About Chippewa County
Vacationers in search of an experience that is historic, international, and steeped in nature's splendor need not look any further than the eastern-most tip of the Upper Peninsula - Chippewa County. With Canada bordering the north and surrounded by Lake Superior, Lake Huron, and the St. Mary's River, Chippewa County offers a U.P. experience like no other.
Sault Ste. Marie is Michigan's oldest city and home to the Soo Locks. Providing a vital shipping connection for vessels traveling from Superior to the lower Great Lakes, this engineering marvel celebrated 150 years of service in 2005. Visitors view the Locks from the park's observation platforms or aboard a Soo Locks Boat Tours vessel.
Also located in "the Soo" are golf courses, a casino, winery, and a quaint downtown shopping district. Area attractions, like the Museum Ship Valley Camp, the River of History Museum, and the Tower of History all showcase the influence of shipping and the region's heritage.
History buffs will want to tour two structures from the 1820s. The John Johnston House was a meeting place for significant historic figures, including surveyors, explorers and trappers. Also open is the office of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, an explorer, U.S. Indian agent and author. Both sites are furnished with interesting artifacts from the era.
West of Sault Ste. Marie, Hiawatha National Forest's pristine beaches line Lake Superior's southern shore. Point Iroquois Lighthouse rests on a bluff overlooking Lake Superior and Whitefish Bay. Visitors are invited to climb the 72 steps to the light's lantern deck.
At Whitefish Point, the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum chronicles Lake Superior shipwrecks, including the famed Edmund Fitzgerald. Adjacent to the museum property is the Whitefish Point Bird Observatory, a must-see for experienced birders and novices alike, since this location provides a fantastic vantage point from which to view bird migration as they cross Superior.
On the southern end of Chippewa County lies Drummond Island, which provides a spectacular backdrop for hiking and biking in the summer and snowshoeing and skiing in the winter.
Anglers will discover a variety of fishing experiences throughout the county. Whether standing in river rapids, off charter boats on the big lakes, or from the banks of hundreds of inland lakes and streams, there are plenty of fish to be had.
Chippewa County is home to three casinos - Kewadin Casino, Bay Mills Resort & Casino, and King's Club Casino - featuring slot machines, table games, restaurants and entertainment.
Winter weather invites equal variety. Skiing enthusiasts will find a diverse offering of groomed trails passing through quiet, snow-laden forests. Those with a hankering for speed will find that snowmobilers are welcomed throughout the county, with many special amenities offered during the snow season. In Sault Ste. Marie, Minneapolis Woods Recreation Area offers extensive tubing and downhill skiing options, located a stones throw from several ice skating rinks.
Back to Top