Quick View Itinerary

Distance: 23.5 Mile Loop

Time: 3 days, 3 nights

Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult (3.5/5)

Highest Elevation: 1,650 ft

Ascent: 1614 ft

Descent: 1617 ft

Night 1: Little Carp Road Parking Lot to BP Site LC-3. ~ 2.5 miles
Day 1: BP Site LC-3 along Little Carp River Trail to Mirror Lake; North Mirror Trail to Lake of the Clouds; camp at BP Site NML-1. ~ 7-8 miles
Day 2: BP Site NML-1 along Lake Superior Trail to BP Site LS-11. ~ 7-8 miles
Day 3: BP Site LS-11 along Lake Superior Trail to Cross Trail to Little Carp River Road Parking Lot. ~ 7 miles

Good to Know

Stream crossings required.
Good water sources throughout the hike.
Mud and bugs likely.
High winds on the coast of Lake Superior can be common. Keep an eye on the weather, and divert course / adjust campsites if needed.
Reservations May 15 through Oct. 14 are strongly recommended (available six months in advance and up to 72 hours before arrival) at MiDNRReservations or 1-800-44PARKS.
Link to Michigan State Parks / DNR Resources: https://www2.dnr.state.mi.us/parksandtrails/details.aspx?id=515&type=SPCG

Night 1: Entering the Porkies

I pulled my boot from the muck, dug my walking stick into the ground, and plunged the other foot into a deep puddle, splashing mud and water as I went. Despite the fact that my hiking pants were covered in mud up to my knees, despite the mosquitos that I was having to constantly swat off my skin, despite the ache in my knee that had developed on our first day and persisted through the hike…I was having a blast.

The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness Area is located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, about an hour from the border with Wisconsin. They follow the coast of Lake Superior and occupy 60,000 acres of pristine, untouched forest. They are home to the biggest stand of old growth northern hardwood forest in North America west of the Adirondack Mountains, and you can tell when you step into these woods that they are aged and wise.

We drove the roughly 5 hours from Minneapolis, hoping to get there before the light faded so we could hike in a mile or two and setup camp. We had an ambitious weekend of hiking planned, and in order to complete our loop in a timely manner and get back to the real world, we would need to put in a few miles on the first night.

Unfortunately as we pulled into the parking lot just off Little Carp River Road, the only light came from the glow of our car’s headlamps. Anticipating this, we had prepped our packs for a quick departure before we left Minne. Undaunted by the darkness, we set off on the Little Carp River Trail with plans to hike about two miles to our campsite along the banks of the Little Carp River.

I generally don’t recommend backpacking in the dark, in a wilderness area, unless you’re familiar with the trail and terrain you’re hiking through. When it comes to Wilderness Risk Management, one of the factors that can cause a person or a group to make a risky decision are itinerary limitations, usually the amount of time the party can stay out on their expedition. In our case, that was what drove us to set out into the pitch black onto an unfamiliar trail. We only had a certain amount of time to complete the loop we had in mind, and in order to hike the distance we had decided on beforehand, we needed to reach our first campsite that night.

The instant we crossed the bridge over the first section of the river, the trail deteriorated. Heavy rains had soaked the area over the past weeks, and the terrain resembled more of a swamp than a hiking trail. We hopped from dry spot to dry spot, feeling like we were standing on small islands in the middle of a river or lake. Mosquitos swarmed us viscously, causing us to cover any exposed skin and don our mesh bug nets to protect ourselves. Luckily we were able to keep our bearing on the trail by following trail markers on the trees; the trail was completely invisible, covered by a foot of standing water.

An hour or two later we stumbled into camp. We were tired, covered in bug bites, and hungry. The darkness made it difficult to do much more than the bare minimum and our fatigue drove us straight into our hammocks for an instant, gratifying night’s sleep.

Day 1: Little Carp Trail to Lake of the Clouds

We hadn’t been able to take any time to explore our surroundings before collapsing in our sleeping bags. As we awoke the next morning, the peaceful rush of the Little Carp River filled our ears. Thanks to our midnight push we were in no rush and took our time packing up camp, eating breakfast, and enjoying hot coffee. The midsummer morning air was a perfect temperature. It was one of those mornings in the woods that you never want to end.

