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Pictured Rocks National LakeshoreLake Superior's Au Sable Light Station, built in 1874 by the U.S. Lighthouse Service, is located within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
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Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Things To Know Before You Come
 
Morning along the Mosquito River in the backcountry at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
National Park Service photo
Morning on the Mosquito River
 

Wow, what an incredible place! The Lakeshore offers towering multicolored sandstone cliffs, miles long sparkling beach strands, dashing waterfalls, a huge area of sand dunes, inland lakes and streams, and it’s all OURS to explore! Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is managed by the National Park Service as one of only four national lakeshores.

Just like an old-time quilt, this park, which is about the size of five Manhattan Islands, is also a mosaic of human history. Historic sites include an 1874 lighthouse, early U.S. Coast Guard lifeboat stations, old farmsteads and a Civil War era iron blast furnace site.

The Lakeshore includes some 15 miles of cliffs along its 40 mile length. Within the park, about 100 miles of trail lead to remote trout streams, secretive bogs, and a system of thirteen backcountry campsites. The park is open year-round and is truly a four season recreation destination with ice climbing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, and ice fishing, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, sightseeing, birding, backcountry and vehicle based camping, the list goes on!

To appreciate the Lakeshore to its fullest, stop by one of five visitor information centers in Munising, at Miners Castle, Munising Falls, the Au Sable Light Station, or Grand Sable, near Grand Marais.

Experience Your National Lakeshore!


Whether the weather be hot or whether the weather be cold, contact the National Weather Service.
The latest NOAA weather forecast
for Munising, Michigan.
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The National Parks of Lake Superior Foundatin seeks to support U.S. National Parks on Lake Superior.
National Parks of Lake Superior Foundation
supports your U.S. national parks.
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The light tower and flagpole of the Au Sable Light Station stand proudly.  

Did You Know?
Located within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, the Au Sable Light Station is on the National Register of Historic Places. Constructed in 1874, the station beacon still shines over Lake Superior's frigid waters. The lamp is now solar powered.
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Last Updated: February 05, 2009 at 09:16 EST