Lake of the Clouds: The View That Made Me Say, “THIS Is in the U.P.?”

I've lived in the Upper Peninsula a long time. (all of my life)

I've seen plenty of places that make you stop, look around and just take it all in for a minute.

But the first time I walked out to Lake of the Clouds, my reaction was pretty much...

OMG.

How in the heck is this in my Upper Peninsula?

Seriously.

You drive deep into Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, park the vehicle, and then here's the crazy part...

You only have to walk about 300 feet.

That's it.

And suddenly, the whole world seems to open up in front of you.

Only 300 Feet to That View

Lake of the Clouds really isn't much of a hike, at least not if you're just visiting the main overlook.

According to the Michigan DNR, it's about a 100-yard walk from the parking area using a paved trail or accessible boardwalk. There's also an accessible observation platform at the overlook.

That's one of the things that surprised me most about this place.

You don't have to hike miles into the wilderness. You don't have to strap on a backpack and disappear into the Porkies for half the day.

You walk a few hundred feet...

And there it is.

Lake of the Clouds sits way below you, surrounded by the Porcupine Mountains and what looks like endless forest.

On a clear day, the view can stretch for more than 20 miles.

And yeah, you've probably seen pictures of it.

I had too.

Pictures are nice.

But standing there looking at it?

That's something else.

You're Probably Not Going to Have It to Yourself

Now, Lake of the Clouds definitely isn't some secret U.P. spot nobody knows about.

Not even close.

The Michigan DNR calls it the most visited site in Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, and another DNR page describes it as the park's most photographed feature.

After standing there myself, I completely understand why.

My first visit was busy.

There were plenty of other people around the overlook, and I even saw people venturing into areas where I wasn't willing to go.

Nope.

There are cliff warnings here for a reason.

I stayed in the designated overlook area, and I'd recommend everybody else do the same.

You don't need to crawl out toward the edge or do something crazy to appreciate this place.

Trust me.

There's plenty to see from where you're supposed to be.

My Biggest Tip: Go Early

I've been to Lake of the Clouds twice now.

And my second visit was completely different.

I got there earlier in the day, there were way fewer people around, and for a while I basically had the overlook to myself.

Now that was nice.

Just me and that ridiculous view.

It made a huge difference.

I'm not going to promise you'll get the same experience. This is the most visited spot in the park, after all. Plenty of other people have the same idea.

But if I were sending somebody to Lake of the Clouds for the first time?

I'd go early.

Absolutely.

Parking can also be limited during busy summer and fall periods, so getting there early may help with more than just avoiding the crowds.

If I go back for a third visit, that's exactly what I'm doing.

## You're Looking Across Something Pretty Special

Once you're standing there, it's easy to focus on the lake.

I mean... obviously.

Look at it.

But there's a much bigger story spread out in front of you.

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park covers roughly 60,000 acres, making it Michigan's largest state park.

Within it are roughly 35,000 acres of primary, uncut forest.

That's a whole lot of woods.

And that forest is a big part of the Porkies' story.

Mining reached the area by the mid-1800s, and logging followed later. Much of the rugged interior escaped the earliest logging, but renewed logging pressure in the late 1930s and early 1940s threatened more of the forest.

In 1945, the Porcupine Mountains became a Michigan state park, with protecting the remaining old forest playing a major role in its history.

I think knowing that changes the view a little.

At least it did for me.

You're not just standing above a pretty lake surrounded by trees.

You're looking across a landscape that people made a decision to protect.

All those miles of forest stretching out in front of you could have a very different story.

Instead, decades later, we get to stand there and look across it.

That's pretty cool.

Before You Go

Lake of the Clouds is one of those U.P. stops that gives you a huge payoff without requiring a huge adventure.

During the normal driving season, it's only about a 300-foot walk from the parking area to the main overlook.

A Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry into the state park.

Vehicle access is also seasonal. M-107 generally closes at Whitetail around December 1 and remains closed to normal vehicle traffic through late spring.

During busy summer and fall periods, parking can fill up.

And once you reach the overlook, pay attention to the cliff warnings and stay in the designated viewing area.

Really, that's about it.

You don't need a giant hiking plan.

You don't need a pile of gear.

You pretty much just need to get there.

Is Lake of the Clouds Worth the Stop?

I've been there twice.

I'd go a third time.

Actually...

I probably will.

Because even after seeing it once, that second visit still got me.

There's something about standing there looking across Lake of the Clouds and realizing that this huge landscape is still part of Michigan.

Still part of the Upper Peninsula.

My Upper Peninsula.

And somehow I'd gone all those years without seeing it.

That's probably what stuck with me more than anything.

I've lived up here a long time. I've driven plenty of U.P. roads, wandered through plenty of woods and stopped at plenty of places that made me think, "Well, that's pretty cool."

Then I walked out to Lake of the Clouds.

OMG.

Apparently the U.P. still has a few tricks up its sleeve.

And maybe that's what I like most about exploring this place.

Every time I start thinking I've seen most of it, somewhere like Lake of the Clouds comes along and reminds me...

Not even close.