10 Awesome Mountains In Michigan

There are not a lot of towering mountains in Michigan. But, this relatively flat state does have a few mountains and some hills that are great for hiking, camping, and other outdoor adventures. Fall is a fantastic time to visit Michigan if you love autumn colors. Hiking in the winter is not recommended though, especially in the tundra-like conditions of the Upper Peninsula, which is best known to locals as the U.P.

Michigan is more than 40% water, which is the highest percentage of water of any state. That’s because Michigan is surrounded by the Great Lakes. So most of the state is flat plains and water but that doesn’t mean that you can’t have some great hikes in Michigan.

To get started with these Michigan mountains, let’s take a quick overview look at the 10 we have selected for this article:

10 Mountains In Michigan

Most of the mountains in Michigan are found in the north, in the U.P. region where there are dense forests.  Some of the best hiking mountains and hikes in Michigan are:

Mount Arvon

Located in: Baraga County

Height: 1,979 feet

Nearby City:  L’Anse Township

Known For: Mount Arvon is the tallest mountain in Michigan. It’s located very close to Mount Curwood, which is exactly the same height. Technically and officially Mount Arvon is one foot higher than Mount Curwood so Mount Arvon gets the title of tallest mountain in Michigan.

From the top of Mount Arvon you can see spectacular views of Lake Superior which is just a couple of miles away from this mountain. If you’re looking for a family vacation destination Mount Arvon is a great choice because there is plenty of easy hiking with great views, but you are also close enough to Lake Superior to enjoy water activities like fishing and sailing. The hike to the summit of Mount Arvon is just over 11 miles out and back. It is a little challenging but most hikers should be just fine as long as they take their time.

Summit Peak

Located in: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

Height: 1,958 feet

Nearby City:  Ontonagon

Known For: Summit Peak stands slightly lower than Mount Arvon by about 50 feet. But climbing Summit Peak is a little more difficult than climbing Mount Arvon because the incline can be steep in sections. There are benches to take a rest scattered at regular intervals on the primary trail that leads to the summit.

 Most of the trail is smooth and winds through dense forests. There is a tall wooden observation deck at the summit where you can get amazing views of about 50 miles in all directions. As you approach the summit you will cross a wooden plankway with a fork. One path leads to a scenic overlook and the other will take you a little further up where you can access the observation tower.

Underwood Hill

Located in: Ontonagon County

Height: 1,878 feet

Nearby City:  Carp Lake

Known For: Underwood Hill is a great place for a family hike. The trails are easy to hike even for kids and they are pretty well-maintained. As always if you are hiking as a family you should take frequent breaks. If you have young children that are hiking with you it’s a good idea to bring a stroller or a wagon in case they get too tired to continue on. When you’re hiking on Underwood Hill make sure that you bring plenty of water for everyone in the family because there is no water source on the hill. The incline of the hill is just over 400 feet so it shouldn’t be very challenging for anyone in the family except for very small children. Make sure that you bring snacks too!

Sheridan Hill

Located in: Iron County

Height: 1,864 feet

Nearby City:  Caspian

Known For: Sheridan Hill is another one of the mountains in Michigan that provides some stunning views for hikers and campers. There are several trails that take you to the top of Sheridan Hill through some dense old growth forests. The views are gorgeous, especially if you hike Sheridan Hill in the fall. The fall is a fantastic time to see any of the mountains in Michigan because the stunning fall foliage is something that everyone should see at least once.

Keep an eye out for wildlife too when you’re hiking. Deer, rabbits, foxes, and other small animals can be found on the mountains in Michigan. There are some snakes too, so be careful! Remember that most of the time if you see a snake when you’re hiking if you leave the snake alone it will leave you alone.

Government Peak

Located in: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

Height: 1,824 feet

Nearby City:  Carp Lake

Known For: Government Peak is a popular mountain in Michigan for hiking, trail running, and biking. The Government Peak Trail is about 15 miles out and back, or around 30 miles total. You can easily take one of the side trails to loop back if you don’t want to do the entire trail though. Located in stunning Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park this mountain is a popular destination, especially in the summer.

The most crowded months to hike this trail are from May through August. But, hiking this mountain in the autumn is a real treat thanks to the bold fall colors that you’ll see. Just be aware that the cold sets in early and hiking this route from November through March is not recommended.

