Presque Isle Park

Presque Isle Park in Marquette, on the north shore of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, is an oval peninsula of 323 acres (131 ha) on Lake Superior. It lies about 3 miles (5 km) north of downtown, locals call it “the Island,” and you reach it via Lake Shore Boulevard. Frederick Law Olmsted visited in 1891 and declined to prepare a design plan, believing artificial additions would only mar it. The city lists more than 100 native plant species, and white-tailed deer roam the park.

Peter White Drive loops around the peninsula for just under 2 miles (3 km) and can be driven, biked or walked. At certain times it is closed to cars (Monday and Wednesday from 6 p.m., Tuesday and Thursday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., weekends 7 to 10 a.m., through November 30); in October and November the loop closes to vehicles at dusk, and in winter it stays closed when snow accumulates (as of October 2026). The Black Rocks, basalt formations about 1.7 billion years old along the lakeshore, are worth a look and a photo. Camping, hammocks and fires are not allowed, and dogs are permitted only inside a vehicle.