Winter covers Alger county in snow and ice. Typically we witness this as a smooth white covering of water and land. But the rugged terrain also exposes areas where water seepage creates great cascades of multicolored ice and ethereal crystal caverns.
Eben Ice Caves
The Eben Ice Caves (also known at the Rock River Canyon Ice Caves) are located in the 4,000 acre Rock River Canyon Wilderness in the Hiawatha National Forest. They are about 20 miles southwest of Munising, Michigan, off M-94 in Eben Junction. The trek to the ice caves is roughly a 1-mile roundtrip walk. As long as there is no fresh snow and you don’t plan on getting off the beaten track, snowshoes aren’t a necessity. However, good balance and good tread on the boots is nearly a requirement. There are a couple of steep sections which can get pretty icy.
Sand Point Ice Curtains
There are several ice formations between 20 to 50-feet tall found between Munising Falls and Sand Point Beach – all of which are now marked with signage. The ice curtains, known for thick formations of yellow, blue, or white ice, are the most popular. Parking is prohibited along Sand Point Road. To get to the ice curtains, walk along Sand Point Road from Munising Falls or Sand Point Beach and then hike up to the base of the escarpments to view the ice.
