Sign in with Facebook"Houghton, Michigan, Our Home Away From Home" Top 5 Page for this destination Houghton by KimberlyAnn
Houghton Travel Guide: 104 reviews and 184 photos
Located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (the U.P) you could say that this area of the country is our "second home" as we spend our summers here each year. Laying at the northern most tip of Michigan, the Keweenaw area of the Upper Peninsula is approximately fifty miles long. Within this peninsula you will find the "Copper Range," a narrow area along which some four hundred copper mining companies operated between 1872 and 1920. It was these deposits of copper that set off the boom years and spurred settlement of Michigan's Upper Peninsula. The Keweenaw waterway passes between the towns of Houghton and Hancock, and to travel across the waterway you will pass over the quarter-mile Portage Lake Vertical Lift Bridge. Keweenaw means "portage" in Ojibwa, the language spoken by the Anishinaabe. These ancient people discovered the Portage River and Portage Lake, which provided a natural water pathway across most of the Keweenaw Peninsula. In the late 1800's the short portage at the north end was opened into a canal, which made the Keweenaw (Portage) Waterway an essential commercial shipping route because of the copper boom and resulting population. Today one can travel by boat into Lake Superior from either end of the Keweenaw Waterway. With a population of about 7500, Houghton is snuggled into steep hillsides and is the mainland headquarters of Isle Royale National Park (See my Off the Beaten Path section), and the home of Michigan Technological University. This university has added another dimension to the cultural mix of the Houghton/Hancock area. The U.P. is popular with outdoor enthusiasts, containing many lakes, the rugged shoreline of Lake Superior, and state and national forests, which cover much of the land, preserving large areas of the rugged peninsula's beauty. This area of the country has also been designated as the Keweenaw National Historical Park, which commemorates the heritage of copper mining on the Keweenaw Peninsulal's mines and its people. Within this copper district, historical sites open to the public are set apart by the NPS as "cooperating sites". With this designation a cooperating site is pulled under the Keweenaw National Historical Park umbrella, creating a unique partnership. Brochures are available at the Camber of Commerce in Houghton, or the information center on US 41 in Calumet. For additional information visit the park web site, www.nps.gov\kewe or phone 800-338-7982. Note that each cooperating site manages its own admissions policy and fee structure. The best time to visit here is July and August when the weather is usually at its best. If you come for the magnificent fall colors, be aware that it might be gray, chilly, and rainy. BUT if you hit a fall sunny day, the colors are a great reward. Year round residents tell me that fall colors are usually at their peak the last week of September and the first week of October.
Fall often brings early morning fog to the waters of the Keweenaw Waterway. I always enjoy the beauty of these mornings. Here you see our sailboat, Impulse, at her mooring in late September.
Lupin are just one of the many wild flowers that can be found growing in the U.P.of Michigan. I love these beautiful early summer flowers, and after collecting seeds I was able to establish three patches of lupin near our old summer cabin. One summer I had a couple that came up a beautiful pink, rather than the normal blue color.
- Pros:If you enjoy history or the outdoors, there is plenty to keep you busy here.
- Cons:The weather can be poor, and the mosquitoes and biting flies can be bothersome.
- In a nutshell:This out of the way place is filled with interesting and beautiful places to explore.
Reviews (42)
A Hotel Across the Waterway
Hotels
(5)
The Ramada Waterfront is a full service hotel, located on the waterfront near the Lift Bridge. The hotel is two-story,... more travel advice
Walk or Bike the Houghton Waterfront...
Things to Do
(7)
The Houghton Waterfront Trail is a paved path, with a boardwalk section that is wheel chair friendly and runs along the... more travel advice
Waterfront Park
Things to Do
(7)
Along the Keweenaw waterway on the west side of Houghton, you will find the Waterfront Park recreation area. This park... more travel advice
A Taste From Various Countries
Restaurants
(5)
Victoria’s Kitchen, is open for breakfast and lunch. The prices are very reasonable, and the varied menu will offer you... more travel advice
Travelogues (2)
-
Written Mar 20, 2006
7 photos
Color Season in the Upper Peninsula
-
Written Jan 4, 2009
8 photos
Wild Flowers
1 - 2 of 2
- 1
KimberlyAnn's Related Pages
-
Copper Harbor
-
Marquette
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Calumet
-
Munising
-
West Yellowstone
-
Billings
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Bowling Green
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
White Sands National Monument
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Florence
-
Everglades National Park
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Beaufort
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Murrells Inlet
-
Deadwood
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Big Bend National Park
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
San Antonio
-
Guadalupe Mountains National Park
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Sonora
Houghton Travel Guide
Member Travel Pages
- "Houghton, Michigan, Our Home Away From Home"
- ""My old [Michigan] home""
- "Copper and Turbo"
- "Basaic Isle Royale National Park/Houghton Page"
- "cynthi's Houghton Page"
- "Houghton, MI"
- "lintman1's Houghton Page"
- See All...
