Find the Adventure of a Lifetime at One of America’s Top Five State Parks

Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park Claims Spot on USA TODAY’s 10Best List

One of the Midwest’s most spectacular natural treasures earned national honors. Michigan’s Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, affectionately known as “the Porkies,”  was recently voted one of the Top Five State Parks in USA TODAY’s 2025 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

Selected by a panel of travel experts and USA TODAY editors, 20 standout state parks across the country vied for the award. Thousands of readers then cast votes daily to determine the top 10 and the Porkies finished in the top five.

“We are thrilled that Michigan’s largest state park and the last great wilderness in the Midwest made the top five,” said our Executive Director Tom Nemacheck. “If you want adventure in all four seasons, this is 60,000 acres of unmatched beauty and unforgettable encounters with nature.”

Why the Porkies is a National Best

Stretching over the western Upper Peninsula along Lake Superior, the Porkies offer an affordable, adventure-filled alternative to costly amusement parks and resorts. Solo backcountry explorers to nature-loving families can chase over 70 waterfalls, hike or bike over 90 miles of wilderness trails or paddle miles of rivers and the untamable water of Lake Superior. 

For laid-back wanderers, the state park delivers some of the nation’s best fall color views. Favorite lookouts include Lake of the Clouds Overlook, Summit Peak Observation Tower and the nearby Copper Peak, where clear skies offer a rare view into parts of three states: Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The park also protects 35,000 acres of old-growth forest, four inland lakes and 25 miles of Lake Superior shoreline — havens for bird and wildlife watching.  

Winter brings another level of exhilaration. With an average snowfall of 200 inches, visitors can snowmobile through pristine forest trails or head to the Porkies Winter Sports Complex, which features downhill ski runs, a natural-terrain snowboarding park and miles of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing adventures.

Originally, the Porcupine Mountain’s wilderness was earmarked for a national park, but the Great Depression and the advent of World War II halted those plans. However, in 1945, it became a state park and, in 1972, Michigan’s legislature passed the Wilderness and Natural Areas Act, officially renaming it the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Today, it earns a top spot on any explorer’s must-visit list. Add it to yours this year and let it deepen your love for our incredible planet. 

Follow Your Wanderlust to the Porcupine Mountains

Plan to stay for at least two to three days to make the most of your time in the U.P.. Find lodging at resorts and hotels in nearby Silver City and Ontonagon, or choose from cabins, yurts, cottages and campgrounds in and around the park. Book early to get the amenities and rates you prefer. Then, visit Discover the Porcupine Mountains to plan the adventure of a lifetime.