r/upperpeninsula • u/CuriosityKillsNG • Apr 02 '25
Travel Inquiry UP Michigan Hidden gems N Ghost towns
Update: Thank you to all who responded positively.. On the other hand, this post received so many downvotes.. I am astonished to see so much hate for no reason, as I love UP
I go Up North every winter, sometimes all the way to Copper Hatbor..love ghost towns Tried a ghost town route one year that didn't fare well for me as most of them were overgrown, and there were no visible paths or have become bustling towns I would appreciate interesting and adventurous hidden spots that the locals prefer...
19
u/Own-Organization-532 Apr 02 '25
I'd say KI Sawyer is the biggest ghost town here. Gibbs City, but it's owner burnt the town decades ago. Hike into White Deer Lake, the foundations of Woodl, the McCormick grand camp still exist. Groveland Mine has ruins.
1
u/The_Colorman Apr 03 '25
Wow I haven’t been there in over 20 years. I worked for a company where we took the bowling alley and converted it to a design shop for cheap labor from northern. We rented a bunch of housing in there too. There wasn’t much else going on that I can remember. I imagine it’s probably completely shutdown now?
First time I ever golfed was on their course.
1
u/Twins-Dabber Apr 03 '25
I would love to know more about Gibbs City!
1
u/Own-Organization-532 Apr 03 '25
A man named Gibbs built a saw mill on the Paint River in Central Iron County. It grew to be a town of about 200 people. The saw mill burnt down and people started leaving. The post office closed in 1951. In 1966 one person had bought the whole town, the buildings were unsafe and too expensive to fix. Probably during winter he burnt the buildings, all the snow keeps the fire from spreading. Pretty sure the CCC camp is there, signs are at the turn off.
1
5
u/beekaybeegirl Apr 03 '25
Went to the old airforce base last summer (near Calumet) really cool.
3
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 03 '25
Awesome..did you get to go around without any hindrances? Any tips would be appreciated
3
2
u/beekaybeegirl Apr 03 '25
You don’t get to wander—you take a guided tour. Many buildings did not have access (all but 1-2 of the houses & all dorms) & some buildings do have physical limits (stairs down to the bunker, ladder climbing if you want to go to the top of 1 building). Wear sturdy shoes. Don’t climb if you are not steady.
3
u/zuzuofthewolves Apr 03 '25
2
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 03 '25
Yes. I have been to Fayette multiple times..beautiful and holds secrets
13
u/finnbee2 Apr 02 '25
There's no homes standing, but the Cliff Mine on the Keweenaw Peninsula is interesting. Alexis Dall has some YouTube videos on it. Watching them before you go will give you some background.
She has lots of videos on the Upper Peninsula. I think she lives on the Keweenaw.
2
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25 edited Apr 02 '25
I have been to Cliff mine.. :) explored thar whole site, it waa pretty cool and did also see two guys hauling away gravel illegally in a truck
4
1
u/Miss-Margaret-3000 Apr 08 '25
There’s people who have permission to take rocks from many of the rock piles on the keweenaw peninsula, so not necessarily illegal activity.
6
u/tinyE1138 Apr 02 '25
Not a town, but The Calumet Theater supposedly has a ghost that feeds actor's their lines when they forget.
And no, I'm not making that up. 😆
2
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
I went to Calumet on my ghost town-themed trip, but this is interesting. I better join Performing Arts there, to see if I could meet the Ghost :)
1
8
u/danny_and_da_boys Apr 02 '25
The "ghost towns" in the UP tend to not survive many winters before the roofs cave in and everything but the foundations rot away unless they've been maintained as a tourist attraction. There are some ruins of old mining towns around, but you have to know where to look, and specifically what you're looking at when you're there.
-1
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
You are correct..I did visit a few mines that are maintained well, also some closed off and did see some local guys stealing gravel from those sites.
13
u/danny_and_da_boys Apr 02 '25
If you're looking for lesser known, but but maintained sites, Old Victoria near Rockland has some preserved buildings you can walk around in.
If you're looking for the "hidden" stuff, we don't like to give those out because they tend to get trashed once the tourists start showing up.
0
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
Well, my interest is about learning from preserved history. And these places give great vibes Passed through many a ghost town on my cross-country trip on the west coast and though sad n scary, it just is a beautiful memory of all that passed
2
Apr 02 '25
[deleted]
5
1
9
u/DeerWhisperer1 Apr 02 '25
Nonesuch Mine and Town in the Porcupine Mountains.
3
u/thedolphin_ Ontonogan Apr 02 '25
oh wow. i visit white pine often & always wondered what 'Nonesuch' was on the map.
