Range The North American porcupine can be found in most of Canada and the western United States south to Mexico. When visiting the Porkies, it’s possible to stay close to the wild yet in touch with civilization at area lodging, shopping, and dining destinations. Map out your Porcupine Mountains adventure today. Despite its name, Overlooked Falls are some of the most viewed in the area and are a gateway to reaching Greenstone Falls. Spanning 60,000 acres in the western UP, it is Michigan’s largest state park and home to the state’s biggest mountain range. The waterfalls in and around the Porcupine Mountains are equally enticing, however, and a dozen are within the park itself. [7], Porcupine Mountains State Park was established in 1945 to protect the area's large stand of old-growth forest, much of it of the "maple-hemlock" type. Aug 24, 2019 - Porcupine Mountains State Park photos - photography by John McCormick of Michigan Nut Photography. The first rises 1,000 feet from Lake Superior and peaks at 1,600 feet. Spanning 60,000 acres in the western UP, it is Michigan’s largest state park and home to the state’s biggest mountain range. The North Country Trail passes through the park, making up a portion of the 87 miles (140 km) of hiking trails. The North American porcupine is the only species that lives in the U.S. and Canada, and is the largest of all porcupines. Map out your Porcupine Mountains adventure today. Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, the beloved Porkies to many backpackers, is not only Michigan’s largest state park at 59,020 acres but it’s also the most rugged and the wildest. Porcupine Mountains also has the highest point in the range. The Porcupine Mountains were the site of copper mining in the 19th century. The closest National Weather Service station is in the coastal community of Ontonagon, where the annual average is about 200 inches (510 cm). For the casual visitor, There's camping, a picnic area and a nice day hiking trail network around its fantastic waterfalls. It is home to 35,000 acre old-growth forest, roaring waterfalls, miles of rivers and streams, more than 90 miles of hiking trails, the Lake Superior shoreline and vistas unrivaled anywhere in the Midwest. Michigan's largest state park, with 90 miles of trails, is a wilderness winner. The view is worth the exertion. The federal government has named the Porcupine Mountains a National Natural Landmark. Adjust what layers appear on the map. In these virgin forests, sugar maple, American basswood, eastern hemlock, and yellow birch are the most abundant tree species.[9]. The Porcupine Mountains are the remains of an ancient mountain range, formed over a billion years ago. Founded in 1999, Michigan-Sportsman.com started as a collection of links to Michigan related sites, and a series of manually edited blogs. I found a good website that explains the full geology of the area. The two Mirror Lakes are in a high valley (1,500 feet) on the south side of the ridge. Climb the 50-foot observation tower, and you’ll be higher than Michigan’s highest point, Mt. Media in category "Porcupine Mountains" The following 51 files are in this category, out of 51 total. Porcupine Mountains. The Friends of the Porkies host Folk School classes spring through fall to foster creativity and a deep appreciation of the area’s natural history and cultural heritage. The Porcupine Mountains, or Porkies, are a group of small mountains spanning the northwestern Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Ontonagon and Gogebic counties, near the shore of Lake Superior. This act gave the park the new designation of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), also known as the Canadian porcupine, is a large rodent in the New World porcupine family. 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