Michigan
These are Michigan’s most treasured views: 16 stunning scenic spots to visit
Michigan is home to some of USA TODAY’s most treasured views
From Pictured Rocks to Torch Lake to Belle Isle in Michigan, discover some of USA TODAY’s Most Treasured Views in America for 2025.
Scenic views can be found all over Michigan. If you’re looking for a peaceful moment, an opportunity to be awed or even the perfect Instagram photo, Michigan is packed with beautiful places to take in with your eyes — or your camera.
This is part of a new USA TODAY network project showcasing breathtaking — and perhaps, underappreciated — views throughout the United States. These are some of the most beautiful landmarks, scenic vistas and hidden gems you can truly treasure in your area.
We’ve put together a list of 16 of the most treasured views in Michigan.
The selections are a mix of nature and architecture. Some locations are prime tourist attractions, while others are a little more out of the way. They are found throughout Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas with many highlighted by Michigan’s lakes and waterways. Others shine when surrounded by Michigan’s fall colors.
Michigan’s immense beauty can’t be completely captured in a short list, but these spots are some of the locations that stand out in the state.
[ Most Treasured Views in America: National | West | South | Middle America | Northeast ]
Tahquamenon Falls
Tahquamenon Falls is literally in Paradise … Michigan. The most recognizable images usually come from the waterfalls at either the Upper Falls or Lower Falls, but the state park is nearly 50,000 acres.
The Upper Falls is one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River, according to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and has a drop of nearly 50 feet. It’s more than 200 feet across and has a maximum water flow of more than 50,000 gallons per second. The Lower Falls is located 4 miles downstream and consists of a series of five smaller falls cascading around an island that can be reached by a rented rowboat.
Miners Castle at Pictured Rocks
Miners Castle is one of the most famous landmarks along the Pictured Rocks shores, according to the National Parks service.
The rock formation was named by Englishman Alexander Henry’s employee’s when they were exploring the area for minerals in 1771.
You can find it about 5 miles east of Munising on Alger County Road H-58, then 6 miles north on Miners Castle Road.
It’s the only cliff area in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore that’s accessible by vehicle.
Kitch-iti-kipi
Kitch-iti-kipi is known as one of Michigan’s more alluring attractions, according to the DNR.
Kitch-iti-kipi is that state’s largest freshwater spring and it’s name means “The Big Spring.” The spring in located in Palms Brook State Park in Manistique.
Visitors love the spring’s crystal-clear water with an emerald green bottom.
Porcupine Mountains
Among Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park’s 60,000 acres in Ontonagon is the stunning Lake of the Clouds. The mountain lake is one of the amazing views at Michigan’s largest state park.
It’s the most photographed feature in the park, according to the Porcupine Mountains Ontonagon Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
When the leaves of the lush trees surrounding the lake change colors in the fall, visitors get a fresh take on the breathtaking view.
Lighthouses along the Great Lakes
Michigan has more than 120 lighthouses, more than any other state in the country. They protect the state’s coastline, allowing the Great Lakes to create a stunning backdrop when you’re viewing them. You can almost feel history when looking at them since many have reached or are nearing 200 years old.
Some favorites in the state to visit are the Grand Haven lighthouses, Big Sable Point Lighthouse in Ludington and Whitefish Point Light Station in Paradise.
Mackinac Bridge
Michigan’s Mackinac Bridge, one of the state’s most famous and iconic architectural marvels, connects the state’s Upper and Lower peninsulas. The ivory and green suspension bridge spans the Straits of Mackinac, connecting Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, over five miles.
Sightseers enjoy viewing the bridge from all angles. You’ll see visitor photos next to the bridge, while crossing the bridge and even traveling underneath by boat.
Arch Rock on Mackinac Island
Arch Rock is the most famous rock formation on Mackinac Island. The limestone rock forms an arch that is more than 50 feet wide. It’s believed to be about 4,000 years old and hollowed out by splashing waves when water levels were much higher, according to the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau.
