A view from the Porcupine Mountains

The Porcupine Mountains are group of small mountains spanning across the northwestern Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Ontonagon and Gogebic counties, near the shore of Lake Superior. The area is part of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The Porcupine Mountains were named by the native Ojibwa people, supposedly because their silhouette had the shape of a porcupine. Image File history File links Porcupine_Mountains. ... Image File history File links Porcupine_Mountains. ... The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that comprise the U.S. state of Michigan. ... Ontonagon County is a county of the state of Michigan. ... Gogebic County is a county located in the state of Michigan. ... The Great Lakes from space; Lake Superior is on the upper left Lake Superior (known as Gitchigume in a Native American language) is the largest of North Americas Great Lakes. ... One Called From A Distance (Midwewinind) of the White Earth Band, 1894 The Ojibwa, Aanishanabe or Chippewa (also Ojibwe, Ojibway, Chippeway, Anishinaabe, or Anishinabek) are the largest group of Native Americans/First Nations north of Mexico, including Métis. ... Genera Family Erethizontidae   Coendou   Sphiggurus   Erethizon   Echinoprocta   Chaetomys Family Hystricidae   Atherurus   Hystrix   Thecurus   Trichys Porcupines are rodents best known for their coat of sharp spines, or quills, that defend them from predators. ...

The Porcupine Mountains were the site of copper mining in the 19th century. They are also the location of a large stand of old growth forest, and home to many black bears. The area is popular among tourists, especially the Lake of the Clouds in the heart of the mountains. General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic brown Atomic mass 63. ... Old growth forest, sometimes called late seral forest or ancient forest is an area of forest that has attained great age and exhibits unique biological features. ... Binomial name Ursus americanus Pallas, 1780 The American Black Bear (Ursus americanus), also known as simply the black bear or cinnamon bear, is the most common bear in North America. ...

The most striking geological feature of the Porcupine Mountains is the long basalt and conglomerate escarpment parallel to the Lake Superior shore and overlooking Lake of the Clouds, a continuation of the same copper-bearing bedrock found farther northeast on the Keweenaw Peninsula. A second ridge farther inland, on the other side of Lake of the Clouds, includes Summit Peak, the highest point in the mountains at 1,958 feet (595 m). Rivers, waterfalls, swamps, and lakes lie between the rocky outcroppings. Basalt Basalt is an extrusive igneous rock, sometimes porphyritic, and is often both fine-grained and dense. ... A mineral conglomerate In geology, a conglomerate is a rock consisting of other stones that have been cemented together. ... In geology, an escarpment is a transition zone between different physiogeographic provinces that involves an elevation differential, often involving high cliffs. ... The Keweenaw Peninsula is the most northern part of Michigans Upper Peninsula. ...

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park was established in 1945 to protect the last large stand of old-growth forest remaining in Michigan. The facilities provided by the park include an extensive network of backcountry trails for hiking and backpacking, rustic trailside cabins, modern campgrounds, swimming and boating areas, and various interpretive programs led by park rangers. The North Country Trail passes through the park. In the winter, a ski area also operates within the park. 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... Beautiful natural scenes are common hiking destinations Hiking is a form of walking, undertaken with the specific purpose of exploring and enjoying the scenery. ... Backpacking in Carpathian Mountains, Poland Backpacking (also tramping or trekking in some countries) is the complete combination of hiking and camping. ... Campsites are often situated in or near forests. ... Swimming is the method by which living creatures move themselves through water in a method not involving simply walking on the bottom. ... Boating is the activity of traveling by boat. ... A Park Ranger is a person charged with protecting and preserving parkland, forests (then called Forest Rangers), wilderness areas other natural resources. ... The North Country Trail, more formally the North Country National Scenic Trail, is a 4,000-mile long-distance trail being developed that begins near Lake Champlain in New York State, and traverses New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. ...

External links

Michigan DNR Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park page