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H-58 (Michigan county highway)
Encyclopedia
County Designated Highway H-58 is a road that runs east–west in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
. H-58 is routed through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
. Along H-58, there are the towns of Melstrand, Van Meer, and Myren. The length is 69.1 miles (111.2 km).The western terminus is at M-28
in downtown Munising
, Alger County, Michigan
. The eastern terminus is at H-37 in Muskallonge Lake State Park
, Deer Park
, Luce County, Michigan
.
Melstrand is located outside of the national park boundaries in the Lake Superior State Forest
. H-58 continues through "burned and cut areas, meadows, maturing second growth, and the haunting sounds of silence… if you stop the car and listen." Farther along, H-58 reenters the park boundaries and approaches more Pictured Rocks facilities like the Hurricane River Campground, home to all the necessary camping facilities. The road through here is gravel and being paved approaching the Log Slide. The Log Slide gives motorists a chance to hike down to the lakeshore to see the Au Sable Point Lighthouse peeking above the trees to the east and the Grand Sable Dunes to the west along the lake. The lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
and can be accessed from the Hurricane River Campground. West of Grand Marais
H-58 is paved again and approaches the Woodland Township Park. Here hikers can walk along the beach to the base of the Grand Sable Dunes that form the east end of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. These dunes reach heights of up to 275 feet (84 m) at a 35° incline. Hikers are advised to use the access points along H-58 to get to the dunes instead of attempting the climb up the face.
H-58 meets M-77
in the community of Grand Marais. Grand Marais is home to a small harbor that was once the home of a lumber shipping port. Grand Marais was the location of thirty saloons, boarding houses, a dozen hotels, two newspapers, the Alger–Smith sawmill and a train taking passengers to Marquette
. A site of interest in Grand Marais is the Earl of Sandwich Shop next to the harbor downtown. Here visitors can enjoy fresh-made ice cream hand-dipped into waffle cones. Grand Marais is the east end of both the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Alger County.
H-58 follows a gravel roadway through the forested northwest corner of Luce County
.The east end of H-58 is at Muskallonge Lake State Park
in the unincorporated community of Deer Park, north of Newberry
Here H-58 meets H-37. Deer Park is the location of a trio of resorts and remnants of a community that once included a sawmill, hotel and store. The park hosts 71,000 visitors a year.
The Alger County Road Commission had a five-stage plan to pave the remaining sections of the road between Melstrand and Grand Marais utilizing National Park Service funding. According to a July 13, 2006 story in the Marquette Mining Journal, "The horizontal alignment of the road will be changed in most places and some of the extremely tight curves will be straightened out. The road will be designed for travel speeds of 40 mph (18 m/s) to maintain the nature of the road and the park setting." The projected completion date was in 2010. Funding on the paving project between Buck Hill and the boundary of the national park was being held up pending passage of a technical corrections bill by the US Senate. The original funding authorization specified that sections were being repaved. Instead they are being paved for the first time or realigned. A bill, HR 1195, was being considered in the Senate to clear up this appropriation error to clear the funding. The final section was dedicated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 15, 2010, marking the completion of the overall project.
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. H-58 is routed through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is a U.S. National Lakeshore on the shore of Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, United States. It extends for 42 miles along the shore and covers...
. Along H-58, there are the towns of Melstrand, Van Meer, and Myren. The length is 69.1 miles (111.2 km).The western terminus is at M-28
M-28 (Michigan highway)
M-28 is an east–west state trunkline highway that almost completely traverses the Upper Peninsula in the U.S. state of Michigan, from Wakefield to near Sault Ste. Marie in Bruce Township...
in downtown Munising
Munising, Michigan
Munising is a city on the southern shore of Lake Superior on the Upper Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,539. It is the county seat of Alger County...
, Alger County, Michigan
Alger County, Michigan
Alger County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 9,601. Its county seat is Munising. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located within the county.-History:...
. The eastern terminus is at H-37 in Muskallonge Lake State Park
Muskallonge Lake State Park
Muskallonge Lake State Park is a state park in Michigan. It is located northwest of Newberry in Luce County. The park is situated between the shores of Lake Superior and Muskallonge Lake; the area is well known for its forests, lakes and streams....
, Deer Park
Deer Park, Michigan
Deer Park is an unincorporated community in McMillan Township, Luce County in the U.S. state of Michigan. Deer Park is located on the coast of Lake Superior near Muskallonge Lake State Park.-History:...
, Luce County, Michigan
Luce County, Michigan
-Government:The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates themajor local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers...
.
