Ontonagon County: Forests, Waterfalls, and Mining History

Forests, waterfalls, and mining history define Ontonagon County. The Porcupine Mountains lie in Ontonagon and Gogebic counties and are managed as Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. When looking for a hotel, consider which side of the destination you want to shape your stay: nature experiences, places along Lake Superior, or the history of copper mining.

Forests, Rivers, and Waterfalls

About 35,000 acres of old-growth forest that has never been logged lie in the Porcupine Mountains. According to the Michigan Natural Features Inventory, this is considered the largest and finest undisturbed stand of northern hardwoods in North America. Lake of the Clouds sits on the inland side of the mountains’ escarpment. On a clear day, the view from there stretches more than 25 miles to the west.

At Presque Isle River Scenic Site, low falls and cascades cut deep into the bedrock. The surrounding forest is characterized by old sugar maples, hemlocks, and eastern white pines. The site is suited to hiking, backpacking, photography, nonmotorized fishing, and wildlife viewing. It brings together river scenery and several activities in one area.

Bond Falls in southern Ontonagon County plunges about 50 feet over numerous small cascades. Visitor amenities include an accessible boardwalk with six viewing points, roadside parking, and picnic tables. At Agate Falls, a 0.5-mile trail passes through a tunnel beneath M-28 to an observation platform. There, the waterfall forms a broad band of interlocking cascades and small falls, nearly 40 feet high, over terraced sandstone. The two waterfalls offer different forms: Bond Falls spreads over many small steps, while Agate Falls appears as a broad band of cascades.

Activities Throughout the Seasons

Activities offered at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park include camping, hiking, snowmobiling, and fishing. There are also downhill skiing and snowboarding runs: the terrain ranges from groomed beginner slopes to powder-filled forest runs and steep expert runs. Those weighing different activities will find both outdoor pursuits and winter sports here.

The Peter Wolfe Chapter of the North Country Trail runs through Ontonagon County. The northeastern loops of the Courtney Equestrian Trails are used by cross-country skiers and snowshoers and intersect with hiking trails. The trails lie on both sides of the West Branch Firesteel River in the northeastern part of the county. Another kind of outing is the Firesteel River water trail: it runs from Wilderness Drive to Lakeshore Drive, is 13.5 miles long, and is rated Class II. Its stated length and rating make it easy to consider this route as a separate option alongside the trails.

Copper Mining and Local History

Adventure Mine operated as a copper mine from 1850 to 1920 and produced more than 11 million pounds of native copper during that time.

The Ontonagon County Historical Museum presents collections on mining, lumbering, agriculture, maritime history, and everyday life in period rooms and display cases. Exhibits include pre-Columbian copper and stone tools, a fifth-order Fresnel lens, copper-mining tools, and a model of the 3,708-pound Ontonagon Boulder. The museum is a Heritage Site of Keweenaw National Historical Park.

Ontonagon Lighthouse is the oldest surviving lighthouse on the mainland of the Keweenaw Peninsula. Tours visit all three levels, including the tower and lantern. They take place daily from mid-May to mid-October between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; group and individual tours can also be arranged by appointment. Check seasonal tour hours again before your trip. Old Victoria also tells the story of mining: the restoration site preserves hand-hewn log cabins built nearly 100 years ago as housing for miners at Victoria Copper Mine. Old Victoria is a restoration project of significance to the history of the Copper Country region. The area from Ontonagon to the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula is known as the Copper Country.

Lake Superior and Choosing Where to Stay

Ontonagon’s sandy Lake Superior beaches offer views of the lake. Lakeshore Park provides beach access at the end of Trap Street and Lake Street, along with views of the sunset over Ontonagon Pier. Ontonagon Township Park, in turn, offers seasonal camping on the south shore of Lake Superior with beach access. These places offer different highlights: a beach and lake views, a sunset at the pier, or camping on the southern shore.

When choosing a hotel, use the activities that interest you most as a guide, then search specifically for a hotel in Ontonagon County. This keeps nature, water sports, history, and Lake Superior experiences visible as distinct reasons for the trip, rather than combining them into a single excursion route.

Discover More Destinations

Ontonagon, Ewen, Branch, Dickinson County, Van Buren County, Lake County, Sanilac County, Marquette County

For the main travel overview: Michigan.