Wolf Mountain

Located in: Ottawa National Forest

Height: 1,814 feet

Nearby City:  Wakefield

Known For: The Wolf Mountain summit trail is one of the shortest trails in Michigan at just about a mile out and a mile back. But it’s also one of the most beautiful trails you’ll find in all of Michigan. The lush forests on this mountain are filled with unique foliage and old growth sugar maple and oak trees.

 Just some of the plants you’ll come across when you’re hiking Wolf Mountain include Canada mayflower, blue cohosh, yellow violets, Solomon’s-seal, bloodroot, wild sarsaparilla, baneberry, wild leek, zigzag goldenrod, jack-in-the-pulpit, wood nettle bottlebrush grass, large leaf aster and trout and feathery maidenhair ferns.  And from the summit, if it’s a clear day you will get some great views of Lake Superior in the distance.

You will also see a lot of forest wildlife if you hike quietly like rabbits, deer, and many different types of birds. This is a popular trail for trail running and hiking but if you go early in the morning it’s usually quiet enough to see some of the wildlife that lives on the mountain.

Porcupine Mountains

Located in: Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park

Height: 1,447 feet

Nearby City:  Ontonagon

Known For: The Porcupine Mountains are a series of mountain peaks that are grouped together in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. These mountains sit very close to Lake Superior, as do many of the mountains in Michigan. Summit Peak is the tallest of the Porcupine Mountains. But there is some fantastic hiking to be done on the other peaks in this group of mountains too. And Porcupine Wilderness State Park is one of the best family vacation spots in the entire state.

Porcupine Wilderness State Park is more than 35,000 acres of old growth hardwood forest that is virtually untouched. The entire state park is more than 90,000 acres. In addition to more than 90 miles of hiking trails there are waterfalls, camp grounds, fishing, boating, trail running, and trails for ATVs, bikes and horses as well.

Mount Zion

Located in: Gogebic Community College

Height: 1,722 feet

Nearby City:  Ironwood

Known For: Mount Zion is actually right on the campus of Gogebic Community College but it’s open to the public. This mountain is winter fun central. Home of one of the best rated ski programs in the state Mount Zion is part of the school’s Ski Area Management Program. As part of the program it offers free and low cost winter skiing lessons to everyone in the community as well as other fun winter activities. Skating, downhill skiing, X country skiing, ice hockey, sledding, figure skating, and more are all available at the Mount Zion Ski Resort.

But there’s still plenty to do in the summer as well. You can hike on the X country ski trails in the summer and head to the top of the summit to see some beautiful views of the surrounding areas. There’s also golf and Frisbee available.

Indian Point

Located in: Chaboiganing Nature Preserve

Height: 1,579 feet

Nearby City:  Alanson

Known For: Indian Point is located within the stunning Chaboiganing Nature Preserve and is part of the Indian Point Forest. Indian Point has some of the oldest trees in Michigan within the forest which contains 150 year old red oak trees. The primary trail up Indian Point is about five and a half miles out and back through a dense forest. Hikers should be aware that hunting is allowed in this area so you should always wear bright colored clothing or an orange safety vest if you’re going be hiking at Indian Point during the fall hunting season.

In the winter you can cross country ski the hiking trail up Indian Point and since the snow usually isn’t that heavy it’s a really pleasant skiing trail. But always take care when you’re skiing or hiking in snow because the weather can turn blustery very quickly and you need to be prepared. Also make sure that you bring water and drink regularly when you’re hiking or skiing.

 Mosquito Falls Trail

Located in: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Height: 10 feet

Nearby City:  Munising

Known For: It’s not a mountain in Michigan but this waterfall hiking trail is rated as one of the most beautiful hikes in Michigan. The Mosquito Falls trail will take you on a 10 mile loop past the Mosquito Falls and the Chapel Falls. You can also pick up a side trail from the loop as it goes around Chapel Falls and hike down to the beach. Camping, fishing, boating, and other outdoor activities are all allowed in the Pictures Rocks National Lakeshore so if you can plan on spending a few days in this stunning area. That way you can take full advantage of all the outdoor adventures you will find in this part of Michigan.

To recap, we provide you with a quick reference summary table below:

10 Tallest Mountains In Michigan

• Mount Arvon
• Mount Curwood
• Summit Peak
• Underwood Hill
• Sheridan Hill
• Government Peak
• Wolf Mountain
• Porcupine Peak
• Mount Zion       
• Indian Point

Highest Point In Michigan

Mount Arvon-1,979 feet

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The photo featured at the top of this post is © John McCormick/Shutterstock.com