# Marquette to Copper Harbor on the Keweenaw

> 4-day road trip of about 229 km (143 mi) with 8 stops, from Marquette to Fort Wilkins Historic State Park. About 2 h 33 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b10-keweenaw-copper-country/

**At a glance:** 4-day road trip of about 229 km (143 mi) with 8 stops, from Marquette to Fort Wilkins Historic State Park. About 2 h 33 min of driving in total. Lake Superior cliffs, copper mines and ghost towns, and the highest drive in the Midwest at the tip of the Keweenaw.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 229 km (143 mi) |
| Driving | 2 h 33 min |
| Suggested days | 4 |
| Stops | 8 |
| Route | Marquette → Fort Wilkins Historic State Park |
| States | MI |
| Updated | April 26, 2026 |

## Route description

Marquette, the largest town in the Upper Peninsula, has a huge ore dock, a lighthouse and Presque Isle Park, where locals jump off the Black Rocks into Lake Superior. Drive west on US-41 through the forests of the Huron Mountains, past Lake Michigamme to L’Anse on Keweenaw Bay.

Continue to the twin towns of Houghton and Hancock, linked by a lift bridge. Quincy Mine, above Hancock, has a huge steam hoist and underground tours; wear warm clothes, as it is chilly in the mine all year.

Calumet, once one of the richest towns in the country, has a sandstone downtown, an opera house and the headquarters of Keweenaw National Historical Park. Continue north on US-41 through the forest, or take the lakeside State Road 26 via Eagle River and Eagle Harbor.

Copper Harbor, at the tip of the peninsula, is where US-41 ends. Drive the Brockway Mountain Drive for views over Lake Superior, and camp or walk at Fort Wilkins. Late September to early October brings spectacular color; winter here is long and snowy.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Marquette** (MI)
2. **Presque Isle Park** (Marquette, MI): A wooded peninsula with a one-way loop drive, red sandstone cliffs and Black Rocks, where locals jump into Lake Superior.
3. **Houghton** (MI)
4. **Quincy Mine** (Hancock, MI): A copper mine with a huge steam hoist; tours ride a cog tram down to an underground adit. Part of Keweenaw National Historical Park.
5. **Calumet** (MI)
6. **Copper Harbor** (MI)
7. **Brockway Mountain Drive** (Copper Harbor, MI): The highest road between the Rockies and the Alleghenies, a ridge drive with views over Lake Superior. Hawks migrate past in spring.
8. **Fort Wilkins Historic State Park** (Copper Harbor, MI): A restored 1844 army post on Lake Fanny Hooe, near the tip of the Keweenaw, with a campground and a short walk to the harbor.