Big Carp River Trail

Dogs Unknown

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

From the weather-pounded and rocky shores of Great Lake Superior make your way up the Carp River. Along the way, you'll find waterfall after beautiful waterfall to appease your eyes. After crossing bridges and fording creeks, you'll feel like you're really getting after it as you explore this deep, wooded backcountry wonderland.

This trail makes its way across and along multiple creeks and rivers before making the slow climb toward Lafayette Peak on the Escarpment Ridge. This ridge walk is sublime with views of Lake Superior, the Porcupine Wilderness interior, and Lake of the Clouds. The trail comes to an end at the Lake of the Clouds trailhead.

Flora and fauna in the Porkies are quite abundant. One may witness black bear, fisher, red squirrel, varying hare, red fox, gray wolf, coyote, bobcat, porcupine, striped skunk, and on occasion, moose. And the spring display of wildflowers in May is spectacular and the woodland wildflowers in summer continue this excellence. Coral-root orchids, rattlesnake plantain orchids, and many others. Ferns, clubmosses, lichens, and mosses are also in abundance.