While the formation is stable for now, don’t wait a lifetime to see it. It’s predicted erosion from wind and water will one day probably cause it to fall down.
Visitors can find it on the east side of the island on the shores of Lake Huron. The formation can be viewed from both the interior and perimeter of the island.
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
Looking down at the sand dunes and Lake Michigan at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in Empire is basically a rite of passage in Michigan.
The national park features miles of sand beach and bluffs that tower 450 feet above the lake.
While the park covers more than 71,000 acres and includes other unique natural features, it’s the sand dunes that get the most attention.
Tunnel of Trees
A scenic drive on M-119 in Emmet County is perhaps best taken in the fall as the autumn colors of tree leaves enveloping the route offer a breathtaking view.
The dense woods create a canopy that’s famous in the state.
The stretch is about 20 miles long and goes from Harbor Springs to Cross Village.
Tulip Time in Holland
Be immersed by millions of tulips when they’re in bloom during Tulip Time in Holland. The flowers are planted all around the city each year and generally begin blooming in late April and last through mid-May.
During that time, visitors can be surrounded by the brightly colored tulips.
Sunset Point on Detroit’s Belle Isle
Located on the west side of Detroit’s Belle Isle, Sunset Point is a favorite spot of photographers.
Visitors can catch the sunset while taking in the Detroit skyline and Detroit River. It’s a calming spot during both the evening and day.
Torch Lake
Torch Lake in the northwest Lower Peninsula of Michigan is known for its clear water that has a deep Caribbean blue color.
The lake is Michigan’s longest at 18 miles and the second largest at 29 square miles.
Visitors especially love viewing the lake in the fall when the leaves of the trees surrounding the lake turn colors.
Turnip Rock
Turnip Rock, located in Lake Huron in Port Austin, is a favorite stop for kayakers and boaters.
Wave erosion sculpted the limestone rock formation’s base and created a “unique, gravity-defying pillar,” according to the Greater Port Austin Area Chamber of Commerce.
Turnip Rock is surrounded by shallow waters, sea caves and dramatic cliffs.
Ledges at Fitzgerald Park
Famous sandstone ledges and ancient sedimentary rock outcroppings line the banks of the Grand River at Fitzgerald Park in Grand Ledge.
The rock formations are believed to be 300 million years old. The 78-acre park includes 3 miles of nature and hiking trails.
The park is located at 100 Fitzgerald Park Drive.
SkyBridge Michigan
Opened in 2022, SkyBridge Michigan is a suspension bridge at Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls.
Visitors take a chairlift and can then walk 118 feet above the Boyne Valley on the 1,200-foot timber-towered suspension bridge, which the Boyne Mountain website says is the world’s longest.
The experience is especially popular in the fall when Michigan’s fall colors are visible below the bridge.
Dow Gardens
Dow Gardens in Midland has 54 acres of woodlands, ponds, orchard and meadow.
Inside the forest is a 1,400-foot-long canopy walk that’s 40 feet above the ground.
The canopy walk includes views of a forest pond from 25 feet up, a large cargo net 25 feet up in a grove of spruce trees and an orchard view with a viewing platform that has a glass floor and railings at 40 feet high.
The canopy walk is popular when Michigan’s leaves change colors in the fall.
A former University of Michigan assistant whose relationship with ex-coach Sherrone Moore was under investigation is accusing university officials of refusing to provide records related to the probe.
Paige Shiver filed the lawsuit on Wednesday in Washtenaw Circuit Court, claiming that U of M “arbitrarily and capriciously” violated the Michigan Freedom of Information Act by repeatedly denying her requests. Shiver and her legal team are seeking a court order requiring the university to disclose the records.
The lawsuit also alleges that throughout Shiver’s four-year employment with U of M, she was “discriminated against and subjected to a hostile work environment on the basis of her sex, in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Michigan law including Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act.”