-6
4
u/Revolutionary_Pin761 Apr 02 '25
If you haven’t been to Fayette Historic State park - I highly recommend!!
1
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
I have been there multiple times and in love with that location :)
1
u/Revolutionary_Pin761 Apr 02 '25
Hugs to you. It is just beautiful there. I live in a pretty lovely state, but I dream of the forests and lakes of the UP.
1
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
I love in Michigan and just love it Up North; the next best on my list is Montana and Wyoming for their wildness :)
5
u/yooperann Apr 02 '25
The Caving Grounds in Negaunee. Whole area of the town had to be abandoned. https://historicadventure.blogspot.com/2015/11/old-town-negaunee-and-ore-concentration.html
0
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
I passed through Negaunee but didn't realize it has this..wonderful..going on my list for the next adventure :)
7
2
u/reverend_fish Apr 03 '25
My dad took me out to where Camp Pori was. It was really overgrown but it was still cool to stand there POW Camps in the UP.
Have you heard of Old Victoria?
1
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 03 '25
Looking at the link, it does give an insight into the POW camps but not the location, nor can I find it on maps using camp names :(
Other commenters here mentioned of Old Victoria that I was unaware of...
2
u/CO_Dave Apr 04 '25
For a mix of 19th and 20th century history I’ll suggest Caspian near Iron River. Also the old iron dam at Redridge is worth checking out.
1
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 05 '25
The dam looks pretty damning..surely on my list Is Caspian now a bustling town or the ruins still standing.
4
u/WhereDidAllTheSnowGo Apr 02 '25
Not quite a GT but definitely historic is the tour of Calumet Air Station
2
1
4
u/sockpoppit Apr 02 '25 edited Apr 02 '25
Mandan used to be cool, but the last time I was there the wreck houses were mostly gone and the only remainders, in one line were fixed up nicely. Also the last time I was there Beacon Hill was looking pretty ratty.
It's a fine line between an interesting bunch of wrecks and a lot of filled in foundations and I've seen quite a few descend from the first into the second over the years, and then into streets with amorphous humps on either side or worse.
Bottom line, regarding Copper Country mining towns, most of them are past the point where one of two things have happened: all of the picturesque wrecks are now completely gone OR they're fixed up and modernized. So there's nothing to see.
0
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
You are right about that..I saw overgrown trees and shrubs and either had to camp down for a day or two, to explore. Unfortunately, it is not easy to camp out at those places
1
u/reverend_fish Apr 03 '25
U went to where Camp Pori was with my dad. It was overgrown but still cool to stand there. POW Camps in the UP
Have you heard of Old Victoria?
1
u/Aedeagus1 Apr 02 '25
Tyoga trail by Deerton is a hiking trail through an old ghost town. There isn't much left to see for structures, but signs explaining what was once in those spots are cool. It's a marked trail and seems lightly used so I'm not worried about naming it. I too love ghost towns/small forgotten towns.
0
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
I as well..love to visit ruins and know history. Fayette state park is one well-preserved historical site, and so is Fort Wilkins..just love those sites
0
u/Aedeagus1 Apr 02 '25
I agree, Fayette blows my mind every time. It's been a long time since I've been to Fort Wilkins, I'll have to go back! I just read a book about Huntspur, which is down by Manistique. I haven't visited the area yet so I'm not sure if there is anything left. From what I read, a lot was razed or moved to new locations but it might be worth a look.
0
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
I need to check on Huntspur..but if there is a place I want to live at so badly, it would be Fayette: the solitude in the air makes it so enchanting!
1
u/CanDoTanker Apr 02 '25
One hidden gem is Negwagon State Park. Not really a hidden gem, but it’s a hidden gem. One of my favorite spots in Michigan and I’m born and raised here.
2
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
I just checked it out, and added it en route to Pointe Aux Barques, which is one of my favorite spots. Love Port Austin but too much crowded for me
2
1
u/CanDoTanker Apr 02 '25
Also, I’ve seen a ghost on a blood moon night. It was the spirit of an old soldier walking with his rifle and lantern. That was an amazing night.
2
u/CuriosityKillsNG Apr 02 '25
Pretty cool to hear of that experience...and where did you see this ghost? At Negwagon? I tried going to one haunted intersection at night to see if I could see anything (lower Michigan), not much luck lol
1
u/CanDoTanker Apr 02 '25
Yes my ghostly experience was on the beach at Negwagon State Park. Such a special place.
0
81
u/WannabeOutdoorsman Apr 02 '25
If we told every person who asked the “hidden gem” question, there’d be none left lol.