MountainHikerCO - Jun 10, 2018 2:32 pm Date Climbed: May 31, 2018
Ticks, Misleading signs!
We visited Mt Arvon on May 31, 2018. The blue signs were very helpful for finding our way through the maze of back roads. However, on the outside of a left turn about 2 miles short of the summit there are some misleading signs. "Mt Arvon Hiking Trail 1-3/4 miles," "Trailhead Parking" & "Follow Blue" (with a blue diamond & a straight arrow pointing up a lesser side road.) Do not follow this side road. Stay on the obviously more maintained road that turns left. There apparently is some sort of overgrown tick gauntlet they are passing off as a hiking trail, but we didn't see it. We did hike over a mile back this 4WD rough, puddle saturated side road before deciding it couldn't be right. Then with several tick passengers and directions from a chance encounter, we drove the rest of the way to the summit parking lot. The correct road was passable in a Dodge Caliber, but some places were mud rutted and required a lot of care. I wouldn't want to try those same stretches when the mud was soft.
Kristalea - Apr 17, 2018 1:03 pm Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2017
Highpoint #10
We found it just fine... but we left at dusk and wanted to head in the opposite direction from where we came. Without gps service, we got so turned around on those logging roads. What a memory!
My dad and I climbed Mount Arvon this past winter and we got lost so many times! I totally don't recommend going in the winter.
joseyinnet - Jul 9, 2017 10:13 am Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2017
HP #37
Went up just after a torrential thunderstorm. Pretty muddy, but nice sunset on the thunderheads while driving back to L'Anse.
maddie77777 - Jun 5, 2017 10:30 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2017
HP # 30
Route instructions on the page were spot-on, and there's a nice turnaround at the top, along with a small clearing and a bench looking out onto Lake Superior. Drove a total of 17hrs this day, as I drove from Indianapolis to here and then Wisconsin's HP also. Pretty country!
chmoore577 - Feb 2, 2017 5:29 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2014
Highpoint #22
Long drive from GA. Arvon and Timms Hill on same day.
Adam Doc Fox - Jan 8, 2017 5:28 pm Date Climbed: Jan 1, 2017
Sled Heads
Nice way to start the New Year--snowmobiling to da top of Michigan.
We tried following the turn-by-turn directions posted here (which were also on a brochure from the visitor's center in St. Ignace just N of the Mackinac bridge)but they didn't seem to match the abundantly placed blue signage, so we deferred to the signs and had no difficulty. The road (yes road, not trail or 2-track) was easily navigable and led to a lot within 155ft of the summit. Looks like there's been some improvements recently.
larvitar - Sep 3, 2016 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Aug 9, 2016
Larvitour Stop #28
Took my low-clearance Honda halfway up the gravel road (about a mile past the gravel pit), then bailed and walked the rest of the way. The woods up there are beautiful in late summer. :)
harbor - Jun 17, 2016 10:36 am Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2016
Good conditions
STHP # 14 for me. Part of a 5k mile road trip through much of the Northern States. Did 4 total state high points and visited a ton of National Parks and other scenic stops.
Road was fine when we went up. A little wet but made it all the way to the parking lot. The problem area with the beaver was cleaned up and is only a mile from the top. Would be an easy hike up if you couldn't make it all the way. The rest of the roads we went on were in great condition. The viewing area with the HighPointer bench is pretty cool.
punchline - Jun 6, 2016 5:57 pm Date Climbed: Jun 1, 2016
Highpoint #40
Make sure to check at the visitor center at L'Anse for road conditions. They had a significant amount of rainfall a couple days prior to our visit. We had a high clearance vehicle with no problems but the road is washed out immediately as you turn right at the beaver dam - approximately 1 mile from the summit so you may want to park in that area and just follow the road/signs up to the summit. The road is well marked and easy to follow.
sgb02d - May 22, 2016 8:30 pm Date Climbed: May 17, 2016
The Drive was Challenging
Use the directions on summitpost and pay attention to the odometer... this is a navigational car challenge and easy to get lost even with the high point signage and the road is not meant for cars. Highly recommend truck/suv and have the gas tank filled up. Seems like you would need a snow mobile if you wanted to do it in the winter. This was a beautiful and fun drive right up to the high point with a nice view of lake superior off in the distance.
Paul McClellan - Jul 14, 2014 1:40 pm Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2014
Good Road Directions
Thank you for the excellent road directions, they augmented the blue diamond signs quite well. The road now leads to just below the summit. The bench location provides a nice view to the north.
Jimmy Rivers - Jul 6, 2014 2:35 am Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2014
Back roads of the UP, Michigan
State HP #41, the second of the day after driving from Wisconsin, and 7th out of 9 on our midwestern swing. Every trip we take, we end up beating up the car a bit, and it was on this HP that we kind of accomplished this. The forest logging road that finally takes you there is sketchy at best, with a couple boulders we had to move before we passed. Take it SLOWWWWW. However, it was well marked with blue diamond signs all the way. NOT as tough to find as others say!
