Porcupine Mountains State Park: Escarpment Trail (Blog Hike #649)

Trail: Escarpment Trail

Hike Location: Porcupine Mountains State Park

Geographic Location: west of Ontonagon, MI (46.80387, -89.76561)

Length: 4 miles round trip

Difficulty: 9/10 (Difficult)

Date Hiked: July 2017

Overview: An out-and-back along a rocky escarpment overlooking Lake of the Clouds.

Park Information: http://www.michigandnr.com/parksandtrails/Details.aspx?type=SPRK&id=426

Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=733353
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: From Ontonagon, take SR 64 west 12.6 miles to the state park entrance.  SR 64 turns left here, but you need to continue straight to begin SR 107 and enter the park.  Drive SR 107 another 8.5 miles to its end at the large Lake of the Clouds parking area.  Park here.

The hike: For my general comments on Porcupine Mountains State Park, see my hike to Summit Peak from August 2001, a hike that makes a nice short add-on to this one.  Tennessee has the Great Smokies; Michigan has the Great Porkies.  Just like Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most famous hiking destination in Tennessee, Porcupine Mountains State Park may be the finest hiking destination in Michigan.  The park’s 59,000 acres of largely undeveloped land make it one of the largest wilderness parks in the eastern United States.

Perhaps the most scenic spot in the Porkies is Lake of the Clouds.  Separated from Lake Superior by a single rocky ridge, mountain-surrounded Lake of the Clouds stands out as a shiny blue splotch on a carpet of green.  The Escarpment Trail described here takes you down that single rocky ridge, and therefore it may offer the best hike in all of Michigan.  The most scenic part of the trail is the westernmost 2 miles that overlook Lake of the Clouds, and that is the portion described here.

Main trailhead at Lake of the Clouds

            From the main trailhead at the southeast end of the parking area, head up the asphalt trail that heads to the Escarpment Trail and to the developed Lake of the Clouds overlooks.  Like my Smokies hike to Clingman’s Dome, this initial segment of asphalt trail is quite steep, and in 300 feet you reach the main rocky overlook for Lake of the Clouds.  Perched above the western end of the lake, this overlook gives a terrific view down the length of the lake and over the Big Carp River, both of which lie nearly 400 vertical feet below you. 

Lake of the Clouds, as seen from main overlook

After taking in the postcard tourist view of Lake of the Clouds, come back down off of the rocky overlook and turn right to begin an eastward course on the Escarpment Trail.  Most park visitors just walk up to the overlook and back, so the crowds you may have encountered thus far will thin after you leave the overlook area.  The Escarpment Trail is marked with blue metal diamonds nailed to trees, but the path is well-trodden and easy to follow. 

Exiting the overlook area

            The gravel trail with wooden side rails descends on a moderate grade as it loses 130 feet of elevation over the first 0.3 miles.  The trail switchbacks to the left after passing a secondary overlook that offers another partially obstructed view of Lake of the Clouds.  For the most part scraggly pines are the only trees to live in this ridge’s rocky soil, but they are enough to block the view from this overlook.

            The gravel soon ends, and the trail surface turns to dirt and rock.  At 0.3 miles, you reach a signed intersection where the North Mirror Lake Trail exits right.  The North Mirror Lake Trail leads 0.5 steep rocky miles down to Lake of the Clouds and then to points beyond.  A primitive campsite and bench also sit at this intersection, which is the lowest elevation of this hike.  Keep straight to continue the Escarpment Trail.

Hiking through the forest

            The next 0.6 miles is a gradual to moderate climb through mixed pine and broadleaf forest that gains just over 200 feet of elevation.  At 0.9 miles, you come out onto another sunny rock outcrop that offers another excellent Lake of the Clouds viewpoint.  In general, the Escarpment Trail goes back and forth between shady forest and sunny outcrop with about 20% of the distance exposed to the sun.

Hiking over a rocky outcrop

            Upon reaching the eastern side of the outcrop, the trail descends steeply for a short distance to reenter the forest.  The next 0.4 miles comprise the Escarpment Trail’s only flat section, and the ease of walking makes up for the lack of views.  At 1.6 miles, you drop through a steep ravine and begin this hike’s hardest climb: the trail gains 140 feet of elevation in less than 0.2 miles.

Approaching final rock outcrop

            1.8 miles into the hike, you reach the final rock outcrop, which stands above the east end of Lake of the Clouds.  Water enters the lake here and flows out via the Big Carp River on the lake’s west end.   Continuing east another 0.2 miles atop the outcrop brings you to the “old” Lake of the Clouds overlook.  Before SR 107 was built in 1935, this point represented the most easily accessed view of Lake of the Clouds.  It is interesting to compare the westward view this overlook offers with the eastward one offered by the modern overlook near this hike’s start.  Some rocks make nice but sunny places to sit, rest, and enjoy a trail snack.

View from "old" Lake of the Clouds overlook

            The Escarpment Trail continues east another 2.2 miles before ending at a major trailhead along SR 107, but the rest of the trail offers much elevation change with no more views.  Thus, unless you can arrange a car shuttle at the eastern trailhead, the old overlook is a good place to turn around.  Retracing your steps 2 miles returns you to the modern overlook and trailhead to complete the hike.