Top Mountains in Michigan

Michigan isn't the first state that comes to mind when you think of mountains, but the Great Lakes State has some surprisingly rewarding peaks — especially in the Upper Peninsula. While the elevations are modest by western standards, the terrain is rugged, forested, and gorgeous year-round.

Mount Arvon (1,979 ft) is the highest point in Michigan, tucked into the remote forests of Baraga County in the Upper Peninsula. Getting there requires a drive down unpaved logging roads, but the journey itself is part of the charm. The summit is marked by a small sign among dense hardwoods — no sweeping panoramas here, but the solitude is unmatched.

Mount Curwood (1,978 ft) sits just one foot lower than Arvon and was actually considered Michigan's highest point until a 1982 survey corrected the record. It's accessible via a short trail through pristine old-growth forest, and the hike is peaceful and shaded.

Summit Peak (1,958 ft) in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is arguably the most scenic high point in Michigan. A 40-foot observation tower at the summit offers sweeping views of the Lake of the Clouds, the Carp River valley, and miles of unbroken forest canopy stretching to Lake Superior. The fall colors here are legendary.

Brockway Mountain near Copper Harbor rises 1,320 feet above Lake Superior and is home to the highest above-sea-level road between the Rockies and the Alleghenies. The drive to the top is one of the most spectacular in the Midwest, with hawks and eagles riding the thermals along the ridgeline during spring migration.

Mount Bohemia, also in the Keweenaw Peninsula, is best known as a ski area with the highest vertical drop in the Midwest (900 feet). In summer, the surrounding terrain offers excellent hiking through old copper-mining country.

For Lower Peninsula visitors, Avalanche Peak near Boyne City and the high dunes at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (reaching 450 feet above Lake Michigan) provide the closest thing to mountain hiking south of the Mackinac Bridge. The Dune Climb trail is deceptively steep and rewards hikers with one of the most beautiful views in the entire state.

Michigan's mountains may be modest, but they're set within some of the most beautiful wilderness in the eastern United States.