Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Sandstone cliffs, beaches, waterfalls, sand dunes, inland lakes, deep forest, and wild shoreline beckon you to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The power of Lake Superior shapes the park's coastal features and affects every ecosystem, creating a unique landscape to explore. Hiking, camping, sightseeing, and four-season outdoor opportunities abound.
Alerts
- ClosureNPS ↗Munising Falls Trail Closed Until Further Notice
The Munising Falls Trail within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is closed until further notice. Approximately 75-feet of the paved trail was washed out April 28th from recent heavy rainfall and seasonal snow melt.
Fees & passes
| Type | Cost | |
|---|---|---|
| Private VehicleThis pass admits the driver and all passengers in a private-use vehicle for seven consecutive days to all areas of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with activities such as camping or commercial tours. | $25 | |
| MotorcycleValid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers to all areas of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with activities such as camping or commercial tours. | $20 | |
| SnowmobileThis pass admits a snowmobile to all parts of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for 7 consecutive days. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with activities such as camping or commercial tours. | $15 | |
| Per PersonThis pass admits one walk-in, bicycle-in, or boat-in person to all parts of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with activities such as camping or commercial tours. | $15 | |
| Commercial tours · by vehicle capacity | ||
| SedanThis admits a commercial sedan to all areas of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The flat rate for this pass is $25, plus an additional $5 per person age 16+. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with activities such as camping or commercial tours. | $25 | |
| VanThis pass admits a commercial van with a capacity of 7-16 persons, regardless of capacity, to all parts of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with activities such as camping or commercial tours. | $40 | |
| Mini-busThis fee admits a commercial mini-bus to all parts of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. A mini-bus is defined as a vehicle with a 16-25 person capacity. The fee is charged regardless of occupancy of the vehicle. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with activities such as camping or commercial tours. | $40 | |
| Motor CoachThis fee applies to commercial vehicles with a 26+ person vehicle capacity, regardless of occupancy. This fee does not cover additional fees associated with activities such as camping or commercial tours. | $100 | |
| Passes | ||
| Annual Entrance - ParkThis annual pass is specific to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It admits a driver and passengers in a private vehicle, or the cardholder plus three additional people to the park for 12 months from the purchase month. This pass does not cover other fees associated with activities such as camping or commercial tours. | $45 | |
Thank you for supporting Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore! Fees collected by buying an entrance pass or America the Beautiful Pass are used to support visitor services and improvements around the park like creating new waysides, maintaining campsites and public use areas, and incorporating accessibility features into the park. Entrance fees apply to all park visitors aged 16 and older.
Hours
| Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore | Daily · All Day |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and December the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Campgrounds
| Little Beaver Lake Campground | 9 sites | |
| $25 a night · This small campground (8 sites) is located 3 miles north of Alger County Road H-58 and 20 miles northeast of Munising on Little Beaver Lake. | ||
| Twelvemile Beach Campground | 37 sites | |
| $25 a night · Twelvemile Beach Campground is open mid-May through mid-October. Closed the rest of the year. | ||
| Hurricane River Campground | 22 sites | |
| $25 a night · All park campsites require a reservation, which is obtained through www.recreation.gov. Campground is open daily mid-May through mid-October. | ||
| Masse Homestead Group Backpacking Site | 1 site | |
| $5 a night · 1 reservable | ||
| Au Sable East Group Backpacking Site | 1 site | |
| $5 a night · 1 reservable | ||
Show all 25 campgroundsHide
Every campground here has its own page on Campsite Atlas, with site counts, hookups, rig limits and booking windows. All of them on one page → How park camping works
Visitor centers
- Munising Falls Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
See below for hours, directions, and contact information.
- Grand Sable Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
See below for hours, directions, and contact information.
- Miners Castle Visitor Contact Station
Buy your park pass and get trip-planning information!
Explore
Things to do
- Commercial Tours
Several authorized companies offer guided kayak tours, ice climbing activities, and hiking/camping trips in the park.
