Black Rocks is one of the most iconic spots in Marquette, whether you’re watching a sunset, chasing the Northern Lights, jumping into Lake Superior, checking out the wave action, and of course, watching sunrise.
These metamorphosed igneous peridotite rocks are some of the oldest exposed rocks on Earth, dating back 1.7 billion years.
After 1,731 sunrises, there really should be a lot more from Black Rocks, but once at Presque Isle it does require an extra commitment to get there. Usually, it’s not the commitment which prevents me from getting to Presque Isle’s most Northern point. Rather, the issue is I often get to Presque Isle with not enough time to hike it to Black Rocks. It’s also the fact that there are so many other highlights of Presque Isle to take in sunrise.
Black Rocks is a solid contender for best sunrise location in Marquette. Whether admiring one of my favorite rocks, standing in the cove, standing above the cove, or at the water’s edge, there is no shortage of vantage points. I would argue there are more ways to experience sunrise at Black Rocks than sunset, and you’ll also avoid the much busier crowd at sunset.
What’s best, if you’re willing to brave it, is that it’s one of the most powerful places to witness the Gales of November. But please, keep your distance and be safe.
Sunrising at Black Rocks? Here are a few pointers.
- Plan on walking. In the summer the road is still closed at the hour of sunrise, and in winter the road is not maintained.
- The quickest route is parking on the west side Presque Isle (but who needs to rush? Unless you’re running late for sunrise).
- Plan to tack on an extra 15 minutes, just to be safe
- Speaking of safety, please take all the precautions, especially during inclement weather.
📍 46° 35' 35" N, -87° 22' 46" W
