While the title is slightly misleading, because it might lead you to believe that I have completed every hike in Michigan to be able to justify such a claim, which I have not. I assure you that the Chapel Basin Loop is in fact the best hike in all of Michigan. I’ve traversed the loop twice so far, and my opinion has not changed. I have also queried Michigan hikers on Instagram, and read the reviews on AllTrails, and it seems that most everyone who has navigated the trails are in agreement.
Now that we’ve established the basis for my claim, we can move onto what makes this such an epic hike. The Chapel Basin Loop is actually a combination of trails, which as the name implies, goes in a circle starting at the Chapel Basin trailhead parking lot, 14 miles east of Munising in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The entire loop is 10.4 miles, and is relatively flat and an easy go, the distance being the only rough part.
The main goal or reward of this hike, happens at about 2-3 miles in, depending on which direction you take the loop, when you reach Lake Superior and a 4.7 mile stretch of the Lakeshore Trail. The Lakeshore Trail is a 42.4 mile trek that goes along the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. If a multi-day hike isn’t super appealing to you, this is a great alternative.
The hike took about 4 hours both times to complete, going at a steady pace, with multiple stops for photos along the Lakeshore Trail, and including a lunch stop at Chapel Beach. I’ve done the hike going both clockwise and counter clockwise, and while there’s not a huge difference in the direction you take, I think I prefer counter clockwise, taking the Chapel Falls Trail to Chapel Rock (3.1 miles), breaking for lunch at Chapel Beach (0.1 miles), enjoying the breathtaking beauty of walking on top of the Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore (4.7 miles), and then taking Mosquito Falls Trail back to the Chapel trailhead parking lot (2.5 miles).
There are several waterfalls to see along the way, as well as views of Chapel Lake and Mosquito River, but the best part of the hike is by far the Lakeshore Trail, where you can step off onto scenic overlooks to get a glimpse of the Pictured Rocks and the turquoise water of Lake Superior. The trail is pretty well trafficked, but both times we mostly had the trails to ourselves, passing the occasional group of hikers along the way.
A couple of things to note should you choose to go on this highly recommended treasure of a hike:
- The trailhead parking lot is pretty small, and can get full very quickly. It’s best to go early or later in the day for a prime parking spot, otherwise you’ll have to park on the side of the dirt road, and potentially have to hike just to get to the hike. There are a few spots for campers/trailers.
- There are vault toilets at the trailhead and also at the Chapel Beach campsite, which you can stay at overnight if you’re making a longer trip out of the adventure.
- There is an inner loop of trails, going along the other side of Chapel Lake and Mosquito River. Be careful not to do this route because you miss both Chapel & Mosquito Falls.
- Depending on when you go, the trail can be both muddy and a bit buggy, so wear good hiking shoes and bring bug spray.
- Bring a lunch to enjoy on Chapel Beach, it’s a great half way point and place to rest and enjoy the scenery.
If you’ve been on a better hike in Michigan, I invite you to share the details, because if there’s something more spectacular than this, I absolutely need to check it out.