Summit Peak
The hike to the Summit Peak observation tower is a great way to break up your day while exploring the Porcupine Mountains. After just a short uphill hike on a dirt trail, you run into a wooden boardwalk that leads you the rest of the way. There is a small viewing platform that offers a nice break point with a nice view before you continue on. After another few minutes, you will see a large wooden structure rising above the trees with stairs to the top. From the top of the tower, you will have a 360 canopy view that has become partially obstructed as the trees have grown taller around the platform. Even with the trees growing around the observation tower, the view is still spectacular, and I can imagine even more so with the autumnal color. The parking area for the trail is small and has pit toilets and a picnic area. We hiked here in between, stopping at the Lake of the Clouds overlook and hiking the Little Carp River Trail to Overlooked and Greenstone Falls. Although this was not my favorite activity we did in the Porcupine Mountains, I would like to stop here again in the fall to see the colors and the early spring to see a leaf-free view.
