This Hidden Michigan Cove is Magical
With its rich history and Caribbean-blue waters, there's no better place to hide away (and play mermaids).
The Great Lakes State, Michigan, earns its title due to it's almost island-like geography -- being nearly fully surrounded by some of the world's biggest freshwater lakes. Although Michigan has a long and cold winter season, it's the place to be in the summer, drawing in hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, especially in big lakeside cities like Traverse City.
A second water wonderland retreat, Marquette, is in the upper peninsula (UP) of the state. Marquette is not only known for its beachy beauty, but also for the best (and just nearly the only) outdoor rock climbing in the entire state.
Marquette has no shortage of swimming and diving spots, but Rum Runner's Cove is otherworldly. When thinking about Detroit or Grand Rapids, it's hard to believe that Marquette is even in Michigan. The UP is almost an entirely different state. (Sometimes I've even referred to it as a "southern Canada"!)
Rum Runner's gets it name from Michigan's prohibition era during the early 1900s, when the cove was used to moor ships carrying illicit alcohol. Now, it's a popular swimming hole and cliff-jumping spot. There's even rock climbing out there!
There is plenty of easily accessible parking right off the road, so you'll likely be able to find parking quickly even on the hottest and busiest of days. The hike is not extremely accessible as nothing is paved, not even the parking lot, and you'll find yourself stomping through mud, sand, and gravel, climbing over logs, and scrambling up and down rocks.
The difficulty level itself is very easy for an average able-bodied hiker as it's a very short and almost entirely shaded walk to the rock face. The hardest part for most people will likely be walking/climbing the rock face, but even this is very doable -- just wear shoes with good traction (and preferably some ankle support). I wore my favorite hiking boots and stuck to the rock face just fine. Just be extra careful once you're barefoot and slippery!
If you're brave enough to make the trek, I highly recommend it. Being on the shores of Lake Superior, the water is always cold. Jumping off the rock face into the frigid water on a 30 C (86 F) sunny summer's day felt so unbelievably nice.
Making the venture out to Rum Runner's Cove is a great option too for those who have already done (or just want to avoid the crowds of) the famous Marquette cliff jump known as Black Rocks.
Why does it always look scarier when you're at the top of the rock versus at the bottom?
Travelers - what is your favorite swimming spot in the world? Rum Runner's might make my list... 😉
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