All 15 Yooper Counties

My adventure started at the Michigan Welcome Center. While the inside appeared to be closed, the log cabin outside was cool to see.

Map of Wisconsin and Michigan showing red location pin at Michigan Welcome Center in the Upper Peninsula near Menominee Large blue roadside sign reading 'Welcome to PURE MICHIGAN' with stylized script lettering against clear blue sky Historic log cabin building serving as Claude Tobin Travel Information Center with green ramp, brown wooden construction, and stone chimney Street view showing silver sedan driving past log cabin visitor center with commercial buildings visible in background

The first courthouse I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was Menominee County. Only 14 more to go!

Map of Wisconsin showing red location pin at Menominee County Courthouse in northeastern Wisconsin near Green Bay Menominee County Courthouse, a two-story red brick Victorian building with ornate mansard tower, arched windows, and surrounded by mature trees Selfie in front of Menominee County Courthouse wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern Wooden gazebo housing historic bell with American flags on either side, planters with red flowers, and white buildings in background

The Delta County Courthouse in Escanaba was the second courthouse I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Map of Michigan's Upper Peninsula showing red location pin at Delta County Circuit Court near Escanaba Modern tan commercial building photographed at dusk with large tree in foreground and empty street Selfie in front of modern Delta County building at dusk wearing black face mask with Packers logo pattern Decorative wall installation showing oxidized copper Delta County outline map with bronze eagle sculpture mounted on cream-colored brick wall

Escanaba seemed like a cool little town to explore. I didn't have much time to hang around since I needed to head to the next county, but a few things did catch my eye.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin in central Upper Peninsula region south of Lake Superior Historic brick building wall featuring colorful 'ESCANABA FOUNDED 1863' mural with images of sailing ship, steam locomotive, and logging scenes Downtown Escanaba main street at golden hour with American flag, vintage storefronts, and street lights silhouetted against orange sky Historic Michigan Theater with Art Deco facade and vertical marquee sign on downtown street photographed at dawn or dusk

I ended up sleeping at a boat launch between Escanaba and Manistique. There was a storm that rolled through that night, but in the morning it made for an awesome sunrise!

Map showing red location pin in eastern Upper Peninsula Michigan near Mackinac Straits area Dramatic sunset over calm lake with reeds in foreground, vibrant orange and pink clouds reflected in still water Wooden dock extending into tranquil lake at sunset with golden sky and reeds visible along shoreline Vibrant pink and orange sunset over lake viewed through silhouetted shoreline vegetation and reeds

The awesome thing about driving in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the massive forests and picturesque coastline that you get to see for large amounts of the drive.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin in central-eastern region near Lake Michigan shoreline Two-lane highway curving through dense pine forest at dusk with dramatic cloudy sky overhead Lake Michigan beach at sunset with dramatic cloud formations, golden sun reflection on water, and sandy shoreline Sandy beach along Lake Michigan with gentle waves, scattered driftwood, pine trees lining shore, and cloudy sky

The Schoolcraft County Courthouse was the third of 15 courthouses I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Schoolcraft County District Court location Modern single-story Schoolcraft County Courthouse with dark brown brick exterior, row of windows, photographed at dawn with dramatic cloud patterns Selfie in front of Schoolcraft County Courthouse at dawn wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern Modern two-story Schoolcraft County government building with tan and brown brick exterior, multiple window sections, and manicured lawn

Along US-2 on the way to St. Igance, there was a lot of awesome coastline that had great places to pull off the road and get down by the water.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin in eastern region near Mackinac Straits Silver sedan parked along lakeside highway with dramatic cloudy sky, sand dunes, and Lake Michigan shoreline visible Weathered wooden boardwalk with railings ascending through tall beach grass and sand dunes under blue sky Footprints in sand along Lake Michigan beach with gentle waves, dramatic clouds, and vegetation-covered dunes

Mackinac County was the 4th courthouse I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was the first courthouse in all the courthouses I have visited where a sheriff's deputy came out and asked me what I was doing taking pictures.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Mackinac County 92nd District Court near Straits of Mackinac Art Deco style Mackinac County Court House with tan brick exterior, limestone entrance surround, and four-story design Selfie in front of Mackinac County Court House wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern War memorial monument featuring bronze eagle atop white stone obelisk flanked by soldier statues with commemorative plaques

