With natural beauty so close to home, it’s a wonder why anyone would want to vacation outside of Michigan. Mountains, rock formations, natural sand dunes, waterfalls, an abundance of snow, forests and wildlife ... we’ve got it all.

Want to see mountains? There’s no need to leave the state! Visit the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the UP. This 60,000-acre park has the largest tract of old-growth timber in the Midwest. View the breath taking scenes of Lake of the Clouds; hike the 23 miles of the North Country Trail or follow the Lake Superior Trail for most of the 20 miles it borders the Lake Superior shore. Listen to the relaxing sounds of the 60 waterfalls and watch the wildlife, including whitetail deer and Midwest black bear.

Stunning views of Lake of the Clouds in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the Western Upper Peninsula.
Photo credit: Travel Michigan

How about different rock formations? Try Arch Rock or Pictured Rocks. The natural limestone formation of Arch Rock is located on Mackinac Island and rises 149 feet above the Straits of Mackinac. Pictured Rocks is a mineral-stained, sandstone cliff that rises from Lake Superior in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. These brown, tan and green, color-shaded cliffs have been shaped by wind, ice and pounding waves. Also visit Miner’s Castle, Battleship Row, Indian Head, Lover’s Leap, the Color Caves, Rainbow Cave and Chapel Rock—all in the Pictured Rock National Lakeshore.

Miners Castle, one of the many sculptured rocks in the 70,000-acre Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Photo Credit: Jason Skantze

Have you ever run down the sand dunes in West Michigan? Try the Sleeping Bear Dunes in Leelanau and Benzie counties, and Silver Lake Sand Dunes between the shores of Lake Michigan and Silver Lake. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore has over 50,000 acres along Lake Michigan with hills and forests, numerous lakes and rivers, sugar sand beaches, and the massive, coastal sand dunes and bluffs. Discover the Silver Lake sand dunes by renting a Jeep, or take a scenic dune buggy tour. Make sure you visit the Little Point Sable’s historic lighthouse.


Sleeping Bear Dunes, in Leelanau and Benzie Counties, has over 50,000 acres of dunes, bluffs, forests, lakes and rivers, and sugar sand beaches.

Waterfalls? There are over 150 waterfalls in Michigan to choose from. The most popular is Tahquamenon Falls in the UP. The Upper Falls is one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. It has a drop of nearly 50 feet and is more than 200 feet across. The falls flow more than 50,000 gallons of water per second over the precipice. The Lower Falls, which has five smaller falls around an island, can be viewed from the riverbank or from the island, which can be reached by rowboat. The island walk offers a view of the falls in the south channel.

Tahquamenon Falls in Paradise is Michigan’s most popular falls with spectacular upper and lower falls.
Photo Credit: Jason Skantze

Hartwick Pines State Park has nearly 10,000 acres of old-growth pines and houses the Michigan Forest Visitor Center, which is the official state interpretative center of the Michigan Forest Industry, a logging museum with hiking trails featuring interpretive hikes. This historic logging park has a 1,800-square-foot, hands-on exhibit area and 105 seat, nine-projector theater. Walk through the pines on the foot trails, take a guided interpretive hike, or see an evening program from professional park interpreters on staff.

Are you a snow lover? Michigan is a winter wonderland with many outdoor activities that snow lovers will enjoy. Snowmobiling is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Michigan. There are 6,100 miles of trails located throughout the state in six state forests, three national forests, and many acres of privately owned lands. Snowmobilers can ride through many state parks including Coldwater State Park, Hart-Montague Trail State Park, Holly Recreation Area, Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area, Porcupine Mountains State Park, Tawas Point and Fred Meijer White Pine Trail.

If skiing is more to your liking, Michigan has more than 40 downhill ski resorts. Many cities, towns, and communities have cross-country skiing trails that lead through forests, beside lakes and across meadows. Or if you’re a snowboarder, nearly every downhill ski area in Michigan now operates a terrain park.

With all this natural beauty, why go anywhere else? Not many places can offer what Michigan has to offer in natural beauty. Vacation in the state you call home … a state with natural beauty in your own backyard.