7 Best Fall Hike Trails
In Marquette
Fall is the perfect time to visit Marquette, thanks to refreshing weather and beautiful fall colors. There are so many adventures that you can enjoy in the fall, but hiking is one of the popular Fall activities in Marquette. With endless options for peaks, go hiking with your group, explore the best trails for a fall hike, and enjoy the worthwhile views of beautiful Marquette County. You can discover all types of hiking, from easy to complex, with great scenic views. There are endless locations for hiking, but there are few best trails for fall hiking where you can see beautiful fall colors while hiking. There are no fees for visiting the listed trails and the distance mentioned with the names is the distance of the trail from the Superior Stay Hotel.
Presque Isle Park
2.5 miles | 6 minutes
From Superior Stay Hotel
It is one of the quickest trails, easiest, and picturesque hikes to reach from the hotel. It’s one of those places you must consider when looking for the most accessible Upper Peninsula hiking. It’s over 300 acres of forest, trails, and some of the most beautiful fall foliage and Lake Superior views.
Sugarloaf Mountain
5.2 miles | 8 minutes
From Superior Stay Hotel
It is the most famous summit in Marquette County, and because of its popularity, it always remains crowded. It is located off HWY 550 just North of Marquette town offers stunning complete 360 views of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, easy hike 400+ feet consisting of trails, requires 15 -20 min to reach the top, the trailhead can be found just north of Marquette. There are two trails, easy and difficult, easy consists of trail and wooden steps, and difficult has no stairs until the main fork in the trail. The easiest and most direct route is to head north towards Presque Isle. At the top, three lookout platforms give you different beautiful views. The summit has three distinct platforms that provide you with some of the best views of Marquette and Lake Superior. Every weekend during the fall, The Sugarloaf Mountain parking lot is always packed, and cars line the highway with hikers scrambling to the top for the view. The warm colors against the cool blue of the lake are so incredible and worth the stairs to the top, 470 feet above the lake. It is one of the best trails for fall hiking if you are looking for beautiful fall foliage.
Hogback Mountain
7.4 miles | 18 minutes
From Superior Stay Hotel
It is the second-best trail for a fall hike in Marquette after Sugarloaf. It’s hard to find clear directions to hike this mountain because it sits in the middle of a dense trail network that makes it all too easy to take a wrong turn. Most hikers take the southern approach on M-550, the road that links Marquette and the small town of Big Bay, then drive three or four miles to the Wetmore Pond parking area and take the trail that starts on the northwest end of the parking lot. Unlike nearby Sugarloaf Mountain, Hogback Mountain offers hikers a series of narrow, twisty trails through woodlands, rock fields, and swampy areas. The view is worth it, though. The rocky summit is one of the best locations for hiking which rewards hikers for viewing beautiful fall foliage and endless vast and blue superior lake. If the sky is clear, you can see the mountains of the Keweenaw Peninsula to the northwest.
Top of the World
5.6 miles | 10 minutes
From Superior Stay Hotel
Marquette does have its very own “Top of the World.” You can see Little Presque Isle, Hogsback Mountain, Sugarloaf Mountain from up here too. It is the best hike for you if you don’t have a lot of time for a long hike. It’s a short uphill climb to two huge rocks emerging with unobstructed views down to Lake Superior. To get there, you have to move across Wetmore Pond turnoff on M-550 and drive up the dirt road until you see a parking area, and it’s more than two miles from bottom to top. It takes at least three hours on the trail, including the time you will spend at the top. When you complete this hike, you will be able to see beautiful fall colors at the top.
Harlow lake
8.6 miles | 14 minutes
From Superior Stay Hotel
Harlow Lake is a 3.9 kilometer moderately trafficked out and back trail that features beautiful wildflowers and is suitable for all skill levels. If you are looking for a rarely crowded and dog-friendly hiking trail, this is the one for you. There are so many trails in this area that are usually rarely crowded. There is a giant outcropping where hikers can climb up and enjoy the view while the sun goes down.
Thomas Rock Scenic Overlook
25 miles | 30 minutes
From Superior Stay Hotel
This relatively easy hike also offers a dog-friendly and wheelchair-accessible path to a rock outcropping, about six miles south of the County Road 550 junction on County Road 510. There’s a parking area near the bridge over the Yellow Dog River where you can hike a trail to Yellow Dog Falls. There are many stopping points along the trail, all with the best scenic views of Big Bay, Lake Independence, and Lake Superior. If you are in the area, make a stop at Thomas rock, it will be worth your time.
Easy and short hike with many fun signs to examine the plants and history of the area! Men’s and women’s restrooms also are available.
Wetmore Landing shoreline
6.3 miles | 10 minutes
From Superior Stay Hotel
This trail to Little Presque Isle is a delightful hike. It is a 3.6-mile hike along the beautiful shores of Lake Superior. This hike offers views of rocky shorelines, cliffs, and beautiful beaches. During your hike, you will also be able to view beautiful tall pine trees. Dogs are also allowed on this trail If you want to bring your pet Dog. There are parking areas that are also available. Wetmore Landing is at the south end, and Little Presque Isle is at the north. The hike from Wetmore Landing to Little Presque Isle is beautiful, scenic, and easy, aside from two sets of stairs and a few rocky sections. The trail starts at the beach and goes into the woods, walking along the shore between the lake and the woods. If you love hiking these are the best trails for fall hiking where you can see beautiful fall colors.
Stay with Superior Stay Hotel
Marquette is quite a popular place to see one of the best fall foliages in Michigan. Tourists from across the Midwest, many from downstate Michigan, Chicago, and Northern Wisconsin, Minnesota, come to visit for fall explorations. The city is full of hiking trails in the town with incredible fiery red and orange views and Superior Stay Hotel is located a short drive from most of the popular trails. Our modern amenities would assure you of homely comfort and convenience throughout your stay.
To schedule your guided hike with a local area Professional Guide, please email us and we will put you in touch with local professional Guides so you can discuss your specific plans and needs with them directly. Please email us at GuestServices@SuperiorStayHotel.com with your name, number of guests in your party, your cell phone number and when would you like to go on a hike.
