{"id":4161,"date":"2013-08-18T14:00:16","date_gmt":"2013-08-18T14:00:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mymichigantrips.com\/wp\/?p=4161"},"modified":"2017-02-05T14:07:06","modified_gmt":"2017-02-05T14:07:06","slug":"horseshoe-harbor-hike-copper-harbor-michigan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mymichigantrips.com\/wp\/horseshoe-harbor-hike-copper-harbor-michigan\/","title":{"rendered":"Horseshoe Harbor Hike – Copper Harbor Michigan"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mary Macdonald Preserve at Horseshoe Harbor – Aug 18, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The short trail down to Horseshoe Harbor in the Mary Macdonald Preserve really is not anything special. It is just a rocky walk through a fairly dense forest. However, when break out of the woods on to the red cobble beach of the harbor you will see why this beautiful area has been protected. To north is huge bedrock wall that protects the natural harbor. The wall slants down into the water and turns into a chain of small islands sinking into the blue water of Lake Superior. We were here on a clam day, but this must an incredible place to be when the wind and waves are kicking up from the north.<\/p>\n

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On our second afternoon in Copper Harbor we drove out towards the end of the Keweenaw Peninsula and visited the Mary Mcdonald Preserve at Horseshoe Harbor. After turning off the main road it is just over a mile down the narrow dirt road to the trailhead. A few spots were at little rough but you should be able to make it even in a small car. Although, we did see a couple groups that parked their cars by the turnoff and walked down to the trailhead.<\/p>\n

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There are a few pull off parking spots on the right side of the road and the beginning of the trail to Horseshoe Harbor is marked with the post shown above.<\/p>\n

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A rough and rocky trail heads slightly down hill toward Lake Superior.<\/p>\n

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After about 0.35 miles you break out of the woods and on to the red rock shore of Horseshoe Harbor.<\/p>\n

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A panoramic of the harbor standing by the rock wall on the west end of the Harbor.<\/p>\n

Click here to see the larger version of this photo >><\/a><\/p>\n

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I\"\"<\/a>n my Hiking Michigan’s Upper Peninsula Book<\/a><\/strong> it has you continuing along the base of the rock wall for another 0.5 mile until it turns back into a small string of islands. Just a little ways up the path the trail was flooded right up to the wall. We tried going further inland, but it was too thick so we just went back to the rocky beach.<\/p>\n

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Reid learned that the bigger the rock…the bigger the splash.<\/p>\n