THE GOVERNMENT NEWS DESKPERMANENT NPS STORY ARCHIVE
Organized by publication date and destination. Each story retains its permanent State & Nation address and official NPS source.
Sand Point Road will be temporarily closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic east of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore boundary from October 1 until October 14 for a culvert replacement project.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service has awarded a $2.8 million contract to McKenzie Construction and Site Development, LLC (Washington, D.C.) to repair and replace the Munising Falls Trail and improve accessibility to the lower Munising Falls overlook in compliance with Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) accessibility standards.
Official NPS sourceThe planned closure of Sand Point Road has been postponed until further notice because of unexpected project delays. Sand Point Road and the beach remain open and accessible.
Official NPS source
Sand Point Road will be temporarily closed to all vehicle and pedestrian traffic east of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore boundary from Wednesday, July 8 until Friday, July 17, for a culvert replacement project. The closure may be extended if additional time is needed to complete the work.
Official NPS sourceThe Miners Falls Trail at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore reopened today, June 26, after a temporary closure on June 23–25 for necessary boring work. The trail will remain open through June 28 before closing again on June 29 through July 2, as crews continue soil boring near the viewing platforms.
Official NPS source
The Miners Falls Trail within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will be temporarily closed to all visitors from Tuesday, June 23 until Thursday, June 25.
Official NPS sourcePictured Rocks National Lakeshore Postpones Prescribed Fire
Official NPS source
The National Park Service plans to conduct a prescribed fire in the Miners Beach area of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The prescribed fire is expected to take place no later than June 30, 2026. Weather conditions will determine the specific day. Once burning begins, closures are expected to last one to two days.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service has completed an evaluation of accessibility across Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore—including restrooms, walkways, interpretive exhibits, ranger programs, and other visitor services. Park staff now invite the public to review the draft Accessibility Self‑Evaluation and Transition Plan.
Official NPS source
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is accepting applications for the 2026 and 2027 commercial operating seasons beginning November 19, 2025, through January 19, 2025.
Official NPS sourceOn the afternoon of July 3, 2025, a deceased individual was recovered from Lake Superior near Chapel Beach within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Official NPS source
The Munising Falls Trail in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is closed until further notice. A 75-foot section of the paved trail was washed out during a storm on the evening of April 28th. There is no viewing access to Munising Falls. Travel within the closure is prohibited.
Official NPS sourceThe National Park Service (NPS) today issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Miners Falls Viewing Platform and Steps Replacement Project at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This project aims to provide safe public access to the Miners River and the base of Miners Falls while reducing impacts to the natural environment.
Official NPS sourceThe Michigan State Police (MSP) Negaunee Post is completing a death investigation involving a body that washed ashore from Lake Superior along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Miners Beach.
Official NPS sourceA new National Park Service report shows that 910,939 visitors to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in 2023 spent $45,770,000 in communities near the park. That spending supported 544 jobs in the local area and had a cumulative benefit to the local economy of $48,685,000.
Official NPS source
On Saturday, August 17th, from 10am until 4pm, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will be celebrating the 150th anniversary of continuous service at the Au Sable Light Station.
Official NPS source
Beginning August 15, 2024, the bridge over Miners River leading to Miners Beach at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will have single-lane closures. Visitors can expect delays during this time. After Labor Day, September 2, 2024, the bridge will close completely to traffic in both directions until Memorial Day, 2025.
Official NPS sourcePictured Rocks National Lakeshore proposes to replace the viewing platforms and their associated stair structures for visitors to view the natural feature at the terminus of the Miners Falls Trail. The purpose of this project is to provide safe public access to the Miners River and base of Miners Falls, while reducing impacts to the natural environment.
Official NPS sourceThe Munising Falls Visitor Center and Grand Sable Visitor Center parking lots will be closed at 5 pm on Sunday, June 23 until Monday, July 1 for repaving. All vehicles must be moved from these parking lots by 5 pm on Sunday, June 23. Any remaining vehicles will be towed.
