Bay De Noc, Michigan Area Attractions
The unique area of Bays de Noc is located in the heart of the beautiful Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Located in Delta County, it's a vacationer's dream and a sportsman's paradise!
With over 500 miles of rivers, 144 miles of lake frontage, 148 inland lakes and over 1 million acres of public lands in the Hiawatha National Forest.
While vacationing on the Bays you can enjoy heading out on the waters of Bays de Noc to reel in a trophy fish, relax on its sandy beaches, hiking the scenic woodland trails, golfing or touring some of our favorite attractions.
We can offer you a relaxing and fun-filled adventure to our great outdoors. Tour lighthouses, Sand Point Lighthouse in Escanaba, built in 1867 and the Peninsula Lighthouse on the Stonington Peninsula built in 1866, has a spectacular view of Lake Michigan.
You can see forests, steams and rivers and a lot of history thrown in. Little Bay de Noc Recreation Area, 3 hiking trails, Peninsula Point Lighthouse area, Bay de Noc/Grand Island Trail, 40 miles long with 3 access points, both hiking, biking, horse back riding and camping. Bicycle routes in and around the Hiawatha National Forest, with numerous forest roads to bike and hike on. Contact the Hiawatha Forestry Service for maps at 906-474-6442.
Visit Fayette Historical State Park, an iron smelting ghost town from the 1880's, Kitch-iti-kipi (The Big Spring) takes a self-propelled raft to view a crystal clear spring, large brown trout, and an erupting springs.
Fayette Historic Townsite was once a bustling industrial community that manufactured charcoal pig iron from 1867 to 1891, Fayette offers visitors the unmatched serenity of a Lake Michigan harbor, white cliffs and verdant forests. This well-preserved museum village features 20 structures including the furnace complex, charcoal kilns, machine shop, office, hotel, town hall, company store, superintendent's house, and employees' homes. A modern visitor center, museum exhibits and walking tours recall another time when Fayette was a noisy dirty company town with an immigrant population that shared daily hardships, joys and sorrows. Located in Fayette State Park, Fayette Historic Townsite is administered by Michigan Department of History, Arts and Libraries in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Open daily 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. mid-May through mid-June and Labor Day through mid-October; 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. mid-June through Labor Day. Admission by state park permit. For information contact: Fayette State Park, Garden, MI 49835 or phone 906/644-2603.
Pictured Rocks Park, seeing spectacular rock formations from overlooks or take a boat ride Iron Mine Tour that will take you 400 feet below the earth's surface, waterfalls, hiking, biking and horse trails, river rafting at Piers Gorge, dogsledding adventure and more.
Bays de Noc can offer you a number of festivities and events. U.P. State Fair is held in August each year, with grand stand entertainment, fun rides, and special events each day. Klusin' Klassics, the Rodeo, Civil War Reenactment, Art Fair, Blessing of the Fleet, Fishing Tournaments, Steam and Gas Engine Show, Outhouse Races and many other events
Our waterfronts are spectacular, with the Harbors, Parks, Children's Play Areas and Beaches. Plan a picnic, play at the beach or play area, or just relax and enjoy the beautiful view of the Bays.
PARKS
Ludington Park - Escanaba
The mile-long park along the lake shore from Ludington Street to 7th Avenue South offers lighted tennis courts, sand volleyball courts, picnic pavilion and Harbor Hideout playground. A bicycle path leads to the swimming beach on Aronson Island. The island is a natural area with a beautiful walkway, parking for boat trailers at the boat launch and a handicapped accessible fishing pier. Escanaba Marina provides fuel, electricity, showers, and rental bikes for boaters. The Delta County Historical Museum and Sand Point Lighthouse are adjacent to the marina. The Karas Memorial Bandshell at the south end of the park hosts weekly band concerts during the summer months on Wednesday evenings at 7:30 p.m.
Wells Sports Complex
An indoor ice rink for hockey tournaments and figure skating. Located north of Escanaba off US 2, 41 & M35 at 1647 17.4 Road. Open Sept. to March.
Van Cleve Park - Gladstone
Located along the shore of Little Bay de Noc on Lake Shore Drive the park features a swimming beach with bathhouse, sand volleyball courts, basketball court, horseshoe courts, lighted softball field, 2 pavilions, an island gazebo, tot-lot and a wooden fantasy playground called Kids’ Kingdom. Gladstone Harbor offers services for both transient and seasonal dockage including fuel, boat launch, showers and dock attendants.
