Looking for the ultimate Michigan Bucket List for adventurers?! I’ve got you covered! From the best hikes to kayaking spots and hidden campsites, here’s the ultimate Michigan adventure bucket list:

why this blog? My name is Maddy and I grew up in Michigan! Now, I work as an outdoor writer and adventure guide on Lake Superior. Michigan is one of the best places in the world, and I’m stoked to show you around.

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Ultimate Michigan Bucket List: 19 Michigan Adventure Ideas

From hikes to bucket-list stays and more, here is the ultimate Michigan bucket-list for adventure lovers:

What to pack for Michigan adventure trips:

Summer is easily the best time for adventures in Michigan with cool evenings near the Great Lakes and great swimming holes hidden throughout the state. Here’s how to pack for some Michigan summer magic:

• Long pants: for women looking for a flattering fit and functionality try Kuhl Freeflex or REI Trailmade
• Long sleeve wool baselayers : wool tops like this make a great hiking layer both for sun protection and for regulating body temperature 
• Shorts: I like a quick dry pair with a built-in belt  and a elastic waist, swim-friendly pair
• If paddling or swimming: a UPF sun hoodie
• A down puffy jacket that packs down small: nights are a lot cooler than you might expect!
• Leggings with pockets!!! 
• A solid day hiking pack
• On rugged trails, trekking poles
• Hiking boots: I like Oboz Bridger Mids for best grip and ankle support, or alternately hiking/paddling sandals like Bedrocks (designed for paddling guides and paddling guide (me) approved)
• A solid raincoat
• Binoculars for watching wildlife
• If camping, a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad
• If backpacking, backpacking gear!

READ: What to pack for a hiking trip

1) Watch the sunset from the Sleeping Bear Dunes

The absolute number one thing that should be on every Michigander’s bucket list is watching a sunset from the Sleeping Bear Dunes. You’ll either need to purchase a day pass from the visitor’s center or an America the Beautiful pass online to visit the Sleeping Bear Dunes.

I recommend catching the sunset from Empire Beach, Overlook 9 on the scenic drive, or Pyramid Point hiking trail.

READ: Best Things to do in the Sleeping Bear Dunes

2) Road Trip the Upper Peninsula

If there’s one thing you have to do this summer as a Michigander, it’s road trip the Upper Peninsula! The UP is more remote than the Lower Peninsula, but there is still so much to do! Cell service can be spotty, but it is not so remote that you truly need to worry before heading up on a road trip. That said, take extra care if you plan on hiking especially if you’re new to it, as help may be far away!

An Upper Peninsula Road Trip is a great way to experience Michigan, especially if you want to see waterfalls, find Lake Superior beaches to swim at, and eat a Pasty! Check out a detailed guide to road tripping the Upper Peninsula below.

READ: Ultimate 7-Day Upper Peninsula Road Trip

3) Visit Saugatauk, Michigan

Saugatuck, Michigan is pretty much the perfect weekend destination for anyone looking for hiking, swimming, and great food! Check out Saugatuck Dunes State Park for hike-in beaches, Uncommon Coffee Roasters, The Southerner for the best food, and rent a cabin for the weekend.

4) Kayak the Pictured Rocks

Kayaking Michigan’s Pictured Rocks is on most Michigander’s bucket-list, but in my opinion as a Lake Superior kayak guide it’s a little overrated. You can see more for less money by going for a long hike on the Lakeshore Trail (part of the North Country Trail) in the morning then taking the cruise boat in the afternoon. The Pictured Rocks have relatively frequent rockfall, making kayaking near the cliffs dangerous, as opposed to places like the Apostle Islands Sea Caves where you can safely explore the rocks.

If you do know you want to kayak, I recommend the boat assisted tour with Pictured Rocks Kayaking where you are most likely to be out in safe conditions and have the support of a boat. Lake Superior is extremely changeable and I do not recommend taking your own kayak out on Lake Superior with out deep water self-rescue skills, a sea kayak with sealed bulkheads, and a safety kit.