The Chippewa County Courthouse in Sault Ste. Marie was the 5th county I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Chippewa County Courthouse in eastern UP region Historic Chippewa County Courthouse, ornate Victorian brick building with Second Empire mansard tower, American flag, and tree-lined lawn Selfie in front of Chippewa County Courthouse wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern, brick paver walkway visible Bronze sculpture of she-wolf nursing Romulus and Remus on stone pedestal with plaque reading 'The Wolf of Rome' on courthouse lawn

Sault Ste. Marie had a very historic feel to it, and judging by how packed it was downtown, it looked like a popular place to explore. I was looking to avoid people, so I snapped a few pictures and headed to the next county.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin in Sault Ste. Marie area near Canadian border Large blue mural on building wall featuring 'Sault Ste. Marie' text with ship anchor silhouette and 'LAKE SUPERIOR STATE UNIVERSITY' lettering Historic red brick church with tall tower topped by white cross, Gothic arched windows, and modern glass addition attached to side Downtown main street with historic commercial buildings, vintage storefronts, parked vehicles, and pedestrians under blue sky

Luce County was the 6th courthouse I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This courthouse appeared to be a one-stop shop for all county government services.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Luce County District Court in north-central region Modern single-story Luce County Government Building with brown brick exterior, multiple flagpoles, and expansive green lawn Selfie in front of Luce County Government Building wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern Luce County government building entrance with brown brick facade, green door, and informational signage visible

Alger County in Munising was the 7th county I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Just about halfway done!

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Alger County Courthouse in central UP region Modern Alger County Courthouse with brown brick exterior, flat roof, three flagpoles, and wooded hillside background Selfie in front of Alger County Courthouse wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern Tan brick wall with raised metal 'ALGER COUNTY COURTHOUSE' lettering and Alger County Conservation Districts sign with blue and green design below

After doing a ton of driving, I needed to stretch my legs. I checked out the views from the Munising Marina and did my best to avoid people who had the same idea as me.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin in central region south of Lake Superior Concrete marina pier with docked boats, 'Marina Rules' sign, green lamp post, and forested hills across harbor Deep blue lake water with gentle waves, tree-covered islands and shoreline visible on horizon under clear sky Small town parking lot with various vehicles, commercial buildings, tall pine tree, and forested hillside background

Just as I needed to stretch my legs, I needed to eat something. While on the Great Lakes, I always love to eat fresh fish. The second I saw a blue building that said "smoked fish," I had to stop!

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Brey's Fish Market location in central UP Small blue commercial building with turquoise metal roof, 'OPEN' signs in windows, and 'SMOKED FISH' text on exterior wall Bright blue roadside sign reading 'Brey's Fish Market' with white jumping fish illustration and 'OPEN' text on white panel below Close-up of whole smoked whitefish with golden-brown crispy skin, dark grill marks, and char marks wrapped in clear plastic

Christmas, Michigan likes to spread Christmas cheer all year round!

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin in central-western region near Lake Superior shoreline Red and white two-story building with large Santa Claus decoration, red and white striped candy cane pole, and Christmas theme exterior Large novelty building shaped like brown work boot with yellow roof sections, multiple stories with windows, and cartoon characters at base Wooden mailbox post decorated with red and white striped candy cane pattern on residential street with trees

Marquette County was the 8th Upper Peninsula of Michigan county I visited. I finally reached the halfway point of my adventure and also got to see the UP's largest metropolis of a little over 21,000 people.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Marquette County Court location in north-central region Marquette County Courthouse, imposing red brick building with copper dome, classical columns, wide front steps, and symmetrical wings Selfie in front of Marquette County Courthouse wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern with bright sun creating lens flare Side view of Marquette County Courthouse showing red brick facade, dome with windows, and ornate architectural details with surrounding trees

Baraga County was the 9th county I visited. This courthouse was small, but it had a really nice view.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Baraga County District Court in western UP region Baraga County Courthouse, multi-story red brick Victorian building with steep peaked roofs, multiple gables, and iron fence on elevated site Selfie in front of Baraga County Courthouse entrance with white peaked gable and red brick facade wearing Packers mask Elevated view of small lakeside town with commercial buildings, American flag, flat roofs, and large blue lake or bay in background

Baraga Cliff Roadside Park had a steep drop beyond the fence, but that made for an awesome view!

