a sheltered back-country camp site, voted as the definitive skinny-dipping location in the States. Tiptoe over the carpet of pine needles and rejoice in the perfect naked swim.

Related Sites
Porcupine Mountains State Park official website
Lonely Planet's - Top 10 places to go skinny-dipping


Lonely Planet's - Top 10 places to go skinny-dipping
1. Formentera, Spain
2. Viti Lake, Askja Caldera, Iceland
3. Traditional onsen, Japan
4. Ice swimming, Finland
5. Porcupine Mountains (ouch*) Wilderness State Park, Michigan, USA
6. Paradise Beach, Mykonos, Greece
7. Radha Nagar, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
8. Blackmoss Pot, Lake District, England
9. Englischer Garten, Munich, Germany
10. Turtle Island, Fiji

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A couple of years ago, Lonely Planet put out its list of the top 10 places in the world to go skinny dipping. Porcupine Mountains State Park was the only place listed in the United States. If you you know a better one, please email us and let us know!