IdahoScott - Apr 7, 2014 6:14 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2003
Highpoint #10
It turns out a rented ford Taurus CAN survive 15 miles of logging roads. I approached from the south with only the written descriptions from the highpoint guidebooks to provide direction. At some point I was fairly confident I was going to have to ditch a broken down car and hike back to the highway. But I made it, with some good memories and stories. I took the northern route on the way out, which was much easier on the poor rented Taurus.
JohnMcPike - Oct 10, 2013 12:11 pm Date Climbed: Oct 8, 2013
Woohoo
HP# 39 - after a 6 year dry spell of no new hp's. Another one here that says the map the staff at the L'Anse visitor center is a fantastic tool and keep following the little blue arrow signs to the top. There was only one intersection we didn't see one and we started to despair when the road started going downhill. Don't be fooled - it goes back up again.
Spectacular foliage colors in all of Michigan and the dogs had a great time running around in the woods
We drove all the way up from Madison the week before Ironman Wisconsin. Because I was more focused on the race, I didn't do my homework before we set out. Big mistake, but luckily we managed our way through (from Champion to the south). In spite of the fact I did not receive a cell signal, the little blue dot on my phone continued to show me our proximity to Mt. Arvon, and from there I was able to guess which way we were to take at intersections (with a couple wrong turns).
I do not recommend that strategy at all.
The unexpected inordinate amount of time spent on these roads meant we did not get to spend the time we would have wished at Pictured Rocks. Oh well, I guess we will be returning to the UP.
Did this on the same day as Timms Hill in Wisconsin. I became one of the many folks that got lost in the maze of logging roads, and it took me a few hours before I was finally led to the right path. Lesson learned: don't use a GPS to find highpoints anymore. But, the blue signs put up were very helpful.
Bark Eater - Sep 10, 2013 6:54 am Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2013
Great Lakes Road Trip
Grand tour of the upper Great Lakes. #32HP for me. With Lillian, friends John and Barb, and pups.
MJS - Aug 22, 2013 12:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2013
U.S. Highpoint #4 - Mount Arvon
Drove up from Merrill, WI having summited Timm's Hill the previous day. Long drive, made worst by being alone. It was very hot and humid (90-degrees+) in the U.P. Camped at Baraga State Park that evening before heading home.
MountainHikerCO - Jun 10, 2018 2:32 pm Date Climbed: May 31, 2018
Ticks, Misleading signs!We visited Mt Arvon on May 31, 2018. The blue signs were very helpful for finding our way through the maze of back roads. However, on the outside of a left turn about 2 miles short of the summit there are some misleading signs. "Mt Arvon Hiking Trail 1-3/4 miles," "Trailhead Parking" & "Follow Blue" (with a blue diamond & a straight arrow pointing up a lesser side road.) Do not follow this side road. Stay on the obviously more maintained road that turns left. There apparently is some sort of overgrown tick gauntlet they are passing off as a hiking trail, but we didn't see it. We did hike over a mile back this 4WD rough, puddle saturated side road before deciding it couldn't be right. Then with several tick passengers and directions from a chance encounter, we drove the rest of the way to the summit parking lot. The correct road was passable in a Dodge Caliber, but some places were mud rutted and required a lot of care. I wouldn't want to try those same stretches when the mud was soft.
Kristalea - Apr 17, 2018 1:03 pm Date Climbed: Jun 24, 2017
Highpoint #10We found it just fine... but we left at dusk and wanted to head in the opposite direction from where we came. Without gps service, we got so turned around on those logging roads. What a memory!
emilyseven99 - Feb 22, 2018 6:38 pm
Winter Climb Mount ArvonMy dad and I climbed Mount Arvon this past winter and we got lost so many times! I totally don't recommend going in the winter.
joseyinnet - Jul 9, 2017 10:13 am Date Climbed: Jul 6, 2017
HP #37Went up just after a torrential thunderstorm. Pretty muddy, but nice sunset on the thunderheads while driving back to L'Anse.
maddie77777 - Jun 5, 2017 10:30 am Date Climbed: Jun 2, 2017
HP # 30Route instructions on the page were spot-on, and there's a nice turnaround at the top, along with a small clearing and a bench looking out onto Lake Superior. Drove a total of 17hrs this day, as I drove from Indianapolis to here and then Wisconsin's HP also. Pretty country!
chmoore577 - Feb 2, 2017 5:29 pm Date Climbed: Aug 10, 2014
Highpoint #22Long drive from GA. Arvon and Timms Hill on same day.
Adam Doc Fox - Jan 8, 2017 5:28 pm Date Climbed: Jan 1, 2017
Sled HeadsNice way to start the New Year--snowmobiling to da top of Michigan.
Jman - Sep 28, 2016 1:14 pm Date Climbed: Sep 24, 2016
That was easyWe tried following the turn-by-turn directions posted here (which were also on a brochure from the visitor's center in St. Ignace just N of the Mackinac bridge)but they didn't seem to match the abundantly placed blue signage, so we deferred to the signs and had no difficulty. The road (yes road, not trail or 2-track) was easily navigable and led to a lot within 155ft of the summit. Looks like there's been some improvements recently.
larvitar - Sep 3, 2016 9:53 pm Date Climbed: Aug 9, 2016
Larvitour Stop #28Took my low-clearance Honda halfway up the gravel road (about a mile past the gravel pit), then bailed and walked the rest of the way. The woods up there are beautiful in late summer. :)
harbor - Jun 17, 2016 10:36 am Date Climbed: Jun 13, 2016
Good conditionsSTHP # 14 for me. Part of a 5k mile road trip through much of the Northern States. Did 4 total state high points and visited a ton of National Parks and other scenic stops.