Map of northern Wisconsin and Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin in central UP region south of Lake Superior White warning sign on chain link fence reading 'DANGER OVER HANGING CLIFF DO NOT GO BEYOND FENCE' with autumn leaves on ground Lake Superior view through trees and vegetation from clifftop with deep blue water extending to horizon under partly cloudy sky Lake Superior framed by tree trunks and branches with calm blue water visible through forest opening on clifftop

The Houghton County Courthouse in Houghton was the 10th Upper Peninsula of Michigan county that I visited.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Houghton County Circuit Court in western UP near Keweenaw Peninsula Houghton County Courthouse, ornate Victorian Romanesque building with tall central clock tower, American flag, cream and red brick exterior, and multiple architectural elements Selfie in front of Houghton County Courthouse wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern with tower visible behind Dramatic upward angle view of Houghton County Courthouse tower showing cream-colored brick, red trim, ornate windows, and architectural details

Keweenaw County is the 11th county I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is the northernmost county in Michigan and also the least populated. Its courthouse has also been standing for over 150 years!

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin on western Lake Superior shoreline near County Clerk location Historic white neoclassical courthouse building with grand Ionic columns, triangular pediment, second-story balcony, and '1866' inscription above arched entrance Selfie in front of white columned neoclassical courthouse wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern Close-up detail of '1866' date inscription in black numerals on white curved archway above courthouse entrance with classical trim

With Keweenaw County being the least-populated county in Michigan, the jail and sheriff's office easily fit into this house.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Keweenaw County Sheriff's Office in northwestern tip of peninsula White Victorian house with coral-colored roof, multiple dormers, two-story design, front entrance with white railings and steps Brown wooden directional sign reading 'SHERIFF OFFICE AND JAIL' with white arrow mounted on post with brick base and tree trunk Backlit view of white Victorian house with vehicle parked in front, additional white building visible, sun creating lens flare

I finally hit a dozen counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! Ontonagon County was the 12th county I visited.

Map of Upper Peninsula Michigan showing red location pin at Ontonagon County Circuit Judge in western UP region Modern Ontonagon County Courthouse with brown brick exterior, angular design, vertical window slits, photographed at dawn or dusk Selfie in front of modern brown brick Ontonagon County Courthouse wearing black face mask with Green Bay Packers logo pattern Side view of modern Ontonagon County Courthouse showing brown brick construction and minimalist design at dusk

The sun was setting on my drive from Ontonagon to Bessemer. I couldn't really find a good spot to pull off until I found a boat launch near Silver City. Luckily, I got there in time for some awesome views!

Map showing northwestern Wisconsin and western Upper Peninsula Michigan with red location pin near Lake Superior Motion-blurred view down swimming platform or dock extending into lake at dusk with trees and shoreline visible in background Lake Superior sunset with golden and orange sky framed by silhouetted tree branches, calm water reflecting warm colors Peaceful lake sunset with gentle ripples on water surface, pastel sky, and tree-lined shore silhouetted against horizon

Gogebic County was the 13th county I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. By this time, I was seeing the finish line and there were only two more counties to go after this!

Map of northern Wisconsin showing red location pin at Gogebic County Courthouse near Michigan border Gogebic County Courthouse, dramatic red brick Romanesque Revival building with castellated tower, arched windows, and brown wooden sign featuring Native American headdress logo Selfie in front of Gogebic County Courthouse tower wearing face mask with large Green Bay Packers 'G' logo design Gogebic County Courthouse at golden hour with dramatic storm clouds, showing historic red brick tower contrasting with modern tan brick addition

Did you know the concept of a rest stop was invented in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan a little over 100 years ago? This roadside park was the first location that sprouted an idea that took off nationwide.