Opens on the Park Service site - Walks and Hikes Over a Mile1-5 Hours
Longer hikes and walks lead to stunning cliff views, remote beaches, the Beaver Basin Wilderness, Au Sable Lighthouse, and many other scenic areas.
Opens on the Park Service site - Walks and Hikes of One Mile or Less30-60 Minutes
Pictured Rocks offers 100 miles of hiking and walking trails leading to waterfalls, beaches, forest wilderness, cultural sites, and breathtaking cliff-top views of Lake Superior. Here are some of the shorter trails.
Opens on the Park Service site - Kayaking and Kayak Safety
Thinking about kayaking at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore? Make sure you have the right kind of boat and are aware of all safety issues!
Opens on the Park Service site - Drive-In Camping at Pictured Rocks1-14 Days
Pictured Rocks has three drive-in campgrounds open May 15 through Oct. 15. Two are along Lake Superior and the third is on a beautiful inland lake.
Opens on the Park Service site - Snowshoeing at Pictured Rocks
Snowshoeing is a very popular winter sport at Pictured Rocks. There is one official trail, but almost the entire park is open for snowshoeing.
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 11Hide
- Places To See in One Hour1-1 Hours
You could easily spend half a day exploring any of these locations, but if you only have an hour to see some quick scenic sites, here are some options!
Opens on the Park Service site - Swimming at Pictured Rocks
Pictured Rocks has several beautiful beach areas for swimming and wading in Lake Superior. Two of the park's inland lakes have sandy bottom areas suitable for swimming. There are no lifeguarded beaches.
Opens on the Park Service site - Non-Kayak Boating at Pictured Rocks
There's more to boating at Pictured Rocks than just kayaking! Bring your canoe, motorized boat, sailboat, or paddleboard to the park.
Opens on the Park Service site - Backcountry Camping at Pictured Rocks1-14 Days
Pictured Rocks offers a variety of backpacking opportunities for individuals and groups. Most backcountry campgrounds are along the North Country National Scenic Trail, and many are close to Lake Superior.
Opens on the Park Service site - Pictured Rocks Cruises Boat Tour2-3 Hours
Taking a narrated boat tour is the easiest way to view the colorful Pictured Rocks cliffs.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Events
- 11:00 AM · runs through Oct 15 · freeMeet at the Au Sable Lighthouse. Park at the Hurricane River Day Use area and walk 1.5 miles east on the lighthouse trail.
- Geology Walking Tour10/1411:00 AM · runs through Oct 17 · free
- Marsh Trail Walk10/1410:30 AM · freeMeet at the entrance to the Sand Point Marsh Trail.
- North Country Trail Guided Hike10/1410:30 AM · free
News
- Sand Point Road to Close October 1 -14 for Culvert Replacement at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore ↗2026-09-22
Sand Point Road will be temporarily closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic east of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore boundary from October 1 until October 14 for a culvert replacement project.
- Munising Falls Trail Construction Contract Awarded ↗2026-09-03
The National Park Service has awarded a $2.8 million contract to McKenzie Construction and Site Development, LLC (Washington, D.C.) to repair and replace the Munising Falls Trail and improve accessibility to the lower…
- Sand Point Road Closure Postponed ↗2026-07-08
The planned closure of Sand Point Road has been postponed until further notice because of unexpected project delays. Sand Point Road and the beach remain open and accessible.
