Photo by Joe Gall, courtesy Visit Alpena
By Emily Bingham | ebingham@mlive.com
Alpena, and the entire Lower Peninsula’s Northeast corner, boast so much of what we love about Up North -- outdoor adventure, natural beauty, a rich history, freshwater galore -- but with some unexpected treasures you won’t find anywhere else.
There’s a world-renowned underwater shipwreck preserve, for example. More than 200 natural sinkholes, many of which you can find on a nature hike. And one of the oldest accessible lighthouses in the entire Great Lakes, rumored to be haunted.
For more great ways to explore this sunrise city, read on:
*Be sure to call all destinations ahead of time to check on seasonal dates and times of operation.
Photo courtesy Lacey Goff
Whether you prefer watching the sun wake up over the lake or through the forest, Alpena’s position along Michigan’s Sunrise Coast puts you in a great place for catching this daily wonder.
Sunrises
Every single day, Michigan's Northeast coast delivers a front-row seat to what is often one of the most spectacular -- and underrated -- displays Mother Nature has to offer: The sunrise. There are plenty of spots for watching the sun start the day, but Alpena's Blair Street Park, which sits along Thunder Bay, is a popular choice.
Photo courtesy Julie Allen
Blair Street Park in Alpena is a popular place to catch the sun rising over Lake Huron.
Water trails
Paddle enthusiasts should make a point to visit the Alpena Wildlife Sanctuary, a 500-acre flooding of the Thunder Bay River that offers a great spot to kayak, canoe or paddleboard. The sanctuary surrounds Island Park and is a wonderful destination for viewing wildlife like painted turtles, river otters, and marshland birds. Visitors can bring their own kayaks and use the ADA-accessible launch, or rent on-site seasonally.
Photo courtesy Alpena Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Kayaking the still waters of the Alpena Wildlife Sanctuary gets paddlers up close to nature.
Hiking trails
Alpena has more than 100 miles of maintained trails that lace through a variety of terrain, including state and city parks, nature preserves, beach walks and even historic self-guided walking tours. See a full guide to where to walk and hike here.
Photo courtesy Joe Gall Photography
Hiking through Alpena's 17-acre Island Park.
Shipwrecks
Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a 4,300-square-mile protected area in Lake Huron, is the U.S.'s only freshwater national marine sanctuary. It's also one of the most significant shipwreck preserves anywhere. Nearly 200 shipwrecks have been found here, from 19th-century schooners to modern freighters, making it an exciting destination for divers from all over the world -- but there's plenty to explore without getting wet, too. A few ideas: Tour the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center, paddle a kayak or SUP over the shallow-water wrecks, or sign up for a glass-bottom boat cruise on the Lady Michigan.
Photo courtesy Joe Gall Photography
A stand-up paddleboarder and a diver explore one of the region's many shipwrecks.
Snorkeling
With so many shipwrecks just offshore, Alpena is a great destination for snorkeling and free diving. The city's Shallow Shipwrecks guide is a solid place to start your trip research, as it lists the depth and distance-from-shore for a handful of the region's most easily accessible wrecks. A list of local snorkeling outfitters can be found here.
Photo courtesy Craig Gerow
Snorkeling shipwrecks in Lake Huron’s Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Fishing
The four-county corner of Northeast Michigan has more than 100 accessible bodies of water, making Alpena a great launching point for fishing inland lakes, river systems, and the open waters of Lake Huron. The top four inland lakes for fishing in this region are Hubbard Lake, Long Lake, Grand Lake and Beaver Lake; fish species you might reel in here include bass, pike, whitefish, perch, rainbow trout, and all the panfish.
Photo courtesy Steve Jakubcin
Paul Gohlke casts for bass on Long Lake.
Dark skies
With most of the North American population now unable to see the Milky Way on account of light pollution, "dark sky" tourism has been on the rise. Alpena is home to three state-designated dark sky preserves -- Negwegon State Park, Rockport State Recreation Area and Thompson’s Harbor State Park -- where light pollution is limited, allowing visitors to revel in the majesty of an obscured night sky.
Photo courtesy Steve Jakubcin
Centrally located to three dark-sky preserve parks, Alpena is a prime destination for stargazing.
Photo courtesy of Joe Gall Photography
Dark Sky stargazing and astrophotography is a popular draw in this area. Pictured here is Thompson’s Harbor State Park, home of a state-designated dark sky preserve.
Sandy beaches
If you've been dismissing Michigan's northeastern coastline based on the assumption that the beaches are rocky, then you've been missing out on some beautiful stretches of sand. One particularly lovely spot to check out: Besser Natural Area, where a one-mile foot path leads past a lagoon, the ruins of the ghost town of Bell, Mich., a shallow shipwreck, and stands of white pine, eventually opening up to a cove with a big sandy beach. A great hike to do with kids, you can find this spot north of Rockport State Recreation Area.
Photo courtesy Joe Gall Photography
A little-known spot at Thompson’s Harbor State Park offers natural sand dunes and views of Lake Huron.
Photo courtesy of Joe Gall Photography
Besser Natural Area is home to one of Northeast Michigan's most pristine, secluded sandy beaches.
Biking
There's plenty of places to get your roll on in this region -- from the more urban 18-mile Alpena Bi-Path, which winds through city parks and beaches along the Thunder Bay River and Lake Huron, to the 78-mile North Eastern State Trail, a recently completed limestone rail-trail connecting Alpena to Cheboygan. Beginning mountain bikers should check out Norway Ridge Pathway, which offers 10 miles of forgiving terrain; more experienced riders can conquer the single-track at the more challenging Chippewa Hills Pathway.
Photo courtesy of Joe Gall Photography
Biking at Norway Ridge Pathway
Sinkholes
Sinkholes are a fascinating natural feature in this region. Sinkholes are depressions in the landscape that form after layers of minerals like limestone or gypsum dissolve and collapse just under the ground's surface -- and with at least 200 known sinkholes, Northeast Michigan is considered to have one of the world's biggest collections of this geological wonder. A good place to see them for yourself is with a visit to Bruski and Stevens Twin Sinkholes, off Leer Road. Details on sinkhole geology and where else to find them in the region can be found at this sinkhole adventure guide here.
Photo courtesy Joe Gall Photography
The deep cracks along the Mystery Valley sinkhole hiking trail are mysterious and offer an interesting view of the karst geology that covers the region.
Photo courtesy Joe Gall Photography
Explore stunning sunken forests with a sinkhole hike along the saddle-back ridge at the Stevens Twin Sinkholes near Alpena.
Lighthouses
Lighthouse lovers will delight in discovering the region's seven historic lights, including Old Presque Isle Lighthouse, one of the Great Lakes' oldest accessible lighthouses, rumored to be haunted. Many of the lighthouses are open seasonally for tours and tower climbs; more details here.
Photo courtesy Alpena Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Old Presque Isle Lighthouse just north of Alpena is rumored to be haunted by the friendly ghost of a former lighthouse keeper.
More information on Alpena-area activities and trip planning can be found at visitalpena.com.
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