Map showing First Roadside Park location in Wisconsin's Upper Peninsula near the Michigan border Wooden sign at First Roadside Park reading 'Site of First Roadside Table - Wide Right - Cut way a Roadside Timber in Michigan from this beginning table day spread thru out the state and nation - 1919-20' Wide highway stretching into distance with tree-lined shoulders on both sides under clear blue sky Entrance to First Roadside Park showing gravel parking area, picnic tables, and information shelter surrounded by mature trees

Iron County was the 14th county I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Map showing Iron County Courthouse location in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Iron County Courthouse, a Romanesque Revival brick building with tall clock tower, turret, and ornamental features, dated 1890 Person wearing Green Bay Packers face mask taking selfie in front of Iron County Courthouse tower Lady Justice statue holding scales and sword, positioned atop courthouse pediment against blue sky

An interesting quirk about my part of the drive to visit all 15 counties in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan is that I had to cut through Wisconsin when I took US-2 from Crystal Falls to Iron Mountain.

View through rain-covered windshield showing highway with State Road 2 and 141 signs visible in distance 'Welcome to Pure Michigan' blue roadside sign at Wisconsin-Michigan state border Concrete bridge with vehicles crossing, marking entry into Michigan

The 15th and final county I visited in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan was Dickinson County in Iron Mountain. The first place I ever visited in the UP was Iron Mountain, so it was cool to be back.

Concrete bridge with vehicles crossing, marking entry into Michigan Map showing Dickinson County Clerk location in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Dickinson County Courthouse, red brick building with prominent clock tower and arched entrance Person wearing Green Bay Packers face mask taking selfie in front of Dickinson County Courthouse clock tower Historic armory building featuring fortress-style red brick architecture with round turret and crenellated roofline

I needed to kill some time before the place I wanted to get food at opened. I found this awesome park to relax at and start going through the pictures I had taken along this trip.

Map showing Jim and Ida Goulette Park location on Michigan's Upper Peninsula shoreline Long wooden fishing pier with railings extending into large lake under cloudy sky Lake view showing choppy water with forested hills visible along distant shoreline Lake view framed by overhanging tree branches with hills in background under partly cloudy sky

This might be one of those "see more" posts since getting a burger at Recreations Lanes in Iron Mountain, Michigan was something I specifically chose to do (and not impulsively did) as part of this trip.

Some people I know often make the comment to me, "Are you going to drive 100 miles for a burger?" In some ways, it seems like a joke, but in other ways, it seems like a taunt because I hear it often enough from the same people. It seems certain people can't wrap their minds around traveling outside their bubble and trying new things.

Well, the "100 miles for a burger" stems from a trip I took in my pre-blogging days. I was in Wausau, Wisconsin, and impulsively decided that driving to Iron Mountain, Michigan would be fun. I hadn't been to Iron Mountain or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for a few years, so I thought, "What the heck?"

I just drove up to Iron Mountain to drive to Iron Mountain. I wasn't intending to do anything specific or eat anything specific, but obviously, after driving a couple of hours, I was naturally hungry. I figured a bowling alley burger would be good, so I stopped by Recreation Lanes.

I was right in that assumption, and the burger hit the spot. Fast forward to this trip to visit all 15 counties in the Upper Peninsula. Dickinson County in Iron Mountain was going to be the last county for me to visit. I arrived a few hours before Recreation Lanes opened, so I hung out at a city park and patiently waited.

I got there around opening time. This time, I got my burger to go and ate it in another park. It once again hit the spot. So now when someone asks if I'm going to drive 100 miles for a burger, I'm going to say I'll drive over 1000 miles for a burger and then mention this trip. I obviously had a bit more of an agenda than just driving somewhere for the sake of driving somewhere, but besides the courthouses that I visited along the way and Recreation Lanes, everything else was impulsive.

I can say it was awesome to celebrate this three-day weekend trip that took me to all 15 Upper Peninsula of Michigan counties with a burger from the place that I visited on one of my earliest impulsive trips (If memory serves right it was early 2011).

Map showing Recreation Lanes Antoine Room location in Michigan's Upper Peninsula Recreation Lanes bowling alley exterior showing long metal building with white garage doors and red directional sign, parking lot in foreground Interior of bowling alley featuring multiple lanes with automatic scoring, seating area with tables and colorful chairs, red accent walls and mounted speakers Hamburger with lettuce, tomato, and onions on bun served with portion of golden french fries on paper liner

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