Explore the World
KimberlyAnn Visits Here Frequently!
- Member Rank:
- 0 0 1 8 9
- 1,076 Reviews
- Add Friend
- 2,053 Photos
- Send Message
Badges & Stats in Houghton
- 42 Reviews
- 98 Photos
- 70 Forum posts
- 11 Comments
- 15,385PageViews
- See All Stats
- See All Badges (33)
Have you been to Houghton?
Share Your TravelsLatest Activity in Houghton
- updated a Houghton Travel Page "Houghton, Michigan, Our Home Away From Home"
- Uploaded a Photo to "A Small Hike, But Many Environments"
- Wrote a Review A Hotel Across the Waterway in Houghton Hotels
- Uploaded a Video to Houghton
- Replied to ceaserx's Travel Houghton Forum Forum Question "I wish to take the Ranger III to..."
Photos in Houghton
See All Photos (98)
Videos in Houghton
Top 10 Pages
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Yellowstone National Park
Intro, 86 reviews, 208 photos, 5 travelogues
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Cody
Intro, 66 reviews, 208 photos, 6 travelogues
-
Grand Teton National Park
Intro, 57 reviews, 142 photos
-
Florida
Intro, 50 reviews, 92 photos, 1 travelogue
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Houghton
Intro, 42 reviews, 98 photos, 2 travelogues
-
Copper Harbor
Intro, 36 reviews, 90 photos, 3 travelogues
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Marquette
Intro, 31 reviews, 76 photos, 3 travelogues
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park
Intro, 28 reviews, 60 photos
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Big Bend National Park
Intro, 37 reviews, 46 photos
-
Death Valley National Park
Intro, 26 reviews, 52 photos, 1 travelogue
Aquarium
National/State Park
CampingLatest Houghton hotel reviews
- Super 8 Houghton Mi
- 21 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Nov 3, 2011 - Country Inn & Suites By Carlson, Houghton, Mi
- 39 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 22, 2012 - Super 8 Houghton
- 21 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Nov 3, 2011 - Holiday Inn Express Houghton - Keweenaw
- 42 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 22, 2012 - Magnuson Hotel Franklin Square
- 37 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jan 10, 2012 - BUDGET HOST INN HOUGHTON
- 3 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Aug 8, 2011
Comments (11)
It's been 35 yrs. since I've been to UP so loved your pages so I could vicariously return. Great copper warning. I especially enjoyed the Lift Bridge, Strawberry Festival, National Park, Copper Mine, waterfront trail. Just a terrific page.
KimberlyAnn, Thank you for your comments and tip ratings my San Diego page. I used to sail on Lake Michigan years ago, will return again to your wonderful pages with gr8 pics & so much good info! Houghton page is a 10+! Doug
What an interesting and informative tour of your summer hometown. I love lupines also but it is to hot for them here in Texas. Great tips, especially the one about the ground up aspirin. I will have to try that.
Your photos are simply stunning! I esp love your fall colours travelogue and the lupine. thanks for sharing!
Hello KimberlyAnn: Thanks for visiting my pages. I am new to VT and having fun chronicling our travels. Hans and I also love Michigan and Have explored most areas of it except the U.P. Though we live in Windsor ,Michigan is very near and dear to us. Lori.
wonderful page, l grew up in a small place called Houghton in England !
Fall color pictures are so hard to do - you have wonderful ones. And lighthouses are my favs too.
Very nice Houghton page. Love the photos.
Wow this is simply Superb
GOOD T LOG FOTOS
1 - 10 of 11
View 1 More