Keweenaw Peninsula Trip: July 10-14, 2006 Our latest lighthouse trip was to the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan. We arrived on Monday, July 10 and stayed through Friday, July 14. On the way to our cabin near Eagle Harbor, we stopped in Ontonagon to see the lighthouse there.

Even though this light was situated in the middle of the Smurfit paper mill, we hardly noticed. They are doing such a fabulous job of restoring it, that we were able to put ourselves back in time and really enjoy the tour. We were also able to see the Ontonagon Pier Light. After settling in at our cabin between Eagle Harbor and Copper Harbor, we enjoyed the spectacular Lake Superior shoreline right outside our door.

---

The next day we took the ferry out to the Copper Harbor Lighthouse. This lighthouse is nearly identical to the Ontonagon Lighthouse, having been built from the same plans and in the same year. Again, a great light, but because everything was behind glass, it didn't have that feeling of going back in time that the Ontonagon light did. Back on shore, we went to Ft. Wilkins State Park to find the old rear range light. It's not in very good shape, and supposedly it's being used as a residence for the manager of the state park. Leaving Ft. Wilkins, we went to the end of Highway 41. It was strange to see it end as a gravel road because we travel a portion of Highway 41 in Wisconsin all the time. After checking out this spot, we went to Bete Grise to see the Mendota Lighthouse. We enjoyed the view of the light while we picnicked across the channel from it. Before heading back to our cabin, we checked out the Delaware Mine. Our three-year old girl thought going underground was pretty neat. That evening we enjoyed the lakeshore--throwing rocks, watching feighters go by, and witnessing an incredible sunset.

---

On Wednesday we drove down to McLain State Park to see the light on the breakwater. We also enjoyed wading in the water at the beach. After leaving McLain, we went to see the Keweenaw Lower Entrance Light as well as the Jacobsville Lighthouse. We really enjoyed walking out on the breakwater to the the entrance light--the view of Keweenaw Bay was beautiful. From Jacobsville we drove to Houghton to bike along the Portage River. On the way back to our cabin we stopped at the Eagle Harbor marina to look at the Eagle Harbor lighthouse from across the harbor.We ended the evening by skipping stones, swimming, and watching the sunset by our cabin.

---

On Thursday we checked out the Sand Hills Lighthouse, which is a bed and breakfast. What a fortress! We can't wait to go back sometime without Emmaline so we can stay! We also found the Eagle River Lighthouse. We spent a little time swinging in the park up the hill, which afforded us an incredible view of the lantern room against Lake Superior. When we had had enough swinging, we went to Eagle Harbor to see the lighthouse and rear range there. The Eagle Harbor Lighthouse is very charming, and we enjoyed sitting on the nearby deck eating ice cream. And since it got so hot up there, we even spent time at the beach in Eagle Harbor with a few quick dips in the water!

---

On Friday we had to go home. After a week of incredible weather, the sky turned black and opened up on us when we were on the road for a half hour. What timing! The rain even let up enough for us to get out and photograph the Sand Point Lighthouse in Baraga.