Michigan Explorin’
Rachel Sutherland, V-Trip Extra Credit
Geo Sci 10 WEB, Spring 2014
Above, Rachel overlooking Glen Lake
from the top of Sleeping Bear Dunes
in Michigan.
This past summer, my family and I took a road trip to
one of our favorite states, Michigan! We traveled up
the western coast of Michigan and to the Upper
Peninsula also to visit places like Mackinac Island,
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore! Come along as
we learn about the vast geological history of this
beautiful area!
The Sutherland Family overlooking Mackinac Bridge and Lake Huron/Lake Michigan
Canoeing the Platte River
The Platte river is located on the western coast of Michigan. It is a part
of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The river winds its way
from the town of Honor, MI until it deposits in Lake Michigan. Lake
Michigan is 1 of the 5 Great Lakes that surround Michigan. It is so
large, many think of it more like an ocean although it is freshwater.
Along the canoe trip, my family and I saw lots of wildlife also.
Especially present were many types of cranes as well as salmon and
other animals. The sun was shining and the weather was pristine for a
nice canoe trip! (Left, Rachel canoeing on her way to Lake Michigan!)
Climbing the Sleeping Bear Dunes
Sleeping Bear Dunes are natural dunes that border Lake Michigan on the western coast of Michigan. The dunes
themselves are over 200 feet tall and extend far higher than this picture shows! These dunes were created during
the ice age when glaciers created the Great Lakes and also created when is known as “Perched Dunes” where
sand is placed very high above the river valleys formed also by the glaciers. It’s quite a hike to the top but a
magnificent view (see title slide!). (above, Rachel at the base of the Sleeping Bear Dunes “dune climb”)
Sable Falls
Upper Peninsula, MI
(Rachel and her brother watching Sable Falls)
Sable Falls is located in the Upper
Peninsula of Michigan and within
Pictured Rocks National
Lakeshore. This beautiful
waterfall is one of many along the
lakeshore. Sable Falls flows
directly into Lake Superior which
is a short walk from the falls. The
falls flow over geological
sandstone formations on their
way to the lake. On the right is a
picture of an interesting wood
formation I saw just down the
river from the falls. I thought it
looked like the head of a bird
although it was formed naturally
by the current of the river from
the falls
The interesting wood formation Rachel
found in the river below the falls
Lake Superior below Sable Falls
Miners Castle
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MI
Miners Castle is a natural rock formation that is
located in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is made
up of sandstone from many different eras that
date all the way back to Pre-Cambrian and
Paleozoic. When the sand was deposited, it was
shaped based on the way the waves moved in
the lake. Some colors can also be seen here
throughout the structure. This comes from the
minerals in the water that stain the sandstone
when they hit it. Based on how sediment was
moved to and from the structure, colors and
patterns were created that developed this
beautiful structure we see today!
Boat tours take tourists to see the beautifully mineral stained
rocks further up along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Mackinac Island,
Upper Peninsula, MI
Mackinac Island is one of my
favorite places in Michigan. It is
a quaint little island that can
only be gotten to by ferry. On
the island, there is no
automotive transportation.
Residents and tourists get
around the island by bike and
horse-drawn carriage. Mackinac
Island used to be the location
of a military fort and also
maintains a state park with
many geological formations
such as Arch Rock, Devil’s
Kitchen, and Sugar Loaf
Above, Stunning view of Lake Michigan from the top of Mackinac Island
Below, Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island as seen from the ferry
Map of Mackinac Island State Park on Mackinac Island, MI
(Below) Devil’s Kitchen is a
sea cave that was hollowed
out by the lake. This occurred
over 350 million years ago
and is one of the youngest
formations on the island
(Below) Sugar Loaf is a 35 foot
high formation on the island that is
made of limestone breccia formed
after a glacial period nearby
(Above) Arch Rock is formed
from lake erosion where the
center of the rock was hollowed
out by the lake and is made of
the same limestone breccia as
other formations on the island
Thanks for coming on my V-trip throughout
Michigan and all the wonderful geological
features seen there! Hope you’ll consider a trip
to the western coast and Upper Peninsula of
Michigan! –Rachel Sutherland 
Works Cited
http://www.nps.gov/piro/planyourvisit/waterfalls.htm
http://www.nps.gov/piro/planyourvisit/upload/MinersCastle2013.pdf
http://www.michigan.org/hot-spots/mackinac-island/
*Additional information was attained from information plaques seen and visitor guides
collected while on the trip.
** All pictures included were taken by Rachel Sutherland and her mother, Gail Sutherland