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The Les Cheneaux Islands were once a strategic international outpost and a hub for exploration.
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In the early 1880s, homesteaders began to arrive in the Les Cheneaux area in earnest. During this decade, the Les Cheneaux Islands began their transformation from a remote, forgotten area into desirable timberland, and shortly thereafter, into a summer resort community.
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The Les Cheneaux Islands area is home to Fleet 31 of the Ensign Class, which sails from the Les Cheneaux Yacht Club. Featuring 64 boats, it’s the largest fleet of ensigns in the world.
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The Les Cheneaux Islands are situated along 12 miles of the Lake Huron coastline.
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The Nature Conservancy designated the Les Cheneaux area as one of the Last Great Places in the Western Hemisphere, due to its pristine water, air, and woodlands.
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Haven Island, one of Les Cheneaux’s 36, was used during Prohibition as a stopover and camp for bootleggers running whiskey by boat from Canada to Mackinac Island.
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Famed American author Aldo Leopold, known as the “Grandfather of Conservation,” vacationed frequently in the Les Cheneaux Islands. The Aldo Leopold Festival takes place on the Islands every summer and honors his contributions to the region.
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Government Island is the only public island in the archipelago. It is accessible by kayak, canoe, or motorboat, and offers hiking trails and leave-no-trace camping.
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Dollar Island, one of the smallest in the archipelago, once sold for $1, as its name suggests. Now, this 0.6-acre island boasts a 3-bedroom cottage and a tiny wooden castle complete with a turret, as well as a gazebo, docks, and a tiny waterfront “kissing booth,” and it recently sold for $850,000.
