24 Portage
Marsh
wildlife viewing | directions and facility information
Photo: © Dave Case
Portage Marsh is a 600-acre coastal wetland complex on Lake
Michigan in Delta
County. It is
bounded on the north by the City of Escanaba
and on the south by Portage Point. Habitat includes open water, cattail
marsh, wet meadow, shrub thickets, sand beach, inter-dunal
pools, and a creek mouth.
The Lake Michigan shoreline and Portage Point (a narrow sand
spit that extends easterly nearly two miles into the lake) form a
shallow, protected bay known as Portage Bay.
This bay is nestled within Lake Michigan's Little Bay de Noc, which itself is part of Green Bay. Portage Marsh is well protected
from wave action because the lakeside opening of the marsh faces east,
the least common wind direction. Portage Creek empties into the protected
interior of the marsh creating a small delta of shallow water where sand,
debris, and nutrients are deposited. The creek itself is lined with large
willow trees.
Photo: Craig Albright, MI DNR
Portage Bay varies in depth from mere inches to five
feet, depending on Lake Michigan water
levels, and to a lesser extent, wind direction. This bay is ringed by a
large, rather dense stand of cattails. Channels and pools are sometimes
present in these cattails, but due to low water in recent years the
cattail stand has been dry and has become dense and nearly impenetrable.
The marsh complex has some island-like knolls and ridges that are high
enough to support woody vegetation. Except for the lake-ward east end,
the marsh is nearly encircled by residential development and paved
roadways (Lakeshore Drive
within Escanaba, Highway M-35, and Portage Point Lane). About one-half
mile of raised dike, originating at the parking lot,
provides an elevated foot-trail through cattail marsh and shrub thicket.
This dike affords an excellent view of Portage Bay
and supplies easy access to the sand beach on the south side of Portage
Point. Canoes, duck boats, and other small watercraft can be launched
into Portage
Bay at the graveled
parking lot, but there are no developed launch facilities, toilets, or
other amenities.
 Wildlife
Viewing
Photo: Craig Albright, MI DNR
Because Portage Marsh is actually a complex of several types
of wetland habitat, including lake, creek, marsh, wet meadow, and shrub
swamp, many different types of wildlife adapt to these habitat
conditions. Examples of the broad wildlife groups that reside here
include ducks, shorebirds, wading birds, gulls, terns, rails, fur-bearing
mammals, frogs, and turtles. Several state-threatened species are
commonly observed in the marsh including bald eagles and Caspian and
common terns.
Photo: © Dave Case
The wetland area along Portage Point offers a protected oasis
for waterfowl during the spring and fall migrations and for some summer
resident birds. April and October are generally the best months for
viewing migrating waterfowl. The sand beach along the point provides
shorebird-viewing opportunities. The shorebird migration is not as
predictable as the waterfowl migration, but at times it is excellent.
Besides wildlife viewing, other popular activities include walking, dog
exercise, photography, swimming (on the beach side of Portage Point),
environmental education, hunting, and trapping.
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