Things to do in the U.P.: Visit the Huron River

One of the Upper Peninsula’s Best Kept Secrets

If the mouth of the Huron River were anywhere near Los Angeles it would be the “go to” movie set anytime Hollywood needed a stunning wilderness beach for their newest blockbuster. Lucky for us, L.A. is over two thousand miles away.

This windswept expanse of beach where the Huron River flows into Lake Superior is dotted with large pines and offers views of the Huron Islands. Not really “near” anything, the mouth of the Huron is remote, even by Upper Peninsula standards.

My Experience at the Mouth of the Huron

I visited the mouth of the Huron River while camping at Big Eric’s Bridge State Forest Campground. I was up near the Huron Mountains visiting some friends, and my first view of the river mouth was from the much less frequently visited east side of the river.

The next day I took the more popular (and more easily accessible) route, which I think would be fine for most cars. I wouldn’t recommend trying to navigate to the east side of the river by car unless you’re an off road enthusiast with a GPS.
The west side of the river mouth is just as beautiful, maybe even more so. Not a soul was there on my visit, though I’ve heard that this is a popular primitive camping spot in the summer. I can definitely see why and am looking forward to heading back here someday with my family and a tent.

The water (both in the river and the lake) was very cold, as I visited in May, but I’ve heard this is a great spot for swimming when Lake Superior warms up a little for the summer. The river has a sandy bottom and I’ve heard it makes for a nice little canoe or kayak paddle upstream.

Bottom Line: The mouth of the Huron River is one of the most scenic beaches in the Upper Peninsula. If you’re looking for a primitive (no amenities) place to camp, it’s also a great spot for that.

Getting There: As you come into L’Anse on US 41, veer right onto Broad Street and continue until you hit the intersection at Main Street, which is just a few blocks. Turn right on Main Street and follow it to the end. Main Street eventually becomes Skanee Road, and you’ll drive for about 19 miles before you come to a T intersection. Turn left at the intersection onto Portice Rd and drive a couple miles until it also comes to a T intersection. Turn right onto Huron Road and take it to the end, which is a couple miles of dirt road that winds through the woods. Make sure to stay on the main road. Huron Road starts out as gravel and eventually turns to packed sand. A few unmarked roads turn off Huron Road once you get into the woods, so be sure to stay on the main road (it’s bigger than the rest).

More Photos: To view more photos of the mouth of the Huron River, click here to visit the Mouth of the Huron photo album on my Facebook page.

Map: To see the Mouth of the Huron’s location on my map of the Upper Peninsula, click here.