Gogebic County

This is your wilderness getaway. Escape to the Gogebic Iron Range that made iron mining so important to this area. Lace up your boots and explore the million-acre Ottawa National Forest or enter the western gateway to the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. Because Gogebic County is within the Central Time Zone, you’ll have lots of daylight to fit in all your adventuring. 

WHERE WATER COMES TO PLAY

Chart your course through the crystal-clear waters that surround you, from pristine Lake Superior to inland lakes, rivers and an abundance of waterfalls. (We have 100 of them!) In summer, swim or launch your canoe or kayak. Reel in walleye, smallmouth bass, jumbo perch and pike in the Cisco Chain of Lakes or Lake Gogebic, the largest inland lake in the U.P. at 13,000 acres. You can also explore the Sylvania Wilderness Area. It features spring-fed lakes and one of the few old-growth, north-woods forests and a riot of colorful wildflowers in the spring.

MORE THAN YOU IMAGINED

In winter, downhill skiers and snowboarders experience why we’re called “Big Snow Country” at renowned resorts: Indianhead Mountain Resort in Wakefield and Blackjack Ski Resort and Big Powderhorn Mountain in Bessemer. Cross-country skiers glide down serene trails that weave throughout the county. And snowmobilers can zoom down 175 miles of groomed trails. To see even more, brave the Copper Peak Adventure Ride from mid-June through Labor Day. This 810- foot chair lift and 18-story elevator to the top of the only International Ski Flying facility in the Western Hemisphere will show you 2,500 square miles of the Lake Superior Basin. 

The National Black River Scenic Byway includes Great Conglomerate Falls, Potawatomi, Gorge, Sandstone, and Rainbow Falls. As you visit the waterfalls, stop and take notice of the signs explaining the conglomerate rock formations. (From Hwy. US 2 in Bessemer take Powderhorn Rd North. When you come to the T in the road at the stop sign, make a left hand turn on Black River Rd. You will find all the waterfalls on this road, which is approximately 14 miles long, ending in the only Harbor & Marina operated by the USDA Forest Service in the lower 48 states).

And when you want to share the fun with others, come to Ironwood for a performance at the restored Historic Ironwood Theatre or during Bessemer’s 4th of July festivities or Pumpkinfest – two of the finest celebrations in the Midwest.

Visitor Information

Explore Western UP
Ironwood Area Chamber
Lake Gogebic Area Chamber
Travel Ironwood
Watersmeet Chamber
Wakefield Chamber/Visitors Center