Lake Superior Shore Walk

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore - Grand Sable Loop

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a linear park. Thus, loop hiking within the lakeshore is quite limited. The Grand Sable Loop along with the more popular Chapel Loop to the south are about the only two options for a good, long day-hike loop within the park.

The loop runs around a large piece of trackless piece of real estate known as the Grand Sable Dunes. Starting at the Grand Sable Visitors Center I headed west to make the loop in a clockwise direction, returning to the same spot some 12-miles later. The main reason for the direction I chose is that it allowed me to descend rather than ascend the 500' Log Slide as well as saving the most scenic part of the trip for the end.


Trailhead GPS Coordinates:  46.656887, -86.020674

Route Type: Loop      Difficulty: EXTREME (Petzoldt Rating: 13.20 )      Mileage Hiked: 12.0 miles      Hike Duration: 6:00      Trailhead Temp: 65'F                              Trail Traffic: 25-50 people      Min. Elevation: 600'      Max Elevation: 900'      Total Vertical Gain: 600'      Avg. Elevation Gain/Mile: 50'

Trails Used (blaze color): Lakeshore (blue), Sable Dunes (unblazed), Sable Falls (unblazed)

8-2-2008