Little Carp River Camping Porcupine Mountains

Unfortunately all good things must come to an end, so we packed up camp and set off on the trail. Our second day would take us to our highly anticipated landmark of the weekend - the famous Lake of the Clouds. We would also pass along mirror lake and through a variety of landscapes.

The sun was shining over head as we started our hike. Right away we passed through the ice cold waters of Little Carp River (stream crossing skills required!) and began what would be a beautiful day of hiking. We passed through mature hardwood forests and walked on planks across wet marshlands. The trail was difficult in some places, with gnarled tree roots providing critical traction points that were needed to make our way up steep slopes. There are several cabins in the Porcupine backcountry that can be reserved by those who prefer a bit more of a “glamping” experience, but still want to get out into the woods and rough it a little bit.

As we began our final ascent up the overlook of Lake of the Clouds, the skies opened up and began to downpour on us. We hastily set up camp, and spent an hour or two tucked into our hammocks, reading books and writing in journals. Eventually though the clouds cleared and we were welcomed with a beautiful view of the Lake. We instantly saw why it was called Lake of the Clouds; when the cold water hit the warmer ground, plumes of steam were sent into the air, moving over the forest and the lake at rapid speeds.

Due to on and off rain, the rest of our night was spent relaxing in camp, spending time in the moment, not yet worrying about our return to civilization.

Lake of the clouds porcupine mountains misty

Day 3: Lake of the Clouds to Lake Superior Trail

Our second day at Lake of the Clouds dawned clear and warm. After we packed up camp we went back up to the overlook to get another look at the lake. The sun gleamed off the clear surface of the water, which was looking more and more inviting as the temperatures rose. The Lake of the Clouds is accessible via car, so we shared our views with several day hikers and people exploring the park by vehicle. We hiked down the road and met the Lake Superior Hiking Trail. After a challenging up and down stretch of trail, we finally met the shores of Mother Superior. Superior feels more like a sea or ocean than a lake; the water crashing against the shores, gulls coasting the shoreline looking for a meal, strong winds blowing off the rippling surface. Superior is the queen of the great lakes. We hiked contentedly along with the metronome of the waves coming in. Along the way we stopped for lunch at Lone Rock, an aptly named landmark that is all too inviting to swim to.

After lunch we made our way along the relatively flat trail to our final campsite. Bugs were still a nuisance, so we light up a smoky fire and took a dip in the cool water. The weather was perfect; the sun shone down from overhead, a light breeze fanned us from off the lake. We spent our afternoon swimming in the lake, relaxing on the warm rocks that lined the coast, and exploring the vast shoreline. Hundreds of dead, petrified trees coated the border where the rocky shore met the woods. The currents of Superior push towards the UP all the way from Duluth, so many dead trees and other objects (sadly, large amounts of trash) wash up on the shores of the Porcupine Mountains.

Day 3: Lake Superior Trail / Cross Trail, Return to Little Carp Parking Lot

We rose early in the morning with the music of Lake Superior ringing around us. After the morning routine was completed we set off for our final, and most challenging, day of hiking. We made our way across the mouth of the The Cross Trail of the Porcupines cuts through the middle of the park, giving hikers and backpackers an option to shorten their loops, which was perfect for weekenders like us. The only consequence of this “shortcut” is that the trail doesn’t always follow the natural contour lines of the hilly terrain, making some segments especially challenging. It also provides some stunning views of the river as you walk along the ridge lines.

Several hours later we arrived back at our car, exhausted, muddy, bitten, but content. Modern society brings us many comforts, but everything is relative, and oftentimes it is essential to forego those to truly appreciate them. Being out in the woods, in the wilderness, also helps us truly recognize what we really need to be happy. Cell phones, social media, money, these aren’t the keys to gaining joy from life. Good friends, the wind in your hair, the sun on your face, a belly full of good food - these are the things we truly need to cherish and make an effort to hoard, rather than things, or money.