Need information about the Keweenaw and western U.P.? Looking for an un-crowded, naturally beautiful area of clean air and water to escape to?
The Keweenaw Traveler is the best and most complete information source for people visiting the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For 19 years the Keweenaw Traveler has showcased our local businesses and spectacular natural beauty.
Today people all over the world sign on www.kewtrav.com to get the latest information in order to plan and learn before coming to visit. Since the Keweenaw has so much natural beauty, with wild shores, ridges and miles of trail, we bring you stories about our natural habitats, fascinating culture and rich history. Mix that with unique local businesses, who support us, and you have the resource for planning and enjoying this special place. Check out the Photo Galleries, videos and browse a couple stories and then start planning your trip. We want you to visit, learn and enjoy the Keweenaw as an informed visitor, caring, protecting and helping us preserve this great land. READMORE
For years Charles Eshbach has had the desire to tell the story of how the forest grows as well as explain the challenge to care for it. “My task was to weave all the science into an interesting story that would peak the kids’ interest in forest ecology,” said Eshbach. The story is told through Eshbach’s vivid photographs and a personified eastern white pine seedling, named “Twig” who sprouted and grew next to his grandpa, a stump which fell 80 years ago. Twig grows up on the pages and tells the story of his family and the community they form as an old growth forest. Twig explains the 400 year history of his family and how the old growth forest creates special habitats which support rare plants, beautiful orchids and a home for fawns. He clearly illustrates how his forest cleans the air and water and produces oxygen playing an important part in the carbon cycle. Twig compares his old growth forest to a well-managed commercial forest and shows the loggers’ selective harvesting, creating a tree... READMORE
 When Broadway Came to Coppertown In the early 1900s, when copper was king in the Keweenaw Peninsula, the Calumet Theatre was the center of culture for a population that numbered over 50,000. Gentlemen in cutaways and white gloves, with their fur and jewel adorned ladies, would rub shoulders in the foyer with rough handed miners in their Sunday best. They would gather in the majestic new theatre to see performances by such artistic luminaries as Sarah Bernhardt, Houdini, Lillian Russell, Caruso, Madame Helena Modjeska, James O’Neil, Leslie Carter and Douglas Fairbanks. The great auditorium was a wonder to residents of the Copper District. Rich furnishings and gilt architectural ornaments framed the proscenium stage and its heavy velvet curtains. The main floor and balcony were allotted to the mine company elite and community businessmen. For those with the wallet and desire to see as well as be seen, four box seats were available. Comfortable rattan arm chairs were provided along with a private entrance through the city office building next door. Meanwile, the working class... READMORE
 Whether you are a visitor to the Keweenaw for a few days, or a year around resident, the Estivant Tract is a must see. Large acreage of old growth timber which has never seen the radical altering brought on by logging, has become rare in the Great Lakes area. The Estivant Pines Sanctuary is truly a natural wonder that has become the “jewel” of the Keweenaw. Three hundred and seventy seven acres of virgin northern hardwoods, interspersed with groves of eastern white pine, give the visitor a glimpse of Michigan before man changed most of our natural ecosystems. Three trail loop combinations give the hiker a choice of 1 mile, 1.2 mile, or 2.5 mile loops over rugged terrain. The trails are some of the best in Keweenaw with most of the wet areas covered with boardwalks. Hikers should wear good boots, long sleeves, a hat and insect repellent in summer. Foot traffic only is permitted, horses, pets, fires, and camping are not allowed in the sanctuary. Bring a lunch, but please pack out... READMORE
 The Keweenaw Peninsula is a rugged, mostly bedrock volcanic finger of land which sticks out into the cold clear waters of Lake Superior. You probably knew that even if you have just arrived as a visitor. The cliffs and rounded rocky shore of the lake are a big part of our natural beauty. But until you have struck out on some of our beautiful trails on a hike or bike you can’t really appreciate just how rough this special land mass is. Across the Peninsula and particularly around Copper Harbor are some of the best trails to illustrate what we mean when we say, “You will marvel at our natural beauty as you drink in the vistas, smell the deep woods and catch the cool breeze from the lake, whether by foot or fat tire.” Recently I went out for a tour of the “signature” mountain bike trail with Aaron Wilson and Chris Maxson, local guides and hard-core riders. They wanted Keweenaw Traveler readers to see “The Stairway To Heaven” trail, which winds its... READMORE
 One of the most popular hiking trails in the Keweenaw is in the Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary. Located three miles south of Copper Harbor, this trail system is a great way to spend a summer afternoon. Pack a lunch and enjoy the quiet and grandeur of one of Michigan’s last remaining stands of old growth white pine. The Estivants comprise 337 acres of wilderness owned by the Michigan Nature Association. This group has preserved many beautiful areas of Michigan for over thirty years and own over 115 sanctuaries state wide. A visitor’s guide is available at several businesses in Copper Harbor and an informational display is set up in a kiosk outside the community building. The main trail starts at the parking area and leads to several loop trails. One leaves the main trail to the left and proceeds along a ridge and into a beautiful grove of eastern white pine that is over 190 years old. Turning to the right allows you to follow another loop trail that covers a wider range of... READMORE
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