Posted on 03/14/2015 5:06:24 AM PDT by cripplecreek
ONTONAGON, MI -- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources hopes you'll think "Porkies" when considering which state park is best in the U.S.
The Upper Peninsula's Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is leading the pack among 19 other state parks across the country vying for the title of "Best State Park" in a new USA Today travel awards poll.
The 60,000-acre park near Ontonagon on the shores of Lake Superior is one of the few remaining large wilderness areas in the Midwest, according to the Michigan DNR. The park is popular with hikers drawn to the large tracts of towering virgin timber, secluded lakes, waterfalls and miles of wild rivers and streams.
The park features 90 miles of hiking trails, kayak rentals, mountain biking and skiing in the winter. It is Michigan's only designated wilderness area.
Other nominees in the poll include Antelope Island State Park in Utah, Stone Mountain State Park in North Carolina, the Indiana Dunes State Park, Humboldt Redwoods State Park in California and Devil's Lake State Park in Wisconsin.
Fans of the park can vote daily through March 30 at 11:59 a.m. to help the Porkies win the USA Today poll.
Vote
I’ve heard stories like that before. I learned in Massaschusetts; pretty much the same thing.
You took the words right out of my mouth....
Rented cabins you had to backpack into in the 80’s with my (late) father. Best memories I have. Thanks so much for the ping.
Have you ever ridden The Dragon’s Tail in Tennessee near the Smokies?
We drove it in a car and saw that it was a motorcycle mecca.
I think every biker in the country knows about the Dragon’s Tail...we lived in TN for a while, but never got down there myself. It’s on my ‘bucket list’ as soon as I get moved back there...
So glad you posted this. I have been voting.
yep...... I’ll second that thought
Beautiful.
I like to see places like that but they’re too dry for me. I like rain and lots of it.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is spectacular in a car, especially in the Spring. It would be even more spectacular on a motorcycle, I’m sure.
My vote for second place would be John Pennekamp State Park at the top of the Keys.
Also a vote for the Silver Springs area near Ocala.
Having had a serious motorcycle accident in 1988 that made me a member of the Broken Angels Motorcycle Club, I decided to restrict my riding to four wheel vehicles. Several years ago I drove the Blue Ridge Parkway in my Navigator. It was great but, had I been ten years younger, I’d have done it on a BMW R 1200 RT. Oh, sweet bird of youth, how thou art flown.
Well, we can still enjoy beautiful scenery, so we have much to be grateful for. At least I do.
Beautiful pic, I’ve never been there or Porcupine either other than perhaps driving through. Only places in the UP I’ve spent time is Pictured Rocks and Isle Royale if that counts. So many National Parks/Monuments/Refuges, then add state to it. I’m reminded of the recent articles of the couple who drove through every county in the US, parks would be more fun.
Did you take that image?
No I didn’t.
I haven’t been up there for several years. Need to get back there.
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