Presque Isle County: Lighthouses, Coast and Karst

Presque Isle County combines an extensive Lake Huron coastline with maritime history and unusual landforms. Seventy-two miles of shoreline, three lighthouses, and karst formations with underground rivers and sinkholes give the county distinctive travel highlights. You can plan your stay around coastal trails, nature watching or historic sites, and choose excursions based on what interests you most.

Coast, Karst and Nature

At Thompson's Harbor Natural Area, wooded dunes and dune depressions shape the landscape. They formed as lake levels fell. The area is also home to one of the world's largest known populations of the endangered dwarf lake iris. Possible activities include hiking, wildflower viewing, nature study, photography and wildlife watching. Thompson's Harbor thus combines distinctive landforms with a specific reason to take a closer look at its plant and animal life.

P.H. Hoeft State Park also offers a range of coastal experiences: a mile of sandy shoreline stretches along Lake Huron. Near the park entrance, a 10-foot-wide paved path connects to the Huron Sunrise Trail. This 11-mile paved trail system connects parks and outlying attractions in Rogers City. If you would like to combine walks with time on the coast, these details are a helpful starting point for planning.

Trails and Parks with Distinctive Character

On the southeast shore of Black Lake, Onaway State Park covers 158 acres. Its landscape includes a cobblestone shore and large, distinctive rock outcrops; a three-mile loop trail runs through the park. Rockport State Recreation Area offers a different focus: remnants of a 300-acre limestone quarry can be seen there. Eight miles of marked trails are available for horseback riding, which is limited to these marked trails.

At Ocqueoc Falls, the Ocqueoc Falls Bicentennial Pathway connects the state forest campground with the waterfalls. A paved path leads from the parking lot to the waterfall; there are also accessible picnic areas and benches. Steelhead, salmon, trout and bass are found in the Ocqueoc River and can be fished there. At Ocqueoc Falls, you can therefore plan around different interests: a path to the waterfall, designated accessible facilities and a fishing spot.

Lighthouses and Maritime History

Built in 1870, New Presque Isle Light is the tallest lighthouse tower on the Great Lakes that is open to the public. The restored 1905 Keeper's House serves as a museum about local maritime history and the lives of lighthouse keepers and their families. Old Presque Isle Lighthouse is among the oldest surviving lighthouses on the Great Lakes. These sites offer different points of interest: architectural history, a museum of local history and a historic lighthouse.

At Forty Mile Point Lighthouse, the fourth-order Fresnel lens has been in operation since May 1897. The pilothouse of the Steamer Calcite is also preserved there. The ship was built in 1912 and was the first self-unloading steamer on the Great Lakes. The park at Forty Mile Point Lighthouse is open to the public year-round. The Glawe School in the park is open to the public from Memorial Day weekend through mid-October. If you would like to visit the school, plan around this seasonal window and check visiting hours.

Rogers City and Seasonal Experiences

In Rogers City, Lakeside Park and South Shore Park offer different ways to enjoy a stay on Lake Huron. Lakeside Park has a swimming beach; concerts and Rogers City's annual Nautical Festival take place there throughout the summer. South Shore Park has a half-mile swimming beach and a fossil park. If you are planning a visit for a concert or the festival, check the specific event dates before your trip.

Herman Vogler Conservation Area has seven miles of trails, offers cross-country skiing in winter and has a fishing platform. Black Lake, which lies in Cheboygan and Presque Isle counties, is also a destination for ice fishing: the listed target species are walleye, yellow perch and lake trout. These winter activities are distinct from the beach and event offerings in Rogers City.

For specific options, then check how close they are to the places you would like to visit during your stay.

Discover more destinations: Rogers City, Alpena County, Iron County, Menominee County, Wexford County, Arenac County, Mecosta County, Roscommon County.

For the main travel overview: Michigan.