READ: Ultimate Guide to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

5) Hike the Manistee River

Michigan’s Manistee River, south of Traverse City, is home to some absolutely gorgeous hikes! The Manistee River Trail is the most popular of these trails (I actually fully do not recommend backpacking here it’s so heavily-traveled), but also check out High Rollaway, Fife Lake Loop from Old 131 (either direction is great hiking!), but the entirety of the North Country Trail along this stretch is gorgeous!

Toss your email below to get a FREE Exploring Michigan eBook in your inbox today for hundreds of hiking, camping, swimming holes, and canoe and kayak ideas in Michigan!

6) Swim in Torch Lake

Northern Michigan is truly the best place in the world for swimming in lakes (with some of the best hike-in swimming holes in the country if not world!) and Torch Lake is probably the best gem of all the lakes. Torch is an 17-mile long, two mile wide lake near Traverse City, Michigan with a sandy bottom and crystal clear blue water.

Rent a kayak from Paddles and Pedals in Bellaire, Michigan and paddle Torch Lake, or if it’s too rough on Torch, consider the Grass River or Lake Bellaire. Torch is often popular with motorized boats and due to it’s size waves can be large and the water can be cold! Paddles and Pedals also offers shuttle service.

READ: Best Things to do in Bellaire, Michigan

7) Backpack the Porcupine Mountains

If you’re looking for the best camping in Michigan, look no farther than backpacking the Porcupine Mountains! Here, you can find both hike-in cabins and some of the best campsites in all of Michigan. Reservations for the Porkies can be made here.

The Porcupine Mountains are an excellent beginner-ish backpacking trip in Michigan. Trails are moderately-trafficked, meaning that can probably phone a friend for help as they walk by, but there is unreliable cell-service in this Wilderness Area. While there is some elevation change, for the most part the trails are fairly gentle, especially compared to the Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota.

DID YOU KNOW? The Porcupine Mountains are next to Lake Superior, one of the largest freshwater lakes in the world! Currently, the Copperwood Mine is proposed to operate just outside the Porkies which will not only effect recreation in the Porkies, but water quality throughout the entirety of Lake Superior, with proposed mining happening just a hundred FEET from the lake. Learn more about this threat and how you can help protect this special region at Protect the Porkies!

READ: Best things to do in the Porcupine Mountains

8) Take a Canoe Trip near Traverse City

For adventure vibes and to experience a whole new side of Michigan, you NEED to book a canoe trip! The waters in northwest Michigan around the Traverse City area are clear and cold and there are SO many incredible river trips to choose from and some outfitters offer shuttles.

For canoe outfitters near Traverse City that offer shuttles, check out Jordan Valley Outfitters for Jordan River Trips (pictured above), Ranch Rudolf on the Boardman River, or Chippewa Landing for the Manistee River (overnight options!).

9) Hike the Dune Climb

The Dune Climb in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore is Michigan’s worst hike. Think a four-mile out and back over hot sand where you see the shimmering waters of Lake Michigan like a mirage and think surely, surely you must be close to the sweet release of swimming in the icy lake waters no matter how far you hike the Lake never gets closer. Oh, and you probably forgot shoes because the sand was so nice on your bare feet in the beginning (adventure sandals are the shoe for this hike). On this trail, it’s false dune summit after false dune summit.

That said, this is a pretty great hike if you come prepared (it’s a Michigan rite-of-passage to suffer through this hike a little unprepared at least once lol) and I did not my first time. I’ve come back a few time since and it is a really beautiful hike and I especially when you snowshoe here in the winter.

If you want a successful Dune Climb hike, I recommend making it a day trip. Pack shoes, a pack towel (swimming!!), lots of water and snacks! I feel like it always feels like a thousand degrees hotter on the dunes and then chilly at the lakeshore, so plan accordingly!

10) Backpack the Manitou Islands

Hop on a ferry and head out to the Manitou Islands in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore to backpack! This is one of the best wilderness backpacking options in Michigan, and a great place to feel like you’re on a desert island.

READ: Ultimate Beginner Guide to Backpacking (Packing, meal ideas, and more!)

11) Take a Cross-Country Skiing Trip

The adventure doesn’t have to stop when summer is over! Strap on your skis and head out on the snowy trails for a cross country ski adventure trip! Cross country skiing is a great work out and relatively friendly to beginners!

