Sugarloaf Mountain Easy Trail

The Sugarloaf Mountain Easy Trail is a 1.1 mile out-and-back that leads to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain. Sugarloaf Mountain is a must-see destination for visitors to Marquette, Michigan. This peak of granite rises 407 feet above Lake Superior and offers stunning views of the lake and surrounding landscape. Sugarloaf Mountain is located off CR 550 about 6 miles north of downtown Marquette. There is good signage for the parking area. The trailhead for this hike can be found at the upper parking area that was built in 2020. There are portable outhouses located by the parking lot as well as a few picnic tables. Dogs are allowed on the trail if they are leashed. There is no charge for parking.

While this trail is not necessarily easy given that it gains almost 300 feet of elevation in about a half mile; it is easier than the Difficult Trail that starts closer to the highway. The trail starts as a wide dirt path through a forest of hardwoods and pines and is easy to follow. Watch for roots and rocks as you hike. The trail eventually becomes a series of stairs that must be climbed, 304 in total.

Once one reaches the top, there are three viewing platforms that provide beautiful panoramic views in all directions. There are striking views of the Lake Superior shoreline including Presque Isle Park, Wetmore Landing, and Little Presque Isle. The city of Marquette can also be seen from atop Sugarloaf Mountain as well as views inland that include Hogsback Mountain. This is an excellent spot to view the sunrise over Lake Superior. Also at the summit is a stone obelisk erected long ago by Boy Scout Troop 1 to commemorate Bartlett King the founder of the Boy Scout Troop and a casualty of World War I.