Stretching across 12 miles of picturesque northern Lake Huron shoreline roughly 30 minutes northeast of the Mackinac Bridge lies a paradise of outdoor recreation, maritime history, exceptional boating experiences, and much more, known as the Les Cheneaux Islands.
Describing all that the archipelago of 36 islands off the jagged shores of Hessel and Cedarville has to offer isn’t an easy task, but the Les Cheneaux Islands Chamber of Commerce coordinator, Sydney Meadows, comes close.
“The area combines the natural beauty of miles of channels throughout the islands and the sparkling Lake Huron shoreline with the small-town charm of two harbor communities,” she says. “Visitors enjoy unique shopping and dining experiences a short walk from the marinas, and can explore the area by paddling, boating, hiking, biking, birding, or ORVing. Our Antique Wooden Boat Show, which takes place in August, is very popular.”
Travel blogger and Michigan native Shalee Super puts it more succinctly: “The Les Cheneaux Islands are an eastern Upper Peninsula oasis.”
Let’s take a closer look at some of the exciting possibilities.
KAYAKING
Perhaps the best way to become immersed in the area’s intriguing beauty is by kayaking around the islands’ endless coves, channels, bays, marshes, and inlets, which also offer protection from Lake Huron’s open waters.
Peninsulas that jut out from the mainland are worth exploring via non-motorized watercraft. Nesting eagles and ospreys, picturesque cottages, antique wooden boats, and wild, forested shorelines are some of the sites visible from the water.
One of many options is paddling to Government Island, the only one of the islands that’s comprised entirely of public land (Hiawatha National Forest). There are five rustic first-come-first-served campsites scattered throughout the mostly white cedar forest, as well as a limited trail system. The north shore features the sandy Government Bay beach, which is nice for swimming.
Woods & Waters (woodsandwaters.eco) offers kayak and paddleboard rentals, plus guided tours ranging from two hours to multiple days. Kayaking tour options include sunrise, sunset, half- and full-day, women-only, and full moon trips. Visitors also can work with guides to create custom tours and schedule kayaking lessons.
“We plan the best routes to take based on the day’s weather,” owner and guide Sue Bakkila says. “Guided trips eliminate the stress of being responsible for all the decisions — and we know where to go, teach you how to paddle, share stories, and manage risks so you can focus on making memories. The water is calmer and warmer than Lake Superior, making this a great place for first-time kayakers.”
BOAT TOURS/RENTALS
Island Charters (islandchartersmi.com) offers a range of custom boat tours, from thoroughly exploring the islands to going all the way to Mackinac Island or Drummond Island.
Shepler’s Ferry Service (sheplersferry.com) hosts a five-hour Les Cheneaux Lighthouse tour that features views of six lighthouses and includes an extensive exploration of island channels and reefs. A Great Lakes Lighthouse Keepers Association expert serves as the narrator.
For those who would rather explore on their own, Hills Point Resort (hillspointresort.com) rents large pontoons (up to 14 passengers) and other types of motorized boats for up to seven days.
Cedarville Marine (cedarvillemarine.com) also rents pontoons, with a maximum capacity of 10 passengers.
FISHING
The species of fish caught around the Les Cheneaux Islands are too numerous to mention but include yellow perch, northern pike, bass, lake trout, whitefish, herring, splake, walleye, and salmon (Atlantic, Chinook, coho, and pink).
Smallmouth bass can be found throughout the islands around rocky bottoms, while brook trout are found in the area’s creeks and streams. The Carp River is known for steelhead. Hill Island Bridge and the pier in Hessel are popular spots for those who like to fish from shore.
Island Charters offers charter fishing options, from big lake to fly-fishing, for up to six passengers. Everything required for fishing (except your license) is provided, including cleaning and filleting services.
HIKING/BIKING
Take time to explore the Little Traverse Conservancy’s (landtrust.org) and The Nature Conservancy’s Michigan chapter’s (nature.org/michigan) multiple nature preserves in the area.
The Bush Bay (Narnia) Trail, which begins from a parking area 5 miles east of Cedarville, stands out, immersing you in a fairy-tale setting at times with its lush greenery and massive, moss-covered boulders, some with trees growing from them. A “Welcome to Narnia” post placed among the boulders can be found just over a mile in.
The one-way, 2-mile trek also features towering pine and cedar trees; several coves along Lake Huron with sizable, weathered rocks; the ruins of two cabins; mushrooms peeking out from logs; and possible Great Lakes freighter sightings.