- Sand Point Road to Close July 8 - 17 for Culvert Replacement at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore ↗2026-06-30
Sand Point Road will be temporarily closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic east of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore boundary from Wednesday, July 8 until Friday, July 17, for a culvert replacement project.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Au Sable Light StationBuilding · Grand Marais · 11.3 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Guidebooks for Michigan's national parks and Michigan
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
- Explorer's Guide 50 Hikes on and Around the North Country Trail - Michigan and WisconsinThomas Funke, 2016Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthPeregrine Falcon 1× · American Black Bear 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 216 birds, 52 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Barred Owl · Broad-winged Hawk · Cooper's Hawk · Great Gray Owl · Great Horned Owl · Long-eared Owl · Marsh Hawk · Merlin · Northern Hawk-owl · Northern Saw-whet Owl · Osprey · Peregrine Falcon · Red-shouldered Hawk · Red-tailed Hawk · Sharp-shinned Hawk · Short-eared Owl · Turkey Vulture · eastern screech-owl · snowy owl
Waterfowl & wadersAmerican Bittern · American Black Duck · American Coot · American White Pelican · Blue-winged Teal · Bufflehead · Canada Goose · Common Goldeneye · Common Loon · Common Merganser · Double-crested Cormorant · Great Blue Heron · Greater Scaup · Green-winged Teal · Hooded Merganser · Horned Grebe · Lesser Scaup · Northern Pintail · Pied-billed Grebe · Red-breasted Merganser · Red-necked Grebe · Red-throated Loon · Sandhill Crane · Trumpeter Swan · Wood Duck · Yellow Rail
Shorebirds & seabirdsAmerican Woodcock · Bonaparte's Gull · Common Snipe · Greater Yellowlegs · Herring Gull · Killdeer · Least Sandpiper · Lesser Yellowlegs · Piping Plover · Ring-billed Gull · Ruddy Turnstone · Sabine's Gull · Sanderling · Semipalmated Plover · Semipalmated Sandpiper · Solitary Sandpiper · Spotted Sandpiper · Upland Sandpiper · Wilson's Phalarope · black tern
Gamebirds & dovesMourning Dove · Ruffed Grouse · Sharp-tailed Grouse · Wild Turkey · rock pigeon
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Pileated Woodpecker · Red-headed Woodpecker · Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift · Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Also on the checklist1540 · 1800 · 2250 · 2980 · 3520 · 3900 · 6120 · 6140 · Alder Flycatcher · American Crow · American Goldfinch · American Redstart · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · American Widgeon · Baltimore Oriole · Bank Swallow · Barn Swallow · Bay-breasted Warbler · Black-and-white Warbler · Black-billed Cuckoo · Black-throated Blue Warbler · Black-throated Green Warbler · Blackburnian Warbler · Blackpoll Warbler · Blue Jay · Bobolink · Bohemian Waxwing · Boreal Chickadee · Brewer's Blackbird · Brown Creeper · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Canada Warbler · Cape May Warbler · Cedar Waxwing · Cerulean Warbler · Chestnut-sided Warbler · Chipping Sparrow · Clay-colored Sparrow · Common Grackle · Common Moorhen · Common Nighthawk · Common Raven · Common Yellowthroat · Connecticut Warbler · Dark-eyed Junco · Dickcissel · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Meadowlark · Eastern Phoebe · Eastern Wood Pewee · European Starling · Evening Grosbeak · Field Sparrow · Fox Sparrow · Gadwall · Golden-crowned Kinglet · Golden-winged Warbler · Gray Catbird · Gray Jay · Great-crested Flycatcher · Harris' Sparrow · Hermit Thrush · Hoary Redpoll · House Sparrow · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · LALO · LEBI · LeConte's Sparrow · Least Flycatcher · Lincoln's Sparrow · Loggerhead Shrike · Magnolia Warbler · Mallard · Marsh Wren · Mourning Warbler · Nashville Warbler · Northern Cardinal · Northern Goshawk · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Parula · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern Shoveler · Northern Shrike · Northern Waterthrush · Olive-sided Flycatcher · Ovenbird · Palm Warbler · Philadelphia Vireo · Pine Grosbeak · Pine Siskin · Pine Warbler · Purple Finch · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Redhead · Rock Wren · Rose-breasted Grosbeak · Roughleg · Ruby-crowned Kinglet · Rufous-sided Towhee · Savannah Sparrow · Scarlet Tanager · Sedge Wren · Snow Bunting · Solitary Vireo · Song Sparrow · Sora · Swainson'sThrush · Swamp Sparrow · Tennessee Warbler · Veery · Vesper Sparrow · Warbling Vireo · Western Meadowlark · Whip-poor-will · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · White-throated Sparrow · White-winged Crossbill · Willow Flycatcher · Wilson's Warbler · Winter Wren · Wood Thrush · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-bellied Flycatcher · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-headed Blackbird · Yellow-rumped Warbler · Yellow-throated Vireo · black-capped chickadee · blue-gray gnatcatcher
