Great Lakes, Great Times...

What a completely lovely trip my family had. We camped in Michigan's beautiful upper peninsula and explored many different places. It was a bit overwhelming for my 4 year old and he fell asleep in the most interesting places.

I have been visiting the U.P. since I was a child and am completely in love with it's woodland beauty, American Indian Legends, and it's haunting tales of icy shipwrecks. Did you know there have been roughly 5,000 shipwrecks in the Great Lakes?

Leaving was sad for all of us (I must admit I was a bit teary-eyed), but we are looking forward to exploring it together again...next time we will go even further north.

There are a lot of pictures here. I tried to narrow it down, but I just had to share the Michigan love with all of you.

The Mackinac Bridge is almost 5 miles long and connects the lower peninsula to the upper peninsula.

Old Mackinac lighthouse

Colonial Fort Michilimackinac first built in 1715 by the British was used as an outpost for fur trading and introducing the American Indians to Christianity.

Lower Tehquamenon Falls

Upper Tehquamenon Falls

Looking north on Lake Superior at Whitefish Point. There is a large freighter ship, and beyond that is Canada. Whitefish Point is known as the Graveyard of the Great Lakes. More shipwrecks have occurred in this one area than any other.

Sunrise on Lake Huron.

The Mackinac Bridge from the ferry to Mackinac Island.

The world famous Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island.

Arch Rock on Mackinac Island.
The legend that the Ojibwa Indians have passed down is that of a beautiful maiden named She-Who-Walks-Like-The-Mist. She met and fell in love with a Brave from a rival clan. Her father, who was the Chief, did not approve and forbid her to see her love again. He chained her to the top of the hill to prevent her from running away and she wept at the loss of her love. She cried so many tears that they washed away part of the hill and left this beautiful rock formation.