5 Things to Do This Fall in Rogers City
Shandra Martinez
| 3 min read
Nestled on Lake Huron, Rogers City sits along the Huron Sunrise Trail. The waterfront community draws anglers to its two salmon fishing tournaments. It's also home to the world's largest open-pit limestone quarry, the Port of Calcite, and is one of the largest shipping ports on the Great Lakes.
Unlike many Great Lakes lighthouses, 40 Mile Point Lighthouse does not mark a significant harbor or river mouth. Rather, it was constructed in 1896 so that anyone who sailed from Old Mackinac Point to the St. Clair River would never be out of viewing range of a lighthouse. This welcoming beacon for sailors is named because it is on 40 Mile Point, which is 40 miles sailing distance from Old Mackinac Point. In 1996, the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse Society began restoring the lighthouse, outbuildings and grounds. The park is open to the public year-round, while the lighthouse museum, pilot house and gift shop are open seasonally.
This heavily wooded 340-acre park sits within a mile of the sandy Lake Huron shoreline. Hoeft State Park was one of the first 14 Michigan state parks. The park's original property was donated in 1922 by lumber baron Paul H. Hoeft. Hoeft State Park's campground has 126 campsites and a mini cabin. With the Mackinac Bridge just 50 miles northwest via U.S. 23, the park is a convenient stopover or staging area for travelers planning activities in the Straits area.
The largest waterfall in Michigan's Lower Peninsula, Ocqueoc Falls is the only universally accessible waterfall in the United States. The park has six miles of marked loops for hiking, biking and cross-country skiing. Visitors can see where the Ocqueoc River has cut a channel through the limestone bedrock that underlies the region. During spawning season, you can see the salmon swim through these underground channels.
The Presque Isle County Historical Museum is housed in the Bradley House, a national historic site. The home is an early 20th century, seven-bedroom, two-story, single-family bungalow built in 1914 for the president of Michigan Limestone & Chemical Co., the largest industry in this community. The museum features furnishings of the early 1920s, Indian artifacts, a Victorian music room and displays on farming, lumbering and shipping.
Described as a gem by visitors, Mr. Mustache and Company is a toy store in Rogers City. Walk through the doors and you'll step back in time with a working 1923 nickelodeon piano, carousel animals and old-fashioned coin-operated kiddie rides. The shop has one of the largest selections of Melissa and Doug wooden toys in the state. The shop is open Tuesday through Saturday.
There’s lots to see and do in Rogers City in the fall. Check out the highlights in this video.
Photo credit: Getty Images
