Laurie Bashaw and her hubby, Edward enjoy camping all around the U.P. and are sharing their recent camping adventure at Muskallonge State Park, located 28 miles north of Newberry in Luce County. It is a 217 acre park with campground, trails, forests, lakes and streams, bordering Lake Superior. Last summer the park upgraded a storm-damaged staircase with an accessible boardwalk and path so that visitors with all abilities can to get to Lake Superior and enjoy the beauty there. Laurie’s first two photos show the impressive, gradual sloping boardwalk. Her remaining photos give you a glimpse of the beauty to behold on the shores of the Big Lake, once you get to the end of the walkway and path.

I wasn’t familiar with this park, so I looked up some information and was fascinated that it was once a bustling lumber town know as Deer Park, with history dating back to the Native American times. Muskallonge Lake was once a vast mill pond, filled with logs transported by rail. With the decline of the timber industry in the early 1900’s, the landscape evolved into a park, preserving remnants of its past, including sawdust piles and submerged logs. There’s also a former Coast Guard Life Saving Station included in the park’s history.

For an ‘almost live’ look at the upgraded accessible boardwalk, we join Yooperlites – Erik Rintamaki for a walk on the boardwalk and the path that takes you down to Lake Superior.

Muskallonge State Park is one of our favorite places to camp. We especially like a camp site “in the trees”. It’s a short walk to Lake Superior, which we love. And, the North Country Trail runs right through the park. I found my largest Yooperlight here, several years ago. The park was closed last summer because of many upgrades, with the new boardwalk being one of them. Ugly Fish Baking Company is close by as is a nice general store in Deer Park, in case you “need” something.

Looks wonderful!!!

Very nice presentation ,Laurie B.!!!
It looks like a new ride at Cedar Point. Thanks for sharing your adventure.
BTW…Ed would make a great Santa Claus.

Mary says: The gentleman in the video is actually Erik Rintamaki from Yooperlites.com. But Ed is a jolly fellow, too! ;-)

Hi
What a great project and a boon to the mobility-impaired. Like Ed says, it took a lot of work. Two things, though: First, although someone in a wheelchair could get close to Lake Superior, that final downhill on the sand dune would stop them, probably. Second, as someone who has walked on boardwalks in wet or freezing conditions, the boards can ice-up. Regardless, it is a neat pathway.

Mary says: The gentleman in the video is actually Erik Rintamaki from Yooperlites.com. But Ed would probably say the same thing about the walkway taking a lot of work. ;-)

Just a heads up...in case you missed it in my notes up above, the gentleman in the video of the walkway is NOT Laurie's husband Ed. The video content creator is actually Erik Rintamaki, from Yooperlites.com

Such a beautifully crafted walkway for all to enjoy the beauty of the U.P. and Lake Superior. Endless scenery, the U.P. has you covered!

What a wonderful addition to that park...I wish that was here! But getting to agates would still be "not an option".

Visit Keweenaw has a new Air Quality Index tool on their webpage that provides real-time air quality conditions and practical guidance for avoiding wildfire smoke. The new tool comes to the Copper
Country following multiple years of wildfires in Ontario and the upper Midwest. Several factors, including the position of the jet stream, can impact where smoke travels.

The webpage features live AQI conditions, health guidance for different AQI categories, and answers to frequently asked questions.

Click here to access the new tool:
Visit Keweenaw Air Quality Tool

Looking at the pasty cam on today's site, the impact of the smoke from those wildfires is plainly evident . . . WOW! Hope the wind shifts soon and maybe a good rainstorm over those fires might help.

Muskallonge State Park sure looks like an
awesome place to camp (or just to visit!)
Enjoyed learning about some of the history
too. Thanks for taking us along!

The wildfire smoke UP there looks marginally
better on some of the webcams today. But air
conditions down here have deteriorated. We are
in the Hazardous zone today :( So terribly sad
to see so much precious Boreal forest ablaze.

What a great upgrade for this very nice state park. I camped there in 2022 and had a terrible time getting down to the big Lake and then back up.

There was a lot of black sand in spots along the beach and a gold prospector was busy there earning his breakfast.

This location also affords a convenient jump off point to the Crisp Point Lighthouse and the Mouth of the Two Hearted River.

Here is a Air Quality Dynamic Map.
Click on the "Air Quality" button near the bottom, along the left side. It also offers a 4 day forecast. I don't know how accurate an air movement prediction is, compared to overall weather predictions.