I learned to ski as an adult and while there has definitely been a learning curve, I’m so glad I learned and you truly can pick it up decently well in a weekend. If you hate the winter, cross country ski trips can be a total game changer.

READ: Winter Getaway to the Keweenaw Peninsula

12) Visit Tahquamenon Falls

Tucked away in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Tahquamenon Falls State Park is the perfect adventure trip! Here, you can find both the scenic and popular Upper Falls, as well as the lesser known lower falls pictured below.

Here, there is great hiking and camping as well as the scenic waterfalls!

13) Hike the Chapel-Basin Loop

Looking for the best long, hard day hike in Michigan? The Chapel-Basin Loop is a 10+ mile hiking trail in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore that passes by sea cliffs and waterfalls, with excellent beach swimming and views throughout the route.

This is easily one of the top hiking trails in Michigan, if not THE best hiking trail in the state. Take care when hiking here, as the Pictured Rocks have frequent rockfall. Definitely do not hike near the cliffs edge, and stay on the main trail.

READ: Best Hiking Trails in Michigan (with maps!)

14) Visit the Black River Falls Scenic Byway

One of the coolest places in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the Black River Falls Scenic Byway! Here, you can hike to five waterfalls along the scenic route, all just a short hike from the parking lot. I recommend prioritizing Sandstone Falls and Rainbow Falls if you’re short on time, and accessing Rainbow Falls by hiking across the suspension bridge at Black River Harbor then hiking up the east side of the river for the best viewpoint.

Check out the nearby Gabbro Falls!

15) Hike Empire Bluffs

The best hiking trail in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan is probably the Empire Bluffs Trail in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. This iconic hiking trail is less than two miles round-trip, with a gorgeous view of Lake Michigan at the end.

While you’re in the area, check out kayaking the Crystal River in the Sleeping Bear Dunes.

16) Traverse City Winery Tour

Did you know Michigan has it’s own wine country? The Traverse City Area has amazing wineries in addition to great hiking, biking, and breweries. Check out a detailed guide to the best wineries here from Daisy Rae Travel.

17) Camp on the beach

One of the best things that you can do in the state of Michigan is camp on a Great Lakes beach! Now you can’t just pull over and camp anywhere, but there are plenty of state parks with camping on the beach or near the beach as well as State Forest Campgrounds. Additionally, there are occasionally beach front wilderness campsites.

Check out camping in Wilderness State Park near Mackinaw, 12-mile beach campground in the Pictured Rocks, or Hog Island State Forest Campground.

18) Chase Fall Colors

Michigan has incredible fall colors! There are so many great hikes and scenic drives to appreciate a Michigan Fall! I recommend the Sleeping Bear Dunes, where color tends to peak near the end of October and there are plenty of beautiful maple trees.

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19) Visit Short’s Brewery

Looking for the best brewery in Michigan? Check out Short’s Brewery in Bellaire for great beer and even better food. Here, you can pop in for live music and stroll the streets of Bellaire.

Short’s Brewery is located in Bellaire, Michigan. Bellaire is north of Traverse City and located on the Chain of Lakes. The area has excellent access to mountain biking trails, hiking, and paddling!

READ: Best Adventures in Bellaire, Michigan

20) Visit Isle Royale National Park

Isle Royale National Park is the most remote National Park in the lower 48, isolated from the nearest land by 18 miles of open Lake Superior water. Here, you can find rugged shoreline, moose and wolves, crystal clear water and incredible hiking and kayaking!

Isle Royale is easily one of the crown jewels of Michigan adventure and belongs on every Michigan bucket-list!

READ: Ultimate Guide to Isle Royale (+how to get there!)

Love planning out your Michigan Adventure Bucket List? Keep the adventure rolling:

• Looking to road trip Michigan? Check out out the best Michigan Road Trip ideas and a beginner’s guide to car camping!
• Interested in diving into backpacking? The Midwest is a great place to start! Check out the best backpacking trails in the Midwest, then check out the ultimate beginners guide to backpacking.
• Check out THE best adventure in the Midwest and learn all about how to visit the Apostle Islands Sea Caves on a sea kayak adventure, then check out a beginner’s guide to kayaking!

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