Route description
H-58 starts in Munising as the east end of Munising Street at an intersection with M-28. From the western terminus of the highway, H-58 passes out of town by the Neenah Paper Mill. Leaving town, H-58 becomes Munising-Van Meer-Shingleton Road and enters the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The PRNL Visitors Center is located off Sand Point Road at the west end of the park. This visitors center stays open year round. Farther along H-58 is H-11/Miners Castle Road. This road provides access to Miners Castle, a natural rock formation located on the shores of Lake Superior, and the Miners Falls. Farther along, H-58 meets H-15 in Van Meer, home of the Bear Trap Inn and Bar. Munising-Van Meer-Shingleton Road turns south along H-15 and H-58 turns northeast along Melstrand Road to the community of Melstrand.Melstrand is located outside of the national park boundaries in the Lake Superior State Forest
Lake Superior State Forest
Lake Superior State Forest is a state forest in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It is operated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The North Country Trail utilizes this state forest for 43 miles of its route....
. H-58 continues through "burned and cut areas, meadows, maturing second growth, and the haunting sounds of silence… if you stop the car and listen." Farther along, H-58 reenters the park boundaries and approaches more Pictured Rocks facilities like the Hurricane River Campground, home to all the necessary camping facilities. The road through here is gravel and being paved approaching the Log Slide. The Log Slide gives motorists a chance to hike down to the lakeshore to see the Au Sable Point Lighthouse peeking above the trees to the east and the Grand Sable Dunes to the west along the lake. The lighthouse is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
and can be accessed from the Hurricane River Campground. West of Grand Marais
Grand Marais, Michigan
Grand Marais is an unincorporated community in Burt Township, Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located on Lake Superior at and is the eastern gateway to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore via H-58....
H-58 is paved again and approaches the Woodland Township Park. Here hikers can walk along the beach to the base of the Grand Sable Dunes that form the east end of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. These dunes reach heights of up to 275 feet (84 m) at a 35° incline. Hikers are advised to use the access points along H-58 to get to the dunes instead of attempting the climb up the face.
H-58 meets M-77
M-77 (Michigan highway)
M-77 is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula of the US state of Michigan. It runs from US Highway 2 near Blaney Park in the south to Grand Marais in the north. The highway borders the Seney National Wildlife Refuge. The northern half has been designated as a Scenic Spur of the Lake...
in the community of Grand Marais. Grand Marais is home to a small harbor that was once the home of a lumber shipping port. Grand Marais was the location of thirty saloons, boarding houses, a dozen hotels, two newspapers, the Alger–Smith sawmill and a train taking passengers to Marquette
Marquette, Michigan
Marquette is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Marquette County. The population was 21,355 at the 2010 census, making it the most populated city of the Upper Peninsula. Marquette is a major port on Lake Superior, primarily for shipping iron ore and is the home of Northern...
. A site of interest in Grand Marais is the Earl of Sandwich Shop next to the harbor downtown. Here visitors can enjoy fresh-made ice cream hand-dipped into waffle cones. Grand Marais is the east end of both the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and Alger County.
H-58 follows a gravel roadway through the forested northwest corner of Luce County
Luce County, Michigan
-Government:The county government operates the jail, maintains rural roads, operates themajor local courts, keeps files of deeds and mortgages, maintains vital records, administers...
.The east end of H-58 is at Muskallonge Lake State Park
Muskallonge Lake State Park
Muskallonge Lake State Park is a state park in Michigan. It is located northwest of Newberry in Luce County. The park is situated between the shores of Lake Superior and Muskallonge Lake; the area is well known for its forests, lakes and streams....
in the unincorporated community of Deer Park, north of Newberry
Newberry, Michigan
Newberry is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Luce County. Located within McMillan Township at its very southern end, it shares some administrative responsibilities with the surrounding township. The population was 2,686 at the 2000 census.The village was named in...
Here H-58 meets H-37. Deer Park is the location of a trio of resorts and remnants of a community that once included a sawmill, hotel and store. The park hosts 71,000 visitors a year.
History
H-58 is the main access road for the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Since 2004-05, signage along the route has been greatly improved by the Alger County Road Commission. Portions of the road are paved while the majority of the road's length in Alger County and all of the road's length in Luce County is gravel or sand. The route formerly ran south of Muskallonge Lake.The Alger County Road Commission had a five-stage plan to pave the remaining sections of the road between Melstrand and Grand Marais utilizing National Park Service funding. According to a July 13, 2006 story in the Marquette Mining Journal, "The horizontal alignment of the road will be changed in most places and some of the extremely tight curves will be straightened out. The road will be designed for travel speeds of 40 mph (18 m/s) to maintain the nature of the road and the park setting." The projected completion date was in 2010. Funding on the paving project between Buck Hill and the boundary of the national park was being held up pending passage of a technical corrections bill by the US Senate. The original funding authorization specified that sections were being repaved. Instead they are being paved for the first time or realigned. A bill, HR 1195, was being considered in the Senate to clear up this appropriation error to clear the funding. The final section was dedicated at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 15, 2010, marking the completion of the overall project.