“The lawsuit filed today demands transparency and accountability from the University of Michigan, President Grasso and the Board of Regents,” said Shiver’s attorney, Andrew M. Stroth.
On Wednesday, CBS News Detroit reached out to U of M, which says it has no comment.
The investigation led to Moore’s firing in December 2025. At the time, it was determined that he was in an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, who was later identified as Shiver.
Moore was arrested hours later after authorities said he went to Shiver’s home and threatened to harm himself. He was charged with third-degree felony home invasion, as well as misdemeanor counts of stalking and of breaking and entering. Moore was sentenced to 18 months’ probation after pleading no contest to the two misdemeanor charges.
According to the lawsuit, Shiver filed a FOIA request in February 2026 for audio, video and transcripts of interviews of herself, her father, Jeff Shiver, and Moore. The lawsuit alleges that the university denied her request, citing the ongoing investigation.
The lawsuit alleges that Shiver submitted a similar request months later, in June, but was told by the university that it was “overly broad and vague” and “does not describe a ‘public record sufficiently to enable the public body to find the public record.’”
The lawsuit claims that requests were submitted in March and May, respectively, for all emails sent to the law firm Jenner & Block (UMconcerns@jenner.com) and for recordings of Shiver’s meetings by the university through Jenner & Block. However, those requests were denied because the university cited that it had no responsive records, according to the lawsuit.
The law firm was hired by U of M to investigate Moore and Shiver’s relationship. The university later expanded the investigation to include the athletic department.
The lawsuit also claims that Shiver requested copies of emails between Moore and athletic director Warde Manuel that contained the words “affair,” “discipline,” “pregnancy,” “baby” and “abortion.” The university denied the request, citing the communication between U of M employees as “exempt information,” according to the lawsuit.
However, Shiver’s legal team argued that the university has not shown evidence that the emails are exempt.
“This public university paid Jenner & Block $12 million to investigate the Sherrone Moore scandal and the abuse, Title IX and Title VII violations within the athletic department and Schembechler Hall, yet now refuses to release the investigation’s findings. It was important for our client to file this initial FOIA lawsuit to ensure the truth and facts come out,” Stroth said.
Shiver appeared on ABC News’ “Good Morning America” in April to discuss her relationship with Moore. In the interview, she said she became pregnant by Moore and sought an abortion after medical complications were discovered about the pregnancy.
Note: The video above previously aired on April 14, 2026.
Meet the 3 New Jersey contestants on ‘Big Brother’ 28
Three New Jersey contestants are joining ‘Big Brother’ Season 28. Meet the Maplewood, Washington Township and Monroe Township houseguests.
Doors will to the “Big Brother” house will open soon, as season 28 premieres this week — and the cast list includes one guest from northern Michigan.
At 8 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, “Big Brother” season 28 will premiere on CBS to introduce the new guests in a 90-minute episode.
“This season’s cast includes an MMA fighter, rocket scientist, game show host, daughter of an ’80s pop star, and a DRAG RACE All Star, among others,” CBS said in a July 7 announcement. “This new group of Houseguests is stepping into a summer where nothing is as it seems, where every twist rewrites the rules, and where time becomes the ultimate twist.”
There is one Michigan guest, Rome Seymour, 28, who works as a professional pickleball coach from Traverse City.
“I would describe myself as bashful, extroverted and extremely excitable. To be on ‘Big Brother’ is a dream. I’ve never felt anything as exiting as this before,” Seymour said in the “Big Brother” July 7 live cast announcement video.
Seymour said he will use his inner nerdiness to befriend and protect guests who are perhaps similar.
“I see myself as hero, but I think a lot of people in the house are going to see me as a villain just because I’m so competitive that I want to win,” Seymour said.
After the 14 guests were revealed by CBS, the cast was said to be joined by long-time “Survivor” contestant Rick Devens, according to a July 7 Entertainment Weekly article.
