Bete Grise Roadside Park and Beach
Bete Grise is a tiny community east of Lac La Belle that most Keweenaw Peninsula travelers won’t come to see. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth your time, though, especially considering the pristine beaches and legends surrounding them.
Bete Grise Roadside Park and Beach is less than half an hour from Copper Harbor and just over 30 minutes from Gay. It offers some of the best views in the Keweenaw Peninsula, especially in the fall. There’s a small parking area with pit toilets and picnic tables for taking a load off or enjoying a nice lunch.
This beach is said to have ‘singing sands,’ if you push down on it, the sand emanates a singing or high-pitched noise. The beach spans roughly a mile, so there’s plenty of room to spread out and listen to it sing.
If you walk north, the beach eventually turns to rock, and you’ll be in front of homes. Walking south, the beach stays sandy until you hit the artificial Mendota Canal piers. You’ll walk in front of homes this way, too, but are legally allowed to do so if you stay within the high water line. From here, you get a nice view of the Mendota Lighthouse, which is only accessible from this viewing area, as it’s privately owned.
This part of the Keweenaw Peninsula is quaint and quiet most of the year. The Bete Grise Bay is picturesque, the water is cold, and the beach never seems to age. If you’re looking for somewhere to get away from crowds you experienced further inland, this is the place to do it.
