A Day to Remember: Pictured Rocks

We have taken many trips to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. No matter the season, it never disappoints. Our trip in October 2020 was one unlike any other that we had experienced. It was a brisk fall day. We arrived at the trailhead to find a ton of people already there. We had gotten a little bit of a late start. We had to park approximately 3/4 mile from the trailhead. This is not ideal considering it is already a 10+ mile hike we planned on doing. We quickly made our way to the trailhead as people poured in. We hike fast, so we passed a lot of people on our way. We figure the faster we get around the crowds, the sooner we can have some time by ourselves with nature. After about a mile or so into the trail, you come across the beautiful Chapel Falls. It really does have to be seen to believe. We took in the sight from the top of the waterfall, but it is only after you pass over a small bridge and get to the overlook that you truly understand its size and complexity. We took a short break here to take a few photographs and just take in the view. Just as amazing as we remembered. The only difference this time was that the fall colors were on full display.

We then began our trip out to the mighty Chapel Rock. It is about a mile and half from Chapel Falls. You descend slightly for most of the way. The breeze hid the sound of the waves crashing into the shoreline. This kept us wondering how close we were. It had been a few years since our last visit, so we couldn't remember exactly how far it was. All of a sudden, we popped out right next to the iconic rock. It is so iconic, that it is on the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore quarter that is floating around in our currency. There were a lot of people admiring it from the top, so we made our way down to the base of it and I snapped a few pictures. The tree's roots stretch from the rock to the cliffs nearby. The cliffs used to connect to Chapel Rock, but it was broken some time ago leaving only the roots.

From the base of the rock, we continued across a small bridge and we took the picture below.

We then continued along Chapel Beach. It was really windy, so the waves were pretty good sized. I took a picture at the end of the beach.

From the end of the beach, we continued on the trail. This leads along the shoreline and cliffs. The below picture is just one of cliffs we encountered. Lots of people were crowding the overlooks so we quickly made our way towards Grand Portal Point which was going to be the turnaround for our out and back hike.

We arrived at Grand Portal Point. It somehow exceeded our expectations. We had been there several times before, but the water, cliff, and trees had such wonderful color.

After taking in the view for a short period of time. We began to make our way back to the trailhead. When we arrived, there was an ambulance there. They had to go in and rescue two people because they had been hurt. This trail is definitely not that difficult, but it is strenuous for someone who is not an avid hiker due to its distance. The shortest loop you can take while making it to Miners beach is close to 10 miles, so it should not be taken lightly. It is well worth the trip in any season (except for winter unless you plan on snowmobiling back there). We have been to Pictured Rocks many times and we will post more information about the other portions of the trail.