01
Tawas Point Lighthouse Trail
A flat sand-spit loop from the parking lot out to the lighthouse and back along the beach. Sunrise here is unbeatable.
On land · All levels · 11 parks
Season · April – October
Hiking.
11 state parks. Negwegon for solitude, Rockport for sinkholes and fossils, the Highbanks for the AuSable canyon view. 80 miles of marked trail in total.
Negwegon · early autumn
State parks
11
On or near the coast
Trail miles
80+
Marked · all difficulty
Best season
Sep–Oct
Color · cool · few bugs
Day pass
$11
MI recreation passport
Best hikes · 6 trails
Six hikes, south to north.
Curated by Sunrise Coast Council editors. Routes, sites, and pull-offs from south to north along US-23.
02
Highbanks Trail, River Road
Along the AuSable canyon from Lumberman's Monument north. Five overlooks with benches. The Iargo Springs spur drops 300 steps.
03
Negwegon Wilderness loop
No paved roads, no power, no cell. Three loops through pine forest to seven miles of empty beach. The road in is loose sand.
04
Sturgeon Point Heritage Trail
A quiet loop through old-growth white pine to the lighthouse and museum. Good for kids.
05
Rockport quarry trails
A 4,000-acre park on a former quarry. The cliffs have visible Devonian fossils; the inland sinkhole pond is 70 ft deep.
06
Headlands forest trail
Loops through 600 acres of dark sky preserve to a beach on the Straits. Walk it at dusk and stay for the stars.
Negwegon State Park
A wilderness most people can't find.
Negwegon is a 4,000-acre state park between Harrisville and Alpena with no electricity, no running water, no cell service, and no marked road in. The DNR keeps the access road deliberately unimproved — loose sand for the last mile and a half — to discourage casual visitors.
What you get for it is seven miles of empty Lake Huron coast, three short trail loops through old-growth white pine, and a kind of quiet you rarely find in lower Michigan. Sandhill cranes stage here in September by the hundreds. Bring water. Bring a map. Tell someone where you're going.
4,000 ac
Wilderness
7 mi
Empty beach
None
Cell service
Hiking · negwegon state park
"The trail to Negwegon is unmarked on purpose."— Negwegon SP trail guide, MI DNR
Gear & know before you go
What to bring, what's provided.
Bring with you
- Water — no fountains in remote parks
- Bug spray (May–Aug)
- Paper map for Negwegon
- Bear spray (rare but possible)
Wear
- Boots for sandy/rocky access roads
- Layers — mornings cool
- High-vis if hiking in deer season (Nov)
- Hat for the sun on open beaches
Trail etiquette
- Leave No Trace — pack out everything
- Quiet hours after sunset at trailheads
- Dogs on leash in state parks
- Drone use prohibited inside park boundaries
Questions · 4 answers
Hiking on the coast — questions.
Quick answers to what travelers ask most.
Q.01
Is hiking good on Michigan's Sunrise Coast?
Yes — 11 state parks. Negwegon for solitude, Rockport for sinkholes and fossils, the Highbanks for the AuSable canyon view. 80 miles of marked trail in total.
Q.02
When is the best time of year for hiking on the Sunrise Coast?
The recommended season for hiking on Michigan's Sunrise Coast is April – October. State parks: 11 — On or near the coast.
Q.03
Where can I hiking on the Sunrise Coast?
6 trails along the 200-mile coast. A standout option: Tawas Point Lighthouse Trail — 1.5 mi · Easy · Sand. A flat sand-spit loop from the parking lot out to the lighthouse and back along the beach. Sunrise here is unbeatable.
Q.04
What gear or preparation do I need for hiking on the Sunrise Coast?
Bring with you: Water — no fountains in remote parks; Bug spray (May–Aug); Paper map for Negwegon; Bear spray (rare but possible).