Porcupine Mountains
The Porcupine Mountains, or Porkies, are a group of small mountains spanning the northwestern Upper Peninsula of Michigan in Ontonagon and Gogebic counties, near the shore of Lake Superior. The Porcupine Mountains were named by the native Ojibwa people, supposedly because their silhouette had the shape of a crouching porcupine. They are home to the most extensive stand of old growth northern hardwood forest in North America west of the Adirondack Mountains, spanning at least 31,000 acres (13,000 ha). The area is popular among tourists, especially Lake of the Clouds in the heart of the mountains, and is part of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.
| Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park | |
|---|---|
IUCN category V (protected landscape/seascape) | |
A vista in the Porcupine Mountains | |
Location in Michigan Porcupine Mountains (the United States) | |
| Location | Ontonagon / Gogebic counties, Michigan, United States |
| Nearest town | Ontonagon, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 46°46′52″N 89°40′51″W |
| Area | 59,020 acres (23,880 ha) |
| Elevation | 1,447 feet (441 m) |
| Designation | Michigan state park |
| Established | 1944 |
| Administrator | Michigan Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park |
| Designated | 1984 |
The Porcupine Mountains were the site of copper mining in the 19th century. One of these mines is the Nonesuch Mine, which operated sporadically from 1867 to 1912. Because of its copper mining history, the state park is a cooperating unit of Keweenaw National Historical Park.