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Michigan dnr > wildlife viewing guide > upper peninsula > cut river Select a Site 1 Isle Royale 2 Porcupine Mtn 3 Black River 4 Gogebic Ridge 5 Presque Flwge 6 Clark Lake 7 Bat Mine 8 Deer Marsh 9 Watersmeet 10 Davidson 11 Bob Lake 12 Silver Mtn 13 Keweenaw 14 Sturgeon 15 Canyon Falls 16 Groveland 17 Moose 18 Wetmore 19 Presque Isle 20 Gene's Pond 21 Hardwood 22 Menominee 23 Peninsula Pt 24 Portage Marsh 25 Boney Falls 26 Au Train 27 Sand Point 28 Rainey 29 Seney 30 Big Knob 31 Cut River 32 Tahquamenon 33 Whitefish Pt 34 Monocle 35 Munuscong 36 Horseshoe Bay

31 Cut River Bridge  wildlife viewing  |  directions and facility information Photos: MI DNR A Michigan Department of Transportation roadside park is the primary access to a network of hiking trails that wind in and around the beautiful forested Cut River Valley to its mouth on Lake Michigan. The beautiful trout lily is a common spring discovery along the forested trails of Cut River. Photo: MI DNR Wildlife Viewing A rest stop or picnic at the State Roadside Park provides a beautiful view of Lake Michigan and the mouth of the Cut River Gorge. The real beauty of this site, however, lies hidden among the rolling, forested dunes of the Lake Superior State Forest and within the forested river valley below. Hike the Cut River trails in May to view spring wildflowers such as trout lily, trilliums, and Dutchman’s breeches. Spring, especially in the month of May, is also a good time to view migrating warblers and other songbirds that follow the Lake Michigan shore and concentrate at the mouth and along the gorge due to the rich insect life emerging from the river. Hawks and owls also follow the coastline as they head to their northern breeding grounds in late April and early May. A diversity of forest songbirds use the forested gorge in the spring and summer as breeding habitat and offer good viewing opportunities along the trails. Interpretive markers help visitors identify plants and trees along the way. Portions of this area are open to public hunting. Contact the Michigan Department of Natural Resources for affected seasons and locations.

Directions

From Epoufette, travel east on US-2 about 2 miles to the Cut River Bridge State Roadside Park on the left (north) side of the road.

Site Map

Ownership: Michigan Department of Natural Resources, Sault Ste. Marie Management Unit, Naubinway Field Office, (906) 293-5131

Size: 400 acres

Closest Town: Epoufette

Weather and Driving Directions for Epoufette

Plan Your Trip with travel.michigan.org!

Facilities and Opportunities

Restrooms - two sets of barrier free men's and woman's pit toilets.
Trails - walking paths under both sides of the gorge are linked together by a small
bridge across the Cut River near the river mouth on Lake Michigan.
Picnic - many picnic tables, some with charcoal pits.
Drinking Water - hand pump (seasonally).
Hunting - big and small game.
Fishing - steelhead, brown trout, and whitefish in Lake Michigan, mouth of Cut River.

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