Want to try backpacking but don’t know where to start? Our overnight tours emphasize learning and skill building. Tour price includes breakfast and dinners, camping permits, shuttle, logistics planning, and gear.
Starting with a 2-hr live virtual class on backpacking fundamentals prior to the trip, we go over everything you need to know to get you prepared, including safety principles, gear selection, meal planning, how to train for a backpacking trip, and so much more.
During the tour you will learn how to filter water out of lakes and streams, boil water for meals, set-up camp, and learn to navigate using a compass and map. The goal of our trips is to ensure our guests learn the skills to go backpacking on their own someday.
Intro and intermediate trips available at the beautiful Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for varying skill levels and distances.
Hiawatha Hiking Co. selects hiking routes, reserves campsites and permits, and arranges transportation.
Lightweight backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags/pads are available to rent and are included in tour price. We will schedule a Skype/phone session to go over gear selection to ensure everyone is prepared for our overnight trips.
The sandstone cliffs of Pictured Rocks and its surrounding forests are natural wonders. Relax on a sand filled beach, listen to waterfowl, or just sit around a campfire and gaze at the stars.
Hiawatha Hiking Company is owned and operated by Carolyn and Domonick Zanarini. Combined, we have over 12,000 miles of backpacking wilderness experience spanning over 10 years.
Our primary goal is to lead safe trips and preserve our forests. Tours are led by a certified Wilderness First Responder and Leave No Trace (™) principles are followed.
If you are new to hiking or backpacking we want to share our knowledge and experience with you. Friendly, local guides provide a relaxed, fun environment. Make new friends and learn about local history and geology.
We are now taking reservations for our 2022 season! If you would like to make a deposit on any of our 3 trip offerings please give us a call at 419-705-9722. You can also book right online through our website if you would like to make a full payment. Our trip dates are below: Intro: September 16th – 19th September 30th – October 3rd (Fall Colors) Intermediate: September 2nd – 6th (Labor Day Weekend) We hope to see you…
Greetings! We hope everyone had a great fall and is excited for the upcoming Holiday season. Turkey, pumpkin pie, green bean casserole, warm fires, red-nosed reindeer, and hot cocoa – what’s not to love! Hiking season has sadly come to a close in the UP with some recent snow, but we are looking forward to getting out the snowshoes and skis and making the best of the winter months. But WOW – what a great 2021 hiking season we had!…
Your HHC guides spent July 10th to 13th backpacking at Isle Royale National Park. Here are some pictures of their journey!
Each spring, Domonick and I try to complete a “speed boost” hike of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The direction of travel varies, but we hike the length from Munising to Grand Marais over two nights. This gives us a chance to reacquaint ourselves with the trail as we prepare ourselves to guide late summer/fall backpacking trips. Spring is also an interesting time to go backpacking, because the trees have not leafed out yet, making for some unique views. A…
Carolyn and I had the pleasure to re-visit Porcupine Mountains State Park this past March and do some more winter Yurt Camping. On our first Yurt experience, we spent only 1-night, and we both agreed that this was definitely not enough time. This year we reserved 2-nights with the ambition to see more of the park. The winter yurt and cabin reservations fill up really fast, so the only availability they had was in late March. We figured there would…
Laughing Whitefish Falls/ Subway – Alger County This magnificent cascading waterfall is one of the best in the area and one we highly recommend checking out. The falls cascade through an impressive gorge down exposed rock giving the illusion of a “bridal veil”. For those willing to explore further outside of the main falls area, there is a neat little cave. Called the “subway” by locals, the cave is a tubular exposed sand-stone formation with a small but picturesque waterfall…
Presque Isle – Marquette Area Presque Isle is a scenic oval shaped peninsula situated a few miles north of Marquette. At 323 acres, there are many sights to behold including beaches, cliffs, and beautiful interior woodland home to more than 100 species of native plants. Presque Isle is best known for its northern most point which is called Black Rocks. It is a popular destination for impressive rocky coastal views and a great location for cliff jumping into Lake Superior…
Hogback Mountain – Marquette Area Hogback Mountain (referred by locals simply as Hogsback), is a challenging hike to a remote peak in the southern portion of the Huron Mountains. The 1,220 ft peak is absent of vegetation and exhibits granite slab outcroppings rewarding the strong hiker with 360 degrees of unobstructed views of Lake Superior to the east and endless stretches of undeveloped forest and hills to the north and west. It’s one of the best views in the UP!…
Sugarloaf Mountain – Marquette Area Sugarloaf Mountain (1,070 ft) is a popular hike in the Marquette area and provides excellent 360 degree views of Lake Superior, several islands, the city of Marquette, and beautiful interior forests with sightlines to other popular granite speckled peaks including Hogsback Mountain and Top of the World. Trail Length: 0.9 Mile out and back (30 minutes to 1 hour) Difficulty: Easy/ Moderate This short hike ascends 250 ft in about 1/2 of a mile.…
Mount Marquette – Marquette Area Mount Marquette is a great little hike that will take you to an amazing overlook of the city of Marquette and Lake Superior beyond. Originally called Mount Mesnard after the French Jesuit Missionary, Rene Mesnard, and later named Mount Marquette in the 1960s after the explorer Jacques Marquette, this 1,106 ft. peak near the shores of Lake Superior offers an amazing hike right near the city, winding its way to the overlook through beautiful mixed…
