The world's fifth largest freshwater lake is Lake Huron, whose shorelines span more than 3,800 miles. Its golden sand beaches beckon sunbathers and its stone beaches create beauty and purpose. This is happy hunting grounds for rock hounds and a living reminder of the ancient glacial action that carved the Great Lakes Basin. The unusual sights invite tourists to explore.
Puddingstone Territory
- In northern Lake Huron sits Drummond Island, known as the Gem of Huron. The largest island within the Great Lakes Basin, it's known for rugged rocky beaches. Rock hounds come to the island to collect the puddingstones that are found only within a small area near this inland sea. These prized rocks are characterized by embedded red jasper pebbles; their formation is traced back an estimated 1 billion years. Kayaking the island's 150 miles of shoreline is a great way to appreciate the island's geology and beauty.
Straits State Park's Stone Shore
The Mackinac Bridge is easily viewed from the stone beach at Straits State Park.
Lake Huron and Lake Michigan converge at the Straits of Mackinac, a channel that divides Michigan's Upper and Lower peninsulas. Straits State Park is perched along the shoreline of the Straits in the Upper Peninsula town of Saint Ignace. The park's rocky beach is a sightseeing highlight -- it provides visitors a sweeping view of the iconic Mackinac Bridge, one of the world's longest suspension bridges and a hallmark of the state's transportation system.
Mackinac Island's Limestone Landmark
- Mackinac Island lies within Lake Huron at the eastern portion of the Straits of Mackinac. Mackinac Island State Park covers most of the isle, which became Michigan's first state park in 1895. The designation was in part to recognize the island's rare breccia limestone geology. Visitors discover stone beaches and rough coastline accented by rocky formations. Arch Rock, located at the southeast end of the island, is a highlight; made of limestone and forged through the ages by wind, waves and glacial action, the natural sculpture stands 146 feet high.
The Thumb's Gritty Shores
- The area known as Michigan's Thumb juts from the Lower Peninsula into Lake Huron to 150 miles of coastline. While it has sandy beaches supporting traditional summer recreation, the Thumb also has rocky shorelines and stone beaches. But the rough coast doesn't deter true water lovers, who simply don a pair of shoes to swim. The farther you travel along the Thumb's eastern coast, the more rugged the shoreline grows. At the very tip of the Thumb sits the ghost town of Grindstone City; the community produced grindstones and hone stones for world markets until the late 1920s.
