Had a three-day weekend, so we drove up to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to do some hiking at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

I hate it when people say the U.P. of Michigan is “empty.” Yeah it may not have loads of chain restaurants and parking lots, but it’s full of natural beauty and endless outdoor adventures.

We made Munising our home base. Pictured Rocks is spread out across the Lake Superior shoreline. In some places you’ll have panoramic views of the water, while other spots feature secluded hikes to see waterfalls. At the end of September, we got to spot some fall foliage.

If you only have time for a quick trip, these are the easily doable highlights:

• Miners Castle
• Miners Beach
• Miners Falls
• Chapel Falls
• Log Slide
• Grand Sable Lake
• Sable Falls

Grand Sable dunes, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Grand Sable Lake, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Sable Falls, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Chapel Falls, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Miners Falls, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Grand Sable dunes, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Miners Beach, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Grand Sable dunes, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Miners Beach, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Log Slide, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Miners Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Chapel Falls, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Chapel Falls, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Miners Falls, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Miners Beach, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Miners Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Miners Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan

Miners Castle, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Michigan