7 Reasons to Kayak Pictured Rocks this Summer

You’ve heard about Pictured Rocks. You know it’s in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. You’ve seen the Pure Michigan billboards on the highway. Your co-worker took her family last year and your cousin is currently planning a trip. Now it’s your turn to find out what all the fuss is about.

The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore gets its name from the colorful sandstone cliffs just northeast of Munising, Michigan. Although it is possible to stand atop the cliffs while hiking and biking through the National Park, the only way to get the full view of its majesty is from the water. And one of the easiest ways to get up close and personal is by kayak.

Now’s a great time to book your trip with Paddling Michigan, and here are 7 reasons why you should do it today.

1. Get Off the Shore and Get Onto the Lake. Michigan is surrounded by five Great Lakes that are beloved and enjoyed year round. But when it comes to Lake Superior, the grandest of them all, the places to access it are limited. When you kayak the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, you experience the thrill of being on the largest freshwater lake by surface area in the world.

2. You Don’t Have to Be An Expert Kayaker. Most visitors to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore have never been in a sea kayak. Anyone in average physical condition can quickly be shown how to maneuver a kayak in a safe and controlled manner. There is no need for “Eskimo Rolls” at Pictured Rocks, just an enjoyable experience of one of our nation’s beautiful landmarks.

3. Kayak Under the Arches. Thousand of years of water and weather have created arches and caves along the 15 mile stretch of sandstone that soars 200 feet above the surface of Lake Superior. One of the only ways to move in, around, underneath, and through these masterpieces is by kayak.

4. Touch the Paint. The Pictured Rocks are named for their stunning colors of red, orange, blue, green, black, brown, and white to name a few. The colors are created from groundwater seeping out through the stone and carrying earth minerals with it. When you tour the pictured rocks by kayak you can touch the sandstone walls and feel the water trickling. You may even find yourself under an arch of raindrops from the stone.

5. Get Away from the Crowds. Taking a kayak tour of The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, allows you to move away from the tourist spots, approaching beautiful beaches of white sand and waterfalls that are never overcrowded.

6. See Chapel Rock. Chapel Rock is one of Pictured Rocks most inspirational sights. Come see for yourself why it has been featured on a National Park Quarter in the series that celebrates our national treasures.

7. Stay in a Yurt. And because that co-worker is going to ask about your trip when you return, impress him by staying in a yurt near the lake while you are here. The yurts are fully-furnished and offer another unique experience for your Michigan vacation.

It’s never too early to reserve a date for your kayak tour. Just visit www.paddlingmichigan.com to get started!

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