With several new Overland related products to test and both of my sons out of town for the weekend, my wife and I thought it’d be the perfect time to explore a natural treasure located less than three hours north of us. Measuring 134 square miles, Drummond Island is the 7th largest “lake island” in the world. And 5th largest in the US. Plus, 2/3rds of the island is designated State Forest making the island ripe for exploration. To top it off, Drummond Island has the largest closed loop ORV trail system in the state. So it seemed like the perfect candidate for a weekend adventure.
Day 1
We packed up our Toyota Tundra aptly known as “Roja” and headed north on Interstate 75 to the Mackinaw Bridge. Here we crossed into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and headed east to Detour Village before boarding the ferry to Drummond Island. Once on the island, we quickly departed the paved road and headed into the state forrest on well marked ORV routes. Our first day consisted of various rock covered trails with a few puddles and some slight inclines. Nothing too difficult. The weather had been fairly dry in the days leading up to our trip so the trails were not nearly as wet as they can be. Be sure to check the weather before heading up there. I’ve seen videos of lifted Jeeps stuck up to their eyeballs in mud here.
Once we established our first campsite, we were greeted by a diverse and interesting ecosystem. A variety of waterfowl sang to us in the evening as we were treated to a wonderful Great Lakes sunset. We even had a beaver check out our shoreline campfire as the night sky began to glow with a billion dots of light. With no artificial lights for miles, the sky became an endless array of galactic splendor. As the fire slowly burned itself out, we retired to our Tepui roof top tent. While waves gently licked the rocky shoreline below our camp lulling us to sleep with each pulse.
Drummond Island Video:
Day 2
The following morning we were treated to a light breeze, keeping the mosquitos at bay as we made breakfast and enjoyed a hot mug of life giving coffee. Packing up the tent and kitchen, we made our way back onto the trails and headed to Marble Head. A granite cliff perched 100 feet above Lake Huron and the eastern most part of the Upper Peninsula. The trail became moderately rough with several rock shelves to negotiate. 4 wheel drive and some additional ground clearance is highly recommended if you plan to drive to the top.
After some foot exploration around the cliffs, it was time to head back down the hill and scout out our next campsite for the night. Since the bar was set pretty high after the first night, we traveled by dirt and gravel roads to an area on the southern part of the island that looked intriguing while performing a map recon on the Gaia GPS App. The Gaia GPS runs on a mounted iPad in the cockpit and is our primary means of navigation while Overlanding. And we found exactly what we were hoping for. A small 2 track trail that led to a rocky beach near a stream that emptied into the Great Lakes.
We set up the tent and settled into our camp chairs for another relaxing evening. My lovely wife prepared another meal suitable for a king. Followed by an obligatory campfire and a cocktail. A moonless night revealed the Milky Way in all of its splendor as a barrage of visible satellites zipped across the sky. Our lullaby was performed by a chorus of frogs and soothing white noise from Lake Hurons waves caressing the rocky coastline.
Day 3
Our last morning on Drummond Island started the same as most other days. Coffee or Die! Followed by a weekend breakfast favorite, french toast and sausage patties. Another light breeze made the clean-up and repacking another mosquito free experience. But don’t be fooled. Those wretched insects are on the island in full force so come prepared. Seagulls vigorously fished for their breakfast along the shoreline capturing our attention while enjoying our morning beverage. All in all, we had a great time on Drummond Island and will plan another trip up there soon. It’s ruggedness and low population makes you feel like you’re somewhere in Alaska. Unfortunately, two days is only a teaser as to what the island has to offer.
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