The Little Traverse Lighthouse. | Photo by the Harbor Springs Area HIstorical Society

Activities & Attractions in Harbor Springs

From spring days with a landscape covered in trillium to a summer afternoon on the beach or water, Harbor Springs is the place.
This tiny community has a great downtown business district and lots of activities and attractions to enjoy.

Here’s a sampling of the many activities and attractions Harbor Springs has to offer:

Little Traverse Conservancy

The Little Traverse Conservancy protects significant land and scenic areas and provides opportunities to appreciate and understand the environment. With more than 40,000 acres of land and 70 miles of shoreline protected, the Conservancy encourages the use of the preserves for hiking, photography, and other types of recreation. There are over 8 nature preserves located on the conservancy.

Andrew J. Blackbird Museum

The Andrew J. Blackbird Museum is named for a man who was born in what is now Harbor Springs around 1815. His father was an Ottawa chief of the Arbor Croche, or Middle Village band of the Ottawas. Andrew was trained as a blacksmith but enjoyed education and attended Twinsburg Institute in Ohio and Michigan State Normal School, now Eastern Michigan University.

During the 1850’s, Blackbird was a counselor for both the U.S. and Ottawa and Ojibwa peoples and worked to help Native American veterans receive pensions. He helped settle land claims and worked to achieve citizenship for Native Americans.

M-119 Tunnel of Trees

The “Tunnel of Trees,” also known as the M-119 Heritage Route goes from Harbor Springs to Cross Village. The tunnel is a display of northern hardwoods located next to the road which creates the feeling of traveling through a tunnel.

The Tunnel of Trees is a scenic route along the Lake Michigan shoreline. While this drive is spectacular all year ’round, the fall colors along the route bring people back year after year to experience the glorious foliage.