Gladstone Sports Park
The 40 acre sports park includes 2 ball fields, 5K cross-country ski trail and ski hill. The ski area offers a beginner/intermediate down hill ski facility with a 130-foot vertical drop , snow board half pipe and terrain garden, tubing hill, lodge and concessions. The lodge is available for private ski and tube parties in the winter and receptions in the summer. The park is located on North Bluff Drive east of M-35.
Masonville Township Park - Rapid River
A beautiful park with pavilion, playground and volleyball net on Pine Street. It is the site of Memorial Day activities.
Bark River Sports Complex - Bark River
The recreation area on County Rd. 535 south of Bark River includes ball fields, picnic pavilion, playground and senior citizens center. The center is available for rent for private parties or events.
Fuller Park - Delta County Parks
Located 20 miles south of Escanaba on M-35, the 82 acre park features a beachside picnic area and lakefront campground. There are 25 campsites with electric and water hookups, boat launch, dump station and shower facility.Beach and wooded picnic area isolated from traffic. Swimming unsupervised area.
Rapid River Falls Park
What makes this park unique is the water falls, playground and picnic area. Located 10 miles north of Rapid River on US 41.
Pioneer Trail Park
A longtime favorite picnic area with pavilion, playground and ball field among towering white and red pines near the Escanaba River. The park includes 25 primitive and 58 electric sites with 36 water hookups, dump station and shower facilities. Located on US 2 and 41 between Escanaba and Gladstone.
Fayette State Park
A half-mile of sand beach near the campground at Big Bay de Noc on M-183, 16 miles south of U.S. 2. Bathhouse, picnic area with playground. Visitor Center explains the history of the iron-smelting village of Fayette. A ghost town, in the 1870s and 1880s, Fayette was an active community. Explore the original hotel, company office, opera house and other buildings restored in period pieces.
South of Garden on County Road 183. 906-644-2603
MARINAS
Escanaba Marina
The Escanaba Marina has 165 boat slips, docks and moorings for seasonal and transient boaters. The natural looking harbor is actually man-made, with the island built up to protect the harbor. There is a brand new marina building to greet boaters. Services include electricity, showers and fuel. The harbor is part of Ludington Park at the end of downtown Escanaba. Lodging, shopping and restaurants are nearby. Harbor Master's Office is open from May 13 through October 11. Call 906-786-9614 or 1-800-700-9614 for more information. Or write Harbor Master, Escanaba Municipal Marina, P.O. Box 948, Escanaba MI 49829.
Gladstone Marina
The Gladstone Harbor is open from May 15 to Labor Day. Amenities include electric service, fuel, holding tank pump-out, restrooms and showers and long term parking. It's a beautiful marina a few miles from the tip of Little Bay de Noc. The marina is part of Van Cleve Park and a short distance from downtown Gladstone. Seasonal Phone Number is 906-428-2916. The Off Season Phone Number is 906-428-2311.
If you're a hunter, we have some of the best hunting for whitetail deer, grouse, woodcock, bobcat and rabbit hunting, with vast Federal and State forestlands available.
The Bays de Noc is best known for is World Class fishing, with almost 250 miles of shoreline, whether you come for a Trophy Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Perch, Salmon or Trout. The Bays de Noc is a year-around fishery. The Bays de Noc area sponsors a number of World Class Walleye Tournaments, including the MWC, FLW and PWT Tournaments.
Playing on the Bays, by kayaking, or canoeing, can be a wonderful way to see nature at its best. The speculator limestone cliffs at Fayette to Stonington, wild life, and the serenity of the Bays, makes it a wonderful place to come and play.
Don't forget your camera, bird watching, monarch butterfly migration, attractions, historic landmarks, or just a beautiful sunrise or sunset on Bays de Noc.
You say you like golf? This area is a golfer's Mecca! With different challenges and terrain, they are nature's beauty all rolled up in one. We have quality and affordable golf, with 4 championship courses and 3 nine-hole courses; they are all open to the public.
We can't forget about the Casinos, we have a verity of them. The Chip-In Casino is located just west of Escanaba. Headline entertainment twice a month, with all the games of a Vegas Casino. Manistique is east of Bays de Noc and has a Casino, and if you're still in the gambling mood, Marquette has a Casino also.
The Bays are a Winter Wonderland, with cross-country skiing, down hill skiing and tube runs, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice skating, or out onto the frozen Bays to do some ice fishing. The Bays become a "shanty town" in the winter.
Make our area a home base for traveling to our attractions or playing on the Bays, all within a hours drive from our door. With affordable lodgings and wonderful dining here. All you have to do is, just unpack and go and enjoy our beauty.
