Copper Country Trail National Byway

Story of the Byway

Located on the Keweenaw Peninsula in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, the Copper Country Trail National Byway travels the spine of the Keweenaw, a narrow, jagged finger of land about 70 miles long. The peninsula juts northeastward into Lake Superior. The region is remote; some 550 miles separate it from Detroit, MI. The closest large population centers are Green Bay, WI and Minneapolis, MN, 220 and 350-miles away respectively. The Copper Country Trail National Byway begins between the communities of Houghton and Hancock at the Portage Lake Lift Bridge and travels north along US-41 to Copper Harbor at the tip of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The highway is considered the main artery of the byway, but multiple spur routes take travelers directly to the Lake Superior shorelines or through historical mining areas. These spur routes include highways M-26 and M-203, along with Gay-Lac LaBelle Road, Cliff Drive, and Brockway Mountain Drive.

This region is rich in natural features, such as the Lake Superior shoreline, colorful forests (including virgin northern hardwoods and eastern white pine), myriad of bird and plant species, inland creeks, streams, and waterfalls, and numerous scenic views. It is the geology that is at the heart of this area. Not only did this area once contain the largest pure copper vein in the world, but that copper brought about one of the most culturally diverse industrial stories of the nation.

The Copper Country Trail National Byway tells the story of a spectacular natural history that supported a rich mining history of the world's larger pure copper deposit. American Indians pit mined copper early on the Keweenaw Peninsula. Later, in the mid-19th century, copper mining began in earnest and boomed here for decades. This burgeoning industry lured thousands of immigrants (e.g., Irish, German, Cornish, English, Scandinavian, Italian) to the area. These enterprising immigrants built towns and villages, and in doing so, they also stripped the environment of timber and minerals. Although the remote location and harsh winters challenged their very existence, communities thrived.

The truly unique sense of place, grounded in the resourcefulness and resilience of its forefathers, endures on the Keweenaw today. The environment has recovered and many of the vestiges from the mining era remain on the landscape as testimony to an earlier time. Copper Country Trail National Byway provides a backdrop against which these stories are told.

The Keweenaw is still a place of quiet relaxation. No longer is copper pulled from the ground; instead, only a few mines still see the light from headlamps, guiding visitors on tours. Heritage is now the Copper Country's mined treasure. The Copper Country is not a ghost town, lost after an era of booming industry, but a thriving area proud of its heritage. The downtown areas have been preserved for their unique architecture. Museums hold the stories of the people and places and established walking tours of many of the historical downtown areas exist. Cultural diversity is still alive in the area due to the local universities (Finlandia University and Michigan Technological University), a thriving community ethic, and the 110-year old-Calumet Theatre, which still brings in acts and movies from all around the world. The natural and cultural features and recreational opportunities are not only revered by visitors but by the people of the Copper Country who have strove to protect these resources. The land of the Keweenaw is rich in natural wonders, history, and experiences.