Small mammalsArctic shrew · Beaver · Brown Rat · Eastern Cottontail · Eastern Gray Squirrel · Eastern chipmunk · House Mouse · Masked shrew · Meadow jumping mouse · Meadow vole · Muskrat · Northern flying squirrel · Porcupine · Pygmy shrew · Red squirrel · Red-backed vole · Short-tailed shrew · Snowshoe hare · Southern Bog Lemming · Southern flying squirrel · Star-nosed mole · Water shrew · White-footed Deermouse · Woodland deer mouse · Woodland jumping mouse · least chipmunk
PredatorsAmerican Badger · Black bear · Bobcat · Canadian Lynx · Common Gray Fox · Common Otter · Coyote · Ermine · Fisher · Gray wolf · Long-tailed weasel · Marten · Mink · Raccoon · Red fox · Striped skunk
Hoofed mammalsMoose · White-tailed deer
BatsBig Brown Bat · Black Bat · Eastern red bat · Hoary Bat · Little brown bat · Northern myotis
Also on the checklistEastern woodchuck
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Camping in the national parks · Canoeing and kayaking in the national parks · Diving and snorkeling in the national parks · Fishing in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Rock climbing in the national parks · Skiing in the national parks · Stargazing in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 45 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Summers are pleasant with the average highs in June, July, and August in the 70s°F, and lows in the low 50s°F. The coldest months are December through March with average highs of 25°F to 32°F, and average lows in the teens. Annual precipitation averages 31 inches; average annual snowfall is about 140 inches, although winters with more than 200 inches are not uncommon. Snow generally covers the ground from late November through late April.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to enter Pictured Rocks?
Entrance is $25 per private vehicle, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per person on foot or bike. This pass admits the driver and all passengers in a private-use vehicle for seven consecutive days to all areas of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Source: National Park Service
Which passes work at Pictured Rocks?
The $80 America the Beautiful pass covers the entrance fee here, and a Pictured Rocks-only annual pass is $45.
Source: Is the pass worth it
Can I pay the entrance fee in cash?
No. Pictured Rocks takes cards only at the entrance.
Source: National Park Service
When is entrance to Pictured Rocks free?
Next on October 27, Theodore Roosevelt's birthday. 2 fee-free days are left this year, for US residents only.
Source: Free entrance days
Do I need a reservation to enter Pictured Rocks?
No. There is no timed-entry or entrance reservation at Pictured Rocks. Camping and some tours have their own reservations.
Source: National Park Service
Is Pictured Rocks open year-round?
Yes. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, year-round.
Source: National Park Service
Can I camp in Pictured Rocks?
Yes. The Park Service lists 25 campgrounds in Pictured Rocks: Little Beaver Lake, Twelvemile Beach, Hurricane River, Masse Homestead Group Backpacking Site, and Au Sable East Group Backpacking Site, and more. 25 take reservations through Recreation.gov.
Do any Pictured Rocks campgrounds have hookups or showers?
No. None of the 25 listed campgrounds report showers, electric hookups, or a dump station.
Source: Campgrounds
Do camping fees at Pictured Rocks include the entrance fee?
No. Camping is charged per night on top of the entrance fee or a pass; Little Beaver Lake is $25 a night.
Source: Campgrounds
Is anything closed at Pictured Rocks right now?
1 active alert as of October 14, 2026: Munising Falls Trail Closed Until Further Notice.
Source: Alerts
How busy is Pictured Rocks?
933,966 recreation visits in 2025, number 74 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
What is the weather like at Pictured Rocks?
Summers are pleasant with the average highs in June, July, and August in the 70s°F, and lows in the low 50s°F. The coldest months are December through March with average highs of 25°F to 32°F, and average lows in the teens.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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