Dog-Friendly Michigan Upper Peninsula Road Trips For Dogs That Love Woods And Water

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula hides more shoreline than most people can walk in a lifetime, and a surprising amount of it welcomes leashed dogs. Sandstone cliffs, root-tangled forest paths, amber-colored waterfalls, and beaches where the only footprints are yours and four paw-shaped ones.

The trick is knowing which stops say yes to dogs, because swim beaches and buildings usually say no. Here are fifteen routes worth the drive north, mapped for pups who love damp fur and pine-scented trails.

1. Munising Loop: Sand Point Beach, Miners Falls, Miners Beach

Start where the water is warmest. Sand Point Beach, just outside Munising at the end of Sand Point Road, has shallow, gentle water and pink garnet sand.

Leashed dogs may swim here.

Next, the Miners Falls Trail runs about 1.2 miles round trip on wide gravel, ending at 64 stairs and a 50-foot waterfall.

Finish at Miners Beach, where leashed pups are welcome on the sand.

2. Grand Marais to the Au Sable Light Station

Twelve miles of sand west of Grand Marais make Twelvemile Beach a dog’s daydream. Leashed pets are allowed, though a long staircase drops from the bluff to the shore.

Down the road, the Hurricane River mouth mixes sand and rock, with a short stairway and a pet-friendly campground.

Walk 1.5 miles east on the old Coast Guard road to the Au Sable Light Station. Shipwreck timbers rest on the beach.

Dogs stay outside buildings.

3. Newberry Detour to Muskallonge Lake State Park

Two lakes, one skinny strip of land. Muskallonge Lake State Park, north of Newberry, packs 217 acres between quiet Muskallonge Lake and big, moody Lake Superior.

Dogs are welcome in the park and campground on a six-foot leash, cleaned up after and never left alone.

The designated swim beach is off limits, so steer toward the rocky Superior side. Agate hunting there is a fine excuse for a slow, sniffy walk.

4. Paradise and the Falls of Tahquamenon

Amber water, foam like whipped cream, and a roar you hear before you see it. Near Paradise, the Upper Falls stretches 200 feet across and drops nearly 50 feet.

Leashed dogs are welcome on every trail and viewing platform, including the paved quarter-mile path and the 93 steps to the brink.

Four miles downriver, the Lower Falls cascade in five steps. Dogs may ride rented rowboats to the island and paddle in shallow spots.

5. Sault Ste. Marie Side Trip to Brimley State Park

About 15 miles from Sault Ste. Marie, Brimley State Park spreads along Whitefish Bay with sandy stretches and roomy grassy areas.

All 233 campsites accept pets, which makes overnight planning refreshingly simple.

Leashed dogs may walk the Lake Superior shoreline anywhere outside the buoyed swimming area, so keep that six-foot leash short and handy.

Freighters slide past in the distance. Bring a towel, because Whitefish Bay water is bracing even in July.

6. St. Ignace: Bridge Views at Straits State Park

Few parks hand you a view this famous. Straits State Park in St. Ignace covers 181 acres and offers some of the best public looks at the Mackinac Bridge.

Leashed dogs are welcome in day-use and camping areas, plus along the Lake Huron shoreline, but not inside buildings.

A one-mile hiking loop ties into the North Country Trail. Every campsite here accepts pets, which campers appreciate.

7. Manistique Stopover at Indian Lake State Park

Indian Lake sprawls wide and shallow, which means warmer water and easy wading for shorter legs. The West Shore Unit, west of Manistique, feels quieter than the busy side.

Standard Michigan state park rules apply: six-foot leash, pets welcome in campgrounds and day-use spots, no buildings, no designated swim beach.

Sunsets over the water here are honestly ridiculous. Pack a folding bowl and let your dog nap trailside afterward.

8. Garden Peninsula Ramble: Fayette Historic State Park

Turquoise water against white limestone cliffs feels almost tropical, until you touch it. Fayette Historic State Park sits on Big Bay de Noc, out on the Garden Peninsula.

Leashed dogs may walk the entire Lake Michigan shoreline except the designated swim beach, and they stay outside the historic buildings.

Five miles of trails climb to overlooks atop 90-foot bluffs. The restored 1800s town below makes a scenic backdrop for photos.

9. Marquette’s Wild Side: Little Presque Isle and Harlow Lake

North of Marquette along County Road 550, Little Presque Isle offers coves, boulders, and pines leaning over Lake Superior. Dogs are allowed leashed on the shoreline.

Nearby, the Harlow Lake Trail runs 2.4 miles out and back with lake and Superior views, and leashed dogs are welcome.

Wetmore Landing is a broad sandy option. In town, leashed pups enjoy Lower Harbor Park and the south end of South Beach.

10. Hancock Sunsets at F.J. McLain State Park

Sunset chasers, this one is for you. F.J.

McLain State Park near Hancock lines up a long stretch of Lake Superior shoreline facing west, and the evening light is spectacular.

Dogs are welcome for walks throughout the park, leashed and attended as always.

Waves roll in from the open lake, so watch smaller pups on breezy days. Driftwood piles here make excellent sniffing territory before dinner back at camp.

11. Baraga State Park on Keweenaw Bay

A quarter mile of shoreline may sound small, but Keweenaw Bay water is calm and beginner-friendly. Baraga State Park welcomes leashed dogs along that entire stretch, water included.

Leashes must stay six feet or shorter even while wading, and waste bags are often stocked in the park.

Paddling is the local pastime, so a mellow dog might earn a spot in the kayak. Fishing and wildlife watching round out a lazy afternoon.

12. Copper Harbor: Fort Wilkins and Lake Fanny Hooe

Way up at the tip of the Keweenaw, Fort Wilkins Historic State Park preserves a restored 1844 military post in Copper Harbor.

Leashed dogs may roam the grounds and campground, though buildings are people-only.

Walking paths circle Lake Fanny Hooe, with spots where pups can cool their paws outside restricted swim areas.

Drive Brockway Mountain for Lake Superior overlooks, then visit the pet-friendly grounds at Eagle Harbor Light Station.

13. Ontonagon and the Mighty Porcupine Mountains

Michigan’s largest state park hands dogs something rare: over 90 miles of trails, all open to leashed pets.

Near Ontonagon, the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park protects old-growth forest, inland lakes, and a rugged Lake Superior shoreline that pets may walk end to end.

The Lake of the Clouds overlook is fully accessible and famously photogenic. Buildings and designated swim areas remain off limits, so plan splashing elsewhere.

14. Marenisco and the Long Blue Line of Lake Gogebic

Lake Gogebic is the biggest inland lake in the Upper Peninsula, and the state park near Marenisco sits right on it.

Roughly a quarter of the 127 campsites face the water, which makes morning coffee and morning zoomies happen simultaneously.

Leashed dogs are welcome in the park, campground, and along shoreline areas, minus buildings and designated swim spots.

Woodland trails stretch behind camp for cooler midday walks.

15. Champion: Van Riper State Park, Lake Michigamme and the Peshekee River

Waterfront on two fronts. Van Riper State Park in Champion holds 1.5 miles of shoreline split between Lake Michigamme and the Peshekee River.

Leashed dogs love the north side trails, including the 2.1-mile River Trail loop with its rocky river views.

The designated swim beach stays dog-free, but other waterfront spots welcome paddlers and their crew.

Good news for overnighters: the rustic Peshekee River cabin accepts pets.