Menu
Menu
Northern Michigan Guides Stock Photo
It is not as famous as the Plymouth Rock but it has been used as a navigational tool since before the Pilgrims landed. This massive boulder is McGulpin Rock, near Mackinaw City in Northern Michigan. In 1615, French explorers noted the huge rock near the Straits of Mackinaw. One of the explorers in the expedition was the man believed to be the first European to cross each of the Great Lakes, Etienne Brule.
Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts was where Pilgrims landed in 1620, five years after Brule made note of McGulpin Rock. Brule’s explorers reported that the rock was used by Native American tribes as both a navigational tool and to measure the cyclical changes in the depths of the Great Lakes.
McGulpin Rock is big- more than 10 times bigger than Plymouth Rock. It’s nine feet tall and weighs in at 54 tons compared to the tinier Plymouth Rock’s five tons. McGulpin Rock is right on the shore of Lake Michigan with majestic views of the Mackinac Bridge and the Straits of Mackinaw.
The huge rock is located down the hillside from McGulpin Point Lighthouse, just outside Mackinaw City. McGulpin Rock can be accessed by walking down the path behind the lighthouse or driving down the road just outside the entrance to the lighthouse.
McGulpin Lighthouse is open to the public and can be toured- including a climb to the top of the tower on the spiral staircase.
500 Headlands Rd., Mackinaw City, MI, 49701
(231) 436-5860
Advertisement – Please scroll below for more information.
The many ski resorts in Northern Michigan have winter activities for the entire family including sledding, sleigh rides, tubing, and more.
This Inland Waterway covers 38.2 miles from outside of Petoskey to Cheboygan. Find state parks, fishing, swimming, and more along the way.
Fort Mackinac is open from May-October and includes buildings restored their original look after the fort’s occupation by the British
A visit to Northern Michigan is not complete without a walk along the Lake Michigan in search of Petoskey stones.
Summer’s not summer without a day at the beach and Northern Michigan offers some of the best beaches anywhere.
The Andrew J. Blackbird Museum is named for a counselor who helped Native American veterans. Native American artifacts fill the museum space.
Spring brings lots of outdoor activities to Northern Michigan but one often ends up on pancakes: making maple syrup.
Built during World War II to haul heavy materials during the winter, the Icebreaker Mackinaw was in service for 62 years then became a museum.
Acres and acres of Northern Michigan are abloom with trillium during May, only adding to the beauty of spring Up North!
The North Country Trail is the longest trail in the U.S. and stretches from North Dakota to New York, passing through Northern Michigan.