The sun setting over Lake Superior. PC: Instagrammer @ shravanmummadiWhile nothing compares to a sunset over Lake Superior, watching the rays reflect off magical cliffs and caves in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is truly an unforgettable experience.
PC: Craig BlacklockStretching 42-miles along the shoreline between the cities of Munising and Grand Marais in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, the Pictured Rocks park has some of the best beaches and areas around to catch stunning sunsets that showcase the Pictured Rocks in a magnificent light.
Take a Pictured Rocks Sunset Cruise
The cliffs seen by boat. PC: Tim TrombleyView brilliantly colored cliffs, sea caves, and pristine beaches aboard Pictured Rocks Cruises’ Sunset Cruise. Lovers Leap, Indian Head, Miners Castle, and Chapel Rock are just a few of the natural landmarks seen on this cruise. The Sunset Cruise departs late in the day, allowing passengers to enjoy the rays of the setting sun on the Pictured Rocks cliffs, a beautiful Lake Superior twilight, and a memorable evening.
The Sunset Cruise offers passengers plenty of chances to take photos. PC: Instagrammer @maymiejamesonBeaches With Beautiful Sights
Sand Point Beach in the evening before a storm. PC: Instagrammer @maymiejamesonThe national lakeshore has a number of pristine beaches for you, your family, and friends to enjoy. Sand Point Beach is a popular spot for tourists and residents alike and a great place to watch the sunsets. Located at the end of the Sand Point Road, just four miles northeast of Munising, the Weather Channel once named Sand Point Beach one of the “Top Five Summer Beaches in America”.
Colorful Sandstone Cliffs, Waterfalls, and More
PC: Instagrammer @aroundtheworldsnap
Lovers Leap
Most boaters’ favorite feature is Lovers Leap, an imposing arch of rock that extends from the Pictured Rocks shoreline to an outcrop located directly in Lake Superior. Lore has it that a couple displayed their love for one another by jumping off the top of this rock arch together. Of course, please do not attempt this – the water at the base is only a few feet deep.
PC: Craig BlacklockMiners Castle is one of the most famous landmarks along the Pictured Rocks shoreline. Erosion over long periods of time created the interesting rock formation that gave this place its name. Unfortunately, in 2006, one of the turrets unexpectedly fell into the lake, so visiting while most of the structure still stands is a must!
This remote waterfall is considered one of the most picturesque aspects of Pictured Rocks and is the grand finale on the popular Spray Fall cruise.
The colors of Chapel Rock are amplified during a sunset in the autumn season. PC: Tim TrombleyThis stunning remnant of Cambrian age sandstone was carved by high water some 3,800 years ago and was dubbed Chapel Rock by French explorers. There once was an archway connecting the rock to the mainland, but it collapsed in the 1940s. The lone white pine growing from atop Chapel Rock is estimated to be about 250 years old.
PC: Tim TrombleyGrand Portal and the point it creates along the lakeshore makes you feel jarringly small when you cruise past. The rock walls captivate your eye and make you realize the scope of this great land.
PC: Instagrammer @n.e.travelerAn interesting set of rock outcroppings that just so happen to look like a row of battleships lined up as if they’re ready to head out to sea.