Michigan’s Highest Point – Mt. Arvon
We have made three trips to the highest point in Michigan – Mt. Arvon, and each visit proved to be a great and unique experience. Checking in at 1,979 feet, Mt. Arvon has only been the official highpoint in the state since 1982. Nearby Mt. Curwood (1,978 feet) held the distinction prior to that. The property is owned by the Mead Westvaco paper company, but they have allowed for public access to this important landmark.
The first time I visited, a friend and I followed the dirt-road directions then made the quarter mile hike up to the “summit.” We took a few pictures and were on our way. A second time, we visited in June 2012 with my father and found the road now takes you to within a couple hundred feet of the marker. Not only that, a vista has been cut through the trees, providing you with a view of the Keweenaw Bay and the community of Baraga. Here’s a picture of that view:
We most recently visited in 2015. A few things to look for at the summit include the blue sign seen at the top of the post, the USGS survey marker, a blue mailbox that contains a log for visitors to sign, and a bench for photo opportunities.
Detailed directions can be provided by Baraga State Park or the L’Anse Tourism office. From downtown L’Anse, take Main St. (which becomes Skanee Rd.) miles out of town, taking a right on Roland Lake Rd. (there’s a church and museum on the south corners) Take that road to Ravine River Rd, which will be on the right, and get ready to have some fun! While the “main” drag is mostly marked with blue diamond signs and is fairly easy to distinguish, the pamphlet (blue) gives exact mileage for each fork/turn, which will definitely help. Download it here. We’ve made the trip in a Kia Spectra, Kia Sportage, and a Pontiac G6 with no problems, but this is an active logging area and conditions may change – a higher clearance vehicle definitely isn’t going to hurt. Here’s a short video of my most recent trip there and the vista.
Some other attractions to check out on the way out to Mt. Arvon are Silver Falls, Slate River Falls, and Black Slate Falls and Quartzite Falls. Big Eric’s Falls and Campground are located a few miles east of the turn to head to Mt. Arvon.
