Houghton: Waterfront Landscapes and Mining History

Lake Superior, extensive forests, and the history of copper mining shape Houghton County. The county has 51 miles of Lake Superior shoreline, and its rivers and streams span more than 900 miles. Northern hardwood forests cover about 338,155 acres, around 50 percent of the area. Lakes and streams provide habitat for lake trout, walleye, perch, pike, whitefish, and salmon. This gives you several ways to plan your trip, from water and nature trails to the region’s mining history.

Hiking Trails and Winter Activities

The North Country Trail runs east to west through the southern part of Houghton County and is for hiking only. Other trails offer multiple uses: the Chassell Ski/Snowshoe Trails include more than 10 kilometers of ski and snowshoe trails, including one kilometer of illuminated trail. The Michigan Tech Trails offer 35 kilometers for cross-country skiing, biking, and hiking, seven kilometers of which are illuminated. The Maasto Hiihto Trails have routes for cross-country skiing, biking, hiking, and snowshoeing.

Designated lengths and uses also vary: Mount Ripley offers alpine skiing with a chairlift, T-bar lift, and terrain park. Nara Nature Park covers 115 acres and has trails for cross-country skiing, biking, hiking, and snowshoeing. Hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoe trails wind through 400 acres of forest at the Lake Linden-Hubbell School Forest. It also has a log cabin, an archery range, a fire pit area, and geocaching sites.

Waterfront, Water, and Multi-Use Trails

The 4.5-mile paved Waterfront Trail is used for non-motorized travel in summer and snowmobiling in winter. The Lakeshore Drive Boardwalk features fishing piers, picnic facilities, boat slips, and a paddlecraft launch. Those interested in visiting a park on Lake Superior will find two miles of beach at F.J. McLain State Park, along with opportunities for camping, fishing, windsurfing, berry picking, beach walks, rock hunting, and hunting. Park operations and individual activities are seasonal; check before your trip.

Smaller natural areas also offer different highlights. Paavola Wetlands is a 215-acre nature preserve with trails and historical features. Hungarian Falls covers ten acres and has trails, waterfalls, and landscape views. The two areas can be distinguished by their different highlights: Paavola Wetlands combines trails with historical features, while Hungarian Falls offers waterfalls and landscape views.

Mining History and Culture

The Houghton County Historical Museum in Lake Linden is located on the former site of the Calumet and Hecla Mining Company’s stamp mill. The complex includes seven buildings with artifacts and photographs spanning 100 years, a one-room schoolhouse, a log cabin, a railroad depot, a research center, and an operational 1915 steam locomotive. The tours at Quincy Mine offer a different look at industrial history: they descend more than 360 feet underground to mining areas where miners worked in the 1860s. The Quincy Mine Historical Site also offers headframe tours and a walking tour.

The Quincy Smelting Works was built in 1898 on the Portage Canal by the Quincy Mining Company to refine and ship its own copper, as well as take on contract work for neighboring mining operations. Guided tours run Monday through Saturday from late June to mid-October; check current dates before visiting. The A. E. Seaman Mineral Museum was founded in 1902 and designated Michigan’s official mineral museum in 1991. It is also a Heritage Site of Keweenaw National Historical Park.

Other cultural sites offer different highlights. The Carnegie Museum of the Keweenaw features changing exhibitions on local cultural and natural history. The Chassell Heritage Center traces the history of Chassell from its founding as a logging settlement in 1888 to the present day, and also documents strawberry farming and the Chassell Strawberry Festival. The Center and the adjacent, privately operated High School Building are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A historic interpretive trail on the grounds of the Sturgeon River Lumber Company and Worcester Lumber Company is accessible from Centennial Park.

The Finnish American Heritage Center is open to the public and charges no admission. Its annual program includes exhibitions, lectures, plays, musical programs, and community events. The Center also houses the Finnish American Historical Archives, with its collection of Finnish North American materials. The Finlandia Art Gallery exhibits contemporary Finnish, Finnish American, and American artists. Admission is free, and it is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Michigan Technological University Archives, by contrast, are open only to researchers and by appointment only: Monday through Thursday from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Ferry Service and Road Route

The RANGER III passenger ferry departs from Houghton for Rock Harbor or Windigo on Isle Royale. Schedules are seasonal and may change; check dates when planning your trip. The Copper Country Trail National Byway begins at the Portage Lake Lift Bridge and passes through historic downtown Hancock. A 47-mile section of US-41 runs from Houghton to Copper Harbor.

Discover more destinations: Houghton, Hancock, Torch Lake Township, Huron County, Alcona County, Baraga County, Lapeer County, Mackinac.

For the main travel overview: Michigan.