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Copper Country, Michigan
A college town on a ship canal at the foot of the Keweenaw Peninsula, with a free waterfront trail, a land-trust stand of old-growth pine, state parks on Lake Superior, and the mines that once made the Copper Country famous.
Photo: The Lake Superior shore near Copper Harbor, chumlee10, CC BY-SA 2.0
Houghton and Hancock face each other across the Keweenaw Waterway, joined by the Portage Lake Lift Bridge. From the Houghton waterfront you can watch the bridge lift for a freighter, then follow US-41 up the peninsula through Calumet to Copper Harbor.
The Michigan Nature Association's Estivant Pines, south of Copper Harbor, protect one of the last old-growth white pine stands in the state. McLain State Park sits on the Superior shore west of Hancock, and Fort Wilkins guards the harbor at the tip. Quincy Mine, on the hill above Hancock, is part of Keweenaw National Historical Park.
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
A Michigan Nature Association sanctuary of old-growth white pine south of Copper Harbor, with two loop trails through trees that have stood for centuries. Free.
Season Open year-round (check before you go).
A ridge road above Copper Harbor with wide views of Lake Superior and the tip of the Keweenaw. No entrance fee.
Rocky Lake Superior shore and harbor views at the tip of the peninsula, a short walk from the village.
A public trail and parks along the Keweenaw Waterway in Houghton, with views of the lift bridge and the canal.
A Lake Superior beach and breakwall at the North Portage Entry, west of Hancock. A Recreation Passport is typically required for vehicles.
A restored 1840s army post at the tip of the Keweenaw, with shoreline trails and the Copper Harbor Lighthouse on the point. A Recreation Passport is typically required.
A seasonal boat from Copper Harbor (or Houghton) to Isle Royale National Park. The crossing is long; plan a full day or an overnight.
Season Seasonal; the crossing is long (check before you go).
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
The Calumet visitor center and a network of heritage sites that tell the story of the copper mines, from Hancock to the tip of the peninsula.
The double-deck lift bridge between Houghton and Hancock, the heaviest of its kind, spanning the canal that cuts the peninsula. Watch it rise from the waterfront.
Michigan's official mineral museum, on the Michigan Tech campus in Houghton, with a notable copper collection. Hours change with the season.
Season Recently 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; hours change with the season, and the museum may close in heavy snow (check before you go).
A historic opera house on Calumet's main street, still used for performances in a copper-boom downtown.
A shaft-rockhouse and hoist on the hill above Hancock, with seasonal surface and underground tours. A Keweenaw National Historical Park partner site.
Season Tours are seasonal. The gift shop is recently open daily, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. in May–October and 10 a.m.–4 p.m. in November–April (check before you go).
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Admission to Michigan's official mineral museum on the Michigan Tech campus.
Season Recently 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; hours change with the season, and the museum may close in heavy snow (check before you go).
These are in the lists above, so we don't repeat them here.
Part of our Upper Peninsula guides.
Photo: The Lake Superior shore near Copper Harbor, chumlee10, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: The old-growth trail at Estivant Pines, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Lake Superior from Brockway Mountain, Charles Dawley Flickr Profile, CC BY 2.0
Photo: The Lake Superior shore at McLain State Park, Yinan Chen, Public Domain
Photo: The Copper Harbor Lighthouse at Fort Wilkins Historic State Park, Dale Fisher, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Public domain
Photo: The Portage Lake Lift Bridge between Houghton and Hancock, James Conkis, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The Calumet Theatre, Keweenaw National Historical Park, Dan Johnson, Public domain
Photo: The Quincy Mine shaft-rockhouse above Hancock, Chris Light, CC BY-SA 4.0