Official NPS sourceOn the evening of Wednesday, May 29th, recovery efforts were completed near the Coves Campground for the body of a 45-year-old male.
Official NPS source
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is seeking students aged 15 through 18 to participate in the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) summer youth employment program. Participants will be working alongside park employees to complete trails and grounds projects across the park.
Official NPS source
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore saw 910,939 total visitors in 2023. This is a 1.5% decrease from 2022 visitation, and a 30% decrease from 2021, when the park saw its highest visitation of 1.3 million visitors.
Official NPS source
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will be temporarily closing Sand Point to all ice climbing activity effective immediately to protect park trails and natural resources. Park staff is monitoring conditions to determine when ice climbing conditions can resume.
Official NPS source
As of January 1st, 2024, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore has increased park entrance fees. These increases are the third and final stage of the park’s fee implementation plan, which began in 2022.
Official NPS source
A dog was rescued after a Fall from Miners Castle.
Official NPS sourcePictured Rocks National Lakeshore will be accepting applications for the 2024 and 2025 commercial operating seasons beginning December 7th, 2023 until January 31st, 2024. The park will be accepting online permit applications for the following use types: Guided backpacking, guided kayaking, guided photography workshops, guided ice climbing, transportation services.
Official NPS sourcePictured Rocks National Lakeshore announces public comment period for a proposed backcountry cabin and updates to Au Sable Light Station tours.
Official NPS source
Regional Maintenance Action Team assisted with restoration of important maritime sites in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Official NPS sourceMiners Falls Road to temporarily close from July 24th - July 28th, 2023 for routine road maintenance.
Official NPS sourceMiners Beach will experience a temporary parking closure and a North Country National Scenic Trail reroute for summer of 2023.
Official NPS source
The National Park Service (NPS) is issuing a concessions Prospectus on December 21, 2022, for a concession contract to provide interpretive boat tours and associated services within Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Official NPS source
On July 8th, 2022, a dog visiting Miners Castle jumped over the railing at the lower overlook and fell straight down the cliff to a ledge 25-30 feet below. Park rangers and a volunteer from the Superior High Angle Rescue Professionals (SHARP) team were able to rescue the dog from this steep and complicated section of the Lake Superior shoreline. The dog was returned to his family shortly after the rescue.
Official NPS sourcePictured Rocks National Lakeshore will begin charging entrance fees starting March 1, 2022. Camping and lighthouse tour fees will increase effective January 1, 2022.
Official NPS sourcePictured Rocks National Lakeshore will be accepting applications for the 2022 and 2023 commercial operating season beginning December 1st, 2021 until January 15th, 2022.
Official NPS sourceSeptember 18th, 2021 - Two kayaking fatalities have been confirmed along the shores of Lake Superior.
Official NPS sourceTwo kayakers were reported missing the evening of September 16th, 2021.
Official NPS sourceJuly 24, 2021, a man fell to his death into Lake Superior from near the upper viewing platform at Miners Castle in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.
Official NPS sourcePictured Rocks National Lakeshore is seeking public comment on a proposed entrance fee and increased fees for camping and lighthouse tours. Comments will be accepted through June 30, 2021.
Official NPS source
A new trail has opened at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for snowshoers. The trail is located on the Munising side of the park.
Official NPS sourceSand Point, located near the westernmost boundary of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, was modified in the early 1990s with the placement of a large rock rubble-mound revetment. The purpose of the revetment installation was to protect against erosion on Sand Point Road and the historic U.S. Coast Guard Station / Lakeshore Headquarters after a period of high water on Lake Superior.
Official NPS source
Following guidance from the White House, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state and local public health authorities, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is reopening drive-in campsites and backcountry camping. The National Park Service (NPS) is working service-wide with federal, state, and local public health authorities to closely monitor the COVID-19 pandemic and using a phased approach to increase access on a park-by-park basis.
Official NPS source