Here’s more on the cast and how to tune in this week:
What is ‘Big Brother’ about? What is the theme for season 28?
“Big Brother,” is a reality TV show that follows a group of people living in a large house surrounded by 112 cameras and 113 microphones as an unfiltered 24-hour live feed to capture every interaction, strategic move and challenge.
A guest will be voted off each week, and the last remaining guest will win the grand prize of $750,000, according to CBS.
The theme for season 28 is called, “Time Trip,” according to Sneak Peak from Paramount+.
Is anyone from Michigan on ‘Big Brother’ season 28?
Yes. There is one guest from Michigan on season 28 of “Big Brother:” Rome Seymour, 28, is a professional pickleball coach from Traverse City, located in the northwest Lower Peninsula.
Full ‘Big Brother’ season 28 cast list
Here is the full guest list for “Big Brother” season 28:
- Rick Devens, 42: TV journalist and long-time “Survivor” contestant from Blacksburg, Virginia.
- Jason De Puy, 35: Drag Queen and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” alum from San Francisco, California.
- Ashley Trail, 24: Bartender from Alton, Illinois.
- Barrett Pfeiffer, 27: Jumbotron Engineer from Benton, Arkansas.
- Chuk Anyanwu, 27: Supply Chain Analyst from Dallas, Texas.
- Drew Campbell, 22: Surgical Dental Assistant from Temecula, California.
- Haley Thogmartin, 29: Telemedicine Executive from Neosho, Missouri.
- Rome Seymour, 28: Pickleball Coach from Traverse City, Michigan.
- Kamuela “Kamu” Kirk, 32: MMA Fighter from Phoenix, Arizona.
- LaTrice Verrett, 57: Boutique Salesperson from Kankakee, Illinois.
- Lyric Medeiros, 25: Attorney from Honolulu, Hawaii.
- Mallory Aurichio, 24: Rocket Scientist from Township of Washington, New Jersey.
- Melody Morris, 24: Corporate Game Show Host from Thornton, Colorado.
- Taylor Brown, 27: Elementary School Counselor from Deerfield Beach, Florida.
- Yash Patel, 24: Financial Analyst from Monroe Township, New Jersey.
What time does ‘Big Brother’ season 28 premiere?
The 90-minute “Big Brother” season 28 premiere is set to air at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, July 9.
“Big Brother: Unlocked,” will air at 8 p.m. ET on Friday, July 10, and a 90-minute episode will air at 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, July 12.
Where can I stream the ‘Big Brother’ premiere this week?
“Big Brother” Season 28 will air on CBS and will be available on Paramount+ Premium, priced at $13.99 per month.
Paramount+ Essential subscribers will be able to catch the episode the day after it airs.
Following the season premiere this week, the series will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET, followed by hour-long shows on Thursdays, featuring live evictions, and Sundays at 8 p.m. ET.
USA TODAY contributed.
Contact Sarah Moore @ smoore@lsj.com
A man who took a large quantity of LSD before allegedly sexually assaulting his friend was too dazed to legally confess to the incident when deputies questioned him about it hours later, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.
In a 6-1 decision in which the dissenting justice agreed that the case should be retried, the high court sent the case against Zebadiah J. Soriano, 24, back to the trial.
Soriano’s attorney argued that not only was his client high on the hallucinogenic drug when he admitted to being a rapist after being read his Miranda rights, he also was sleep-deprived, hungry and unfamiliar with law enforcement procedures.
“Voluntary intoxication does not make a Miranda waiver per se invalid,” Justice Kimberly Thomas wrote in the opinion. ” … However, the circumstances here undermined Soriano’s ability to make a knowing and intelligent waiver.”
Defense attorney Ali Nathaniel Wright called the decision “a victory for Michiganders and our right to be protected from self-incrimination.”
