Outbound Collective logo

Matt VandenHeuvel

A Marketing, Photo, and Motorcycle nerd who is constantly expanding his love affair with outdoor adventures.

This is one of the most beautiful waterfalls we saw while camping the Pictured Rocks area. Easy roadside parking, beautiful walks, the formed trails are beautiful and allow a great view but the real treat is off the beaten path. It is a fairly mellow hike, even after heavy rain the day before, and allowed for some of the most beautiful views I have ever seen of both waterfalls and the woods surrounding them. The only down side, I lost my sunglasses when I got back under the trees and didn't realize it until we were back to the car, a small price to pay.

After not being this far north since I was a child, we went camping and tourist-ing in the Mackinaw area last summer. The bridge is one of the most beautiful things to see at any time day or night. We camped at the Mill Creek Campground, just east of town, and I can not recommend it enough; showers, bathrooms, spots for campers, tents and rustic camping.

Thank you so much to The Outbound for helping me find this hike! We made the drive from Grand Rapids and hiked the lakeshore up to the lighthouse, it was beautiful and almost completely empty. I've never seen the lake look so amazing. Be aware of your footing, and watch for the tide. There was a strong undertow but it was easy to avoid. We got to the lighthouse at the perfect time to sit on the bench in front of the breakwall and watch the sunset. Full discourser; this is what it will always be my favorite place. During the sunset, I proposed to my now fiancé here, and she said yes. I couldn't imagine a more beautiful backdrop for such a special moment in our lives.

We decided to do this as our first adventure found from The Outbound and it was a fantastic decision. This was one of the prettiest natural beaches I've ever visited. We got there at about 9:15 for a 9:22 sunset and had just enough time to climb to the top of the dune to see the beauty over the lake. The view from the top of the dune is amazing, and you feel like you are miles from civilization! Be warned, there are a lot of steps, but as others said; it is totally worth it!