Road was fine when we went up. A little wet but made it all the way to the parking lot. The problem area with the beaver was cleaned up and is only a mile from the top. Would be an easy hike up if you couldn't make it all the way. The rest of the roads we went on were in great condition. The viewing area with the HighPointer bench is pretty cool.
punchline - Jun 6, 2016 5:57 pm Date Climbed: Jun 1, 2016
Highpoint #40Make sure to check at the visitor center at L'Anse for road conditions. They had a significant amount of rainfall a couple days prior to our visit. We had a high clearance vehicle with no problems but the road is washed out immediately as you turn right at the beaver dam - approximately 1 mile from the summit so you may want to park in that area and just follow the road/signs up to the summit. The road is well marked and easy to follow.
sgb02d - May 22, 2016 8:30 pm Date Climbed: May 17, 2016
The Drive was ChallengingUse the directions on summitpost and pay attention to the odometer... this is a navigational car challenge and easy to get lost even with the high point signage and the road is not meant for cars. Highly recommend truck/suv and have the gas tank filled up. Seems like you would need a snow mobile if you wanted to do it in the winter. This was a beautiful and fun drive right up to the high point with a nice view of lake superior off in the distance.
Paul McClellan - Jul 14, 2014 1:40 pm Date Climbed: Jun 16, 2014
Good Road DirectionsThank you for the excellent road directions, they augmented the blue diamond signs quite well. The road now leads to just below the summit. The bench location provides a nice view to the north.
Jimmy Rivers - Jul 6, 2014 2:35 am Date Climbed: Jun 15, 2014
Back roads of the UP, MichiganState HP #41, the second of the day after driving from Wisconsin, and 7th out of 9 on our midwestern swing. Every trip we take, we end up beating up the car a bit, and it was on this HP that we kind of accomplished this. The forest logging road that finally takes you there is sketchy at best, with a couple boulders we had to move before we passed. Take it SLOWWWWW. However, it was well marked with blue diamond signs all the way. NOT as tough to find as others say!
IdahoScott - Apr 7, 2014 6:14 pm Date Climbed: Jun 8, 2003
Highpoint #10It turns out a rented ford Taurus CAN survive 15 miles of logging roads. I approached from the south with only the written descriptions from the highpoint guidebooks to provide direction. At some point I was fairly confident I was going to have to ditch a broken down car and hike back to the highway. But I made it, with some good memories and stories. I took the northern route on the way out, which was much easier on the poor rented Taurus.
JohnMcPike - Oct 10, 2013 12:11 pm Date Climbed: Oct 8, 2013
WoohooHP# 39 - after a 6 year dry spell of no new hp's. Another one here that says the map the staff at the L'Anse visitor center is a fantastic tool and keep following the little blue arrow signs to the top. There was only one intersection we didn't see one and we started to despair when the road started going downhill. Don't be fooled - it goes back up again.
Spectacular foliage colors in all of Michigan and the dogs had a great time running around in the woods
huskertriguy - Sep 18, 2013 10:29 pm Date Climbed: Sep 3, 2013
Another Hopelessly Lost DriverWe drove all the way up from Madison the week before Ironman Wisconsin. Because I was more focused on the race, I didn't do my homework before we set out. Big mistake, but luckily we managed our way through (from Champion to the south). In spite of the fact I did not receive a cell signal, the little blue dot on my phone continued to show me our proximity to Mt. Arvon, and from there I was able to guess which way we were to take at intersections (with a couple wrong turns).
I do not recommend that strategy at all.
The unexpected inordinate amount of time spent on these roads meant we did not get to spend the time we would have wished at Pictured Rocks. Oh well, I guess we will be returning to the UP.
SHP #34.
skinnywhitecomic - Sep 13, 2013 12:22 pm Date Climbed: Sep 11, 2013
HP #32Did this on the same day as Timms Hill in Wisconsin. I became one of the many folks that got lost in the maze of logging roads, and it took me a few hours before I was finally led to the right path. Lesson learned: don't use a GPS to find highpoints anymore. But, the blue signs put up were very helpful.
Bark Eater - Sep 10, 2013 6:54 am Date Climbed: Sep 2, 2013
Great Lakes Road TripGrand tour of the upper Great Lakes. #32HP for me. With Lillian, friends John and Barb, and pups.
MJS - Aug 22, 2013 12:48 pm Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2013
U.S. Highpoint #4 - Mount ArvonDrove up from Merrill, WI having summited Timm's Hill the previous day. Long drive, made worst by being alone. It was very hot and humid (90-degrees+) in the U.P. Camped at Baraga State Park that evening before heading home.