Amanda L.
Yelp
Coming from the metro Detroit area, I super appreciate Presque Isle Park. I LOVE AN ISLE! Belle Isle is still superior (ironic heh) to Presque Isle, but Presque Isle offers so much totally unique to their park. While significantly smaller than Belle Isle, it is way more wooded, and has some unexpected elevation to the hike around the perimeter if you're interested in attempting it. Even if not, it's a very quick drive on a one-way road essentially throughout the entire park, with plenty of areas where you can pull out and park to appreciate the scenic views and special things available for you to do within the park.
Presque Isle Park Loop: The hike along the perimeter of this park is about two and a quarter miles with over 100 feet in elevation. I REALLY enjoyed this hike and would strongly encourage everyone to do it. The hike takes right around an hour, so if you have the time, I truly believe this is the best way to experience the park. There definitely some points where you get really close to the cliff though, so tread carefully! I started the hike at the south end of the park, right where the gazebo / views out to the breakwater lighthouse and went to the right and counterclockwise around the isle.
Sadly, walking out to the breakwater lighthouse in the harbor was not an option like I thought it would be according to the map. It is closed off to pedestrians, despite there being very calm waters, making me think that they probably just have it closed year round now. Only birds get to hang out on the breakwater lighthouse trail now.
Notable points throughout Presque Isle Park: The trail leads you out at so many points to the rocks lining the edge of the park, giving you such beautiful views of the shoreline and Lake Superior. It is truly gorgeous. In addition to all these vantage points, my favorite spot that is a must-visit and honestly you should plan to spend a lot of time here is the Black Rocks all amongst Presque Isle Point! This place is wonderful. You'll hike to it or you can drive up to it and there's a whole parking lot. If this parking lot is full, drive a little further to Sunset Point and walk back along the shore. They're super close to one another. Black Rocks is SO FUN! Honestly, if you're feeling adventurous, bring a bathing suit! There is a small beach / cove that you can swim in and/or walk along the Black Rocks all the way to the edge near the beach and you can CLIFF DIVE! The water is more than deep enough, and we saw so many people of all ages doing it, it was awesome. We even saw a scuba diver swimming around below the surface as well at one point near the cliff divers, but further out from the beach area!
There is so much to do here and honestly, just playing over the rocks, people watching, and if you time it out right and have some especially good weather, this is probably the best place to watch the sunset -- even better than Sunset Point! If you go all the way to the tip of the Black Rocks, at Presque Isle Point, it juts out further than Sunset Point, allowing you an uninterrupted view of the sun setting to the west. Unfortunately for my group, both days we went to Presque Isle Park at sunset were too cloudy to see much of any sunset, but when we were at Black Rocks, we did see the fog roll in, which was an equally super cool experience! :)