We’d like to paddle from Munising to Grand Marais sometime this summer - probably mid-August. Looking for input from those who have paddled this stretch. We’d like to make it a 2 day trip. Recommended camping sites? Twelvemile Beach Campground is a long haul if we put in at Munising. With prevailing winds, Munising to Grand Marais makes the most sense.
Also, once we get to Grand Marais, what is the possibility of getting a ride back to Munising for our vehicle?
Anyone interested in coming along?
Hitchhike
That’s a long haul by road back. You may be able to hitchhike your way back though.
That paddle is very beautiful, you should have a great time.
Long Haul
I think it’s about 40 miles from Munising to Grand Marais, via the lakeshore. That’s two 20-mile days, assuming a solid pace and good weather. Certainly achievable, but in my opinion, that offers little time for sightseeing or photos, but your pace may vary.
As there is no off-site, dispersed camping allowed along the lakeshore, the two designated campsites nearest the midway point would be Chapel Beach and Twelvemile Beach.
As for shuttling, check with local outfitters. Even if they don’t haul your boats and gear, they are often willing to store your stuff for an hour and simply give you a ride back to your car; then you drive back to get your stuff and hit the road.
Here’s my travelogue of our paddling trip there last fall, when we paddled from Miner’s Beach to Chapel Beach, then back and around the eastern shore of Grand Island: http://www.aquadynology.com/Passages/picturedrocks1.html
Good Luck!
Delphinus
http://www.AquaDynology.com
Thanks for the advice.
After talking it over with my husband, it is probably a 3-4 day trip (assuming the weather is ok). I will check out the outfitters up there to see about a ride back.
Another thing, what are the chances of the black flies making it miserable if we go the middle of August?
Smart move
Probably a wise choice to extend your trip. Even if you could maintain a more ambitious pace, it wouldn’t allow much time to take in the stunning cliffs and sea caves, which are certainly the highlights of that trip.
It’s also a smart idea to plan on losing one day in four as a weather/windbound day while on Lake Superior, when conditions can prevent you from safely traveling. Those are good days for hiking or taking photos or just loafing around the beach, absorbing the spirit of the place to take home with you.
The black flies tend to peak in the months of June and July, and begin to die off after that. No guarantees (the lake has her own whims), but most of the flies should be gone by mid-August.
Have a good trip!
Delphinus
http://www.AquaDynology.com
Pictured Rocks and flies
You might want to start out from Sand Point. I stayed at a campsite in Trout Bay on Grand Island. I had a permit to stay at 12 Mile Beach, but found the sand berm just too high to spend all that time climbing it. The flies drove me north to Hurricaine River. This is a drive-in campgrounds, but there isn’t any climbing involved. It was a push at 29 miles. The next day was an easy leg to Au Sable Light, Grand Sable Dunes, and Grand Marais. I returned to Hurricaine River that night and paddled back to Miners Beach. The fourth and last day was back to Sand Point. I was only bothered by the flies the first day. Take a head net. It’s a great paddle if the weather is nice. Have fun! Tom
The flies
will be done by August, but there will be afternoon wind as the water and air temp begin to change.