In praise of the Porkies

Few stretches of wilderness in the Upper Midwest capture the imagination like Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, affectionately known as “the Porkies.” It’s one of the nation’s largest areas of virgin hemlock forest, it has some of the oldest mountains in the world, and it sits right on the shoreline of majestic Lake Superior. It’s a sanctuary for several species of flora and fauna, and its large trail system allows for many different hikes of many different lengths. The Porkies has a lot going for it.

My first backpacking trip I ever took was in the Porkies, back in 2011. The night before we hit the trail, I barely slept, tossing and turning, nervous about not being able to actually hike the 30 or so miles required of me. However, it all worked out fine: I was in good shape, the weather was great and we hiked some of the most scenic trails the Porkies has to offer, being greeted with stunning vistas, a serene forest and a gem of a campsite right on Lake Superior. I left that weekend with a lasting appreciation and fondness for the Porkies, and I’ve taken at least one multi-day backpacking trip every year since.

Two weeks ago I took my wife to the Porkies. She’s new to backpacking, having only ventured out once before (last year in an ill-fated attempt to hike the Uinta Highline Trail in Utah). Our 27-mile loop around the Porkies was the trip I should’ve taken her on first, as the park truly is the best introductory experience to wilderness backpacking. In spite of the dismal weather forecast, we went ahead with the trip and were fortunate that the predicted storm never arrived, and instead we enjoyed late afternoon blue skies, a beautiful sunset over Lake Superior as we sat at our shoreline campsite, a warm breeze and a crackling fire, a rigorous day of hiking behind us.

The Porkies has become more popular in recent years, and as such its trails are more well-trodden, its campsites more developed and its sense of remoteness somewhat diminished. However, it is still the same place I remember from all those years ago, and it satisfies that nostalgic longing to return to places of personal importance. It’s still the same beautiful expanse of cragged bluffs, ancient hemlocks and roaring shoreline, and I’ll be coming back to it again and again for the rest of my life.