Upper Peninsula Region, MI Land for Sale

The Upper Peninsula region of Michigan is quite separated from the Lower Peninsula, with the only crossing being Mackinac Bridge, but a portion of it borders Wisconsin to the southwest. The Upper Peninsula borders Lake Superior to the north, Lake Michigan and Lake Huron in the southeast and St. Mary's River to the east. It also borders Minnesota to the west, if including the water border with Lake Superior. It is often referred to as "the UP" or Upper Michigan. Though it contains 29% of the land area of Michigan, it only has 3% of its total population, therefore residents have a strong regional identity, and are often called "Yoopers." The region's largest cities are Marquette, Sault Ste. Marie, Escanaba, Menominee, Houghton and Iron Mountain. Most of the Upper Peninsula observes Eastern Time, however the four counties bordering Wisconsin observe Central Time. Daylight savings time is observed by the whole peninsula.

The peninsula is divided by land type, with the flat, swampy areas in the east, part of the Great Lakes Plain, and the more rugged western half, called Superior Upland, part of the Canadian Shield. There are also 4,300 inland lakes, with the largest being Lake Gogebic, as well as 12,000 miles of streams. Rocks in the western area are the result of volcanic eruptions billions of years ago, and contain the regions ore resources. There is also a large amount of bedrock that is visible, forming some mountainous areas, which have been worn down over millions of years of erosion and glaciers. The highest point in Michigan is Mount Arvon, with Porcupine and Huron mountains also being higher peaks. The Keweenaw Peninsula makes up the northern most part of the Upper Peninsula, which extends into Lake Superior. It was the site of the first copper boom in the country, the leading producer of copper in the world at one time, and Copper Island is the section furthest north. About one third of the area is government-owned recreational forest land, which includes Ottawa National Forest and Hiawatha National Forest.

The economy has been primarily based on logging, mining and tourism, though most mines have been closed. Logging remains a dominant industry with the land being heavily forested, primarily white pine trees, as well as hemlock and hardwood. Agriculture is limited due to the highly seasonal climate and short growing season. It is limited to the Upper Peninsula, where potatoes, strawberries and a few other small fruits are grown. Tourism is the main industry in recent decades, with the extensive coastline on the Great Lakes, large areas of state and national forests, cedar swamps, more than 150 waterfalls and low population density. The Upper Peninsula often attracts vacationing families from nearby areas due to the opportunities for camping, boating, fishing, snowmobiling, hunting and hiking. There are also six casinos on the Upper Peninsula, also entertainment for visitors. There are three state universities, Lake Superior State University, Michigan Technological Institute and Northern Michigan University, as well as one private university and five community colleges.

Marquette County is located in the north central part of the Upper Peninsula. The largest city is Marquette and it is also the county seat. Other cities are Ishpeming and Negaunee, and there are a large number of townships and unincorporated communities. The county was named for Father Marquette, a Jesuit Missionary who founded Michigan's first European settlement. It is the largest county in Michigan by land area, and has the highest population of any county in the Upper Peninsula. The county is bordered by Lake Superior to the north, and the Huron Mountains are located in Marquette County. National protected areas include Hiawatha National Forest, Huron National Wildlife Refuge and Ottawa National Forest. There are 10 historical markers in the county. Northern Michigan University is located in Marquette. It boasts the world's largest wooden dome, the Superior Dome, and is home to the United States Olympic Education Center, one of only four in the country, and the only one affiliated with a university.

Chippewa County is located in the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula region. It is named in honor of the Chippewa Native American tribe. The only city is Sault Ste. Marie, which is also the county seat. It is the second largest county in the state by land area. National protected areas include Harbor Island National Wildlife Refuge, part of the Hiawatha National Forest and Whitefish Point Unit of Seney National Wildlife Refuge. Munuscong Bay is best known for its duck hunting and ice fishing, but also allows opportunities for boating and bird watching, with many types of waterfowl passing through the area each year on their southern and northern migrations.

Houghton County is located in the northwestern part of the Michigan's Upper Peninsula region. It is named after geologist Douglass Houghton, who explored the Keweenaw Peninsula and was first to find copper deposits there. A part of the county is on Keweenaw Peninsula and it borders Lake Superior to the north. Houghton is the largest city and the county seat, and Hancock is another larger city in the area. There are many other villages, townships and unincorporated communities. The area has many opportunities for a variety of outdoor sports in winter, including ice hockey, skiing, figure skating and snowmobiling, and in summer, including running hiking, camping, river and sea kayaking, sailing, windsurfing and biking. Michigan Technological University is located in this county, in Houghton.