“The decision serves as a reminder to our lower courts and law enforcement that confessions elicited from hospitalized teenagers who cannot fully appreciate their rights because they are intoxicated and sleep deprived have no place in a court of law,” Wright said in a statement.
‘I am a rapist’
Soriano was 18 years old on the night of Nov. 20, 2020, when he used LSD with a platonic friend, identified in court documents as “AC,” at her home in Grand Traverse County. Records show that Soriano had made romantic advances toward AC in the past, which she had rebuffed.
AC allegedly took one acid tablet while Soriano has claimed that he took six.
AC later told investigators that, a short time later, Soriano disrobed, forced himself on top of her and groped her, according to court documents. When she got away from him, Soriano allegedly caught her and put his arms around her throat. The alleged victim again was able to escape from Soriano, who eventually fell down a flight of stairs and ran out of the house.
Police were called to the scene and found Soriano around two hours after the alleged assault, in a wooded area about a quarter-mile from AC’s home, court documents show. He was acting strangely and making nonsensical statements, so officers transported him to a hospital, where they read him his Miranda rights before he made the incriminating statement that lies at the heart of the case:
“I am a rapist. I am f***ed,” he allegedly told a Grand Traverse sheriff’s deputy.
Convicted of criminal sexual conduct
Soriano was charged in Grand Traverse Circuit Court with assault with intent to commit criminal sexual conduct involving penetration, as well as assault by strangulation, records show.
Before his trial, Soriano filed a motion seeking to suppress the damning statement he made at the hospital, arguing that because he was high on LSD, he was unable to legally waive his constitutional right to remain silent.
The court denied the motion and, in September 2021, a jury convicted Soriano on the criminal sexual conduct charge while acquitting him of assault by strangulation. He was sentenced to three years of probation, six months in jail and ordered to register as a sex offender for life, according to court records.
The suspect later filed a motion seeking a new trial, arguing that his defense failed to support his motion to suppress with expert testimony, records show.
The trial court denied the motion and, in May 2024, an appeals court affirmed Soriano’s conviction in a 2-1 decision, opining that any alleged errors were harmless and unsupported.
“AC’s testimony, particularly when corroborated by other witness testimony, makes it is clear beyond a reasonable doubt that a rational jury would have found defendant guilty absent any potential error in the admission of his statements made while in the hospital,” the Appeals Court judges wrote.
In September 2025, Soriano appealed the decision to the Michigan Supreme Court. Wright wrote in a brief that two hours after Soriano had been interrogated, a deputy told his parents that he was “too out of it” to speak to them.
“If Zebadiah was not sober enough to hold a basic conversation with his parents two hours after his interrogation, then he was not sober enough to knowingly and intelligently waive his constitutional rights or give a voluntary confession,” Wright wrote. “The State should not be permitted to reap the benefits of (the deputy’s) exploitation of a vulnerable teenager.”
Too high to confess?
In a decision filed Tuesday, the Michigan Supreme sided with the defense.
Thomas, writing for the 6-1 majority in a 24-page opinion, said Soriano did not fully understand the rights he was giving up when he told law enforcement that he was a rapist.
“The short period of time between defendant’s erratic behaviors and being advised of his Miranda rights supports the conclusion that defendant was not able to understand his rights at the time of waiver,” Thomas wrote.
The high court also rejected the Court of Appeals’ conclusion that other evidence made the error harmless, determining that Soriano’s hospital statement was an important part of the prosecution’s effort to prove his intent.
“Given the other evidence concerning defendant’s intent, the average jury would have found the prosecution’s case significantly less persuasive without the erroneously admitted statement,” Thomas wrote.
The dissenting justice, Richard Bernstein, disagreed with his colleagues about the legal reason Soriano’s waiver was invalid, but agreed a new trial was warranted.
The ruling reverses the Appeals Court decision, vacates Soriano’s conviction and sends the case back to the trial court for further proceedings.
mreinhart@detroitnews.com
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