The trail leads to the John Arthur Woollam Preserve, which offers more hiking on its Woollam Preserve Loop (4.3 miles) and Sandy Cove Loop, which showcases stunning scenery along a Lake Huron bay.
“The Narnia Trail is an enchanting stretch of woods,” Super says.
The Carl A. Gerstacker Nature Preserve has nearly 3 miles of hiking trails to Big and Little Trout lakes on the north side of M-134, 5 miles of Lake Huron shoreline, and parts of two creeks.
“The whole Les Cheneaux Islands area is beautiful for hiking because of all the rocky beauty formed by how the glaciers retreated and scraped the landscape,” says Helen Taylor, The Nature Conservancy’s Michigan director. “It’s also a major stop for migratory birds heading north. The Gerstacker Preserve is unique in that it offers beach walking and a trek through the woods to two inland lakes.”
At the William B. Derby Jr. Nature Preserve, visitors experience a boreal forest with moss-draped boulders as well as moss and lichen under foot, rock gardens, and access to the rugged Lake Huron shore on about a 3-mile looped trail. The southwestern section of the trail leads to the edge of Snows Channel, a scenic stop for birdwatching.
The Birge/Mertaugh/Nye complex of nature preserves offers a 2-mile inland trail plus a 2-mile loop along Lake Huron.
“The Derby Preserve is a kind of fairyland, with limestone rocks, and the trail leads to the edge of Snows Channel, a great place for birdwatching,” says LTC’s director of communications and outreach, Anne Fleming. “The Birge preserves also offer a 400-meter trail to Loon Lake, another great birding spot.”
Marquette Island, accessible only by boat, has four preserves totaling more than 2,000 acres and 5 miles of Lake Huron shoreline.
Search Bay Preserve (fs.usda.gov/recarea/hiawatha) offers primitive camping near a rocky beach and has access to national forest trails.
EXTRA THRILLS: Rent bikes through Woods & Waters to try the new Peek-A-Boo Trails, the first professionally designed and built mountain biking trails in the eastern Upper Peninsula, which will be completed this summer. Some sections are already ridable.
The Cranberry Lake Trails total nearly 10 miles through state forest and along the lake. The area’s gravel roads provide more biking opportunities (detourvacationhome.com).
DINING
Options for dining abound, including Cattails Cove, which boasts “the area’s best fish,” according to Bakkila, as well as steak bites, Reubens, spicy chicken salad, whitefish, and perch. Cattails is located behind Cedarville Marina and has a cozy outdoor patio.
Les Cheneaux Distillers and Brewery handcrafts its own line of spirits, including vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey. It also brews its own craft beers, such as its flagship ale and a blonde pilsner called Buoy Tipper Blonde. Food options include burgers, nachos, appetizers, and more.
Snows Bar & Grill offers a casual dining in a setting known for its log furnishings and a stone bar. The menu features tasty burgers with names such as Snows Burger and Hangover Burger.
The Les Cheneaux Culinary School & Restaurant, which overlooks Hessel Bay, focuses on farm-to-table dining five evenings a week, beginning June 13. Culinary students complete their education showcasing what they’ve learned by creating menus, preparing food, and operating the restaurant.
Find made-from-scratch pastries and other breakfast staples, an expansive deck, and artwork by local artists at the Les Cheneaux Coffee Roasters. Check out The Ice Cream Shoppe or Liberty Bay Cookie Co. for sweet treats. See lescheneaux.net/restaurants for more details.
MUSEUMS
The Les Cheneaux Historical Association (lchistorical.org) operates a historical and a maritime museum in Cedarville.
The maritime museum is filled with displays of vintage boats, antique motors, unusual marine artifacts, and historic photos of area boating activity.
The historical museum is housed in two buildings. Displays in a log cabin depict the early days of the area’s settlement, and a newer building showcases how the area has changed throughout the years.
BIG WEEKEND
The area buzzes with activity the second weekend of every August. This year’s fun begins with a classic car and motorcycle show on Aug. 8, followed the next day by the 47th annual Les Cheneaux Antique Wooden Boat Show, which draws about 150 classic boats and some 10,000 attendees. The public casts votes for the winning boat in several categories.
There’s also a Festival of Arts on the same day, featuring 65 Midwest artists displaying and selling their work. A Dockside Traders area features merchants and organizations with an Upper Peninsula or maritime theme.
Plan It!
Les Cheneaux Islands
lescheneaux.net
