On the south shore of the Keweenaw Waterway, Houghton's offerings range from a paved trail running across town to nature and water activities, hockey history and minerals. For your planning, it’s worth exploring these different highlights: they show whether you’d rather center your stay around trails, themed stops, water activities or a museum exhibit.
Waterfront Trails and Nature
The Houghton Waterfront Trail is a paved, non-motorized trail. It crosses Houghton from east to west along its entire length, running from the Pilgrim River to Kestner Waterfront Park. This distinguishes the trail from individual parks or themed stops: it’s a route through town, with a clearly defined direction and endpoints.
At 100 acres, Nara Nature Park is a nature area in its own right. Bob and Ruth Nara donated the park to the City of Houghton. One specific feature here is the Nara Nature Trail Boardwalk: the elevated wooden boardwalk is 4,500 feet long and runs along both banks of the Pilgrim River. The park and boardwalk offer different points to consider when planning—the former is described as a nature park, the latter as a long, elevated structure along the river.
Beyond these individual locations, the trail systems at Michigan Tech and Nara together include more than 26 miles for cyclists and 35 miles for hikers and runners. The figures differ by activity: the total distance given for cycling is different from that for hiking and running. If you’re organizing your activities by the kind of exercise you want to do, this distinction is more useful than a single, undifferentiated mileage figure.
Hockey History and Minerals
Downtown’s Dee Stadium features a historic ballroom as well as an ice rink and hockey arena. The stadium is also home to the Kenner Ruohonen Memorial History Room, which houses the “Birthplace of Professional Hockey and The History of Hockey Exhibit.” The combination of the arena and exhibit makes Houghton an interesting destination for travelers interested in hockey history; the exhibit’s title itself names the subject.
The A.E. Seaman Mineral Museum displays minerals from around the world and is the official mineral museum of the State of Michigan. One striking exhibit is a 19-ton native copper vein, displayed in the museum’s outdoor pavilion. Houghton thus offers two different cultural interests side by side: the history of ice hockey at Dee Stadium and the mineral exhibit at the state museum.
The Historic Houghton Walking Tour adds another downtown highlight. The self-guided tour includes 15 themed markers placed around downtown. Rather than focusing on a single exhibition space, this visit takes in several themed stops throughout the city. It gives you another way to include Houghton’s history in your choice of activities.
Water Activities and Market
East Houghton Waterfront Park has a launch area for kayaks and small sailboats; the park is also home to Houghton Skatepark. Ray Kestner Waterfront Park has a different focus: equipment for paddle sports is available to rent, and there’s a sheltered swimming area. If you’re weighing up waterfront activities, the offerings differ in function—from launching your own boats to rentals and swimming.
The Downtown Houghton Farmers Market is another seasonal offering. It takes place on the pier next to the Portage Lake District Library; its schedule may vary. If you’d like to include the market in your plans, check the specific dates in advance.
Discover more destinations: Torch Lake Township, Hancock.
See the full travel overview: Houghton.
