Kitch-iti-kipi (The Big Spring): Michigan’s Largest Natural Freshwater Spring

How to Get Here | Discoveries | Reflections from the Past | Break Routine | Where to Stay

One of the most mystical places in the Upper Peninsula is Kitch-iti-kipi, the “Big Spring.” Its ever-bubbling teal-colored water has mesmerizing powers, something the Ojibwa discovered centuries ago. They nicknamed this ancient spring the “Mirror of Heaven.”

But its reflections of the sky and towering trees are not all that will captivate you. Cross over the spring’s glassy surface on a self-driven raft and look into its crystal-clear, ethereal depths. Clouds of sand swirl constantly around the gushing water, creating ever-changing shapes and forms on the spring’s floor. Large brown trout swim in full view and the spring’s frigid water temperatures preserve everything resting below. Despite its chilly water, Kitch-iti-kipi rarely freezes even in the U.P.’s snowiest winters, adding to its mystique and natural wonder.

Bring a camera. Journal your reflections.

HOW TO GET HERE, HOURS AND COSTS

Kitch-iti-kipi is in Palms Book State Park. It is 15 minutes north of Manistique on M-149, a mile north of the junction at County Road 455; an hour south of Munising via M-28 to M-94; or nearly two hours north of Menominee via M-35 to M-149. To enter the park, you will need an annual Michigan Recreation Passport or a day pass. If you do not have one, you can purchase it when you arrive. 

The park is open daily all year from 8 a.m. to dusk. Plan to spend at least two hours taking in everything this spellbinding park offers.
Directions

WHAT YOU WILL DISCOVER

• Ojibwa families and lumber workers found the hidden Kitch-iti-kipi centuries before it became one of Michigan’s most popular attractions, welcoming over 60,000 visitors annually. What they first explored still awaits when you visit:
• Kitch-iti-kipi is the largest natural, freshwater spring in Michigan. It is 200 feet across and 40 feet deep.
• The teal water is crystal clear. Its water temperature is a constant, bone-chilling 45 degrees Fahrenheit. It rarely freezes in the winter. 
• 10,000 gallons of water per minute erupt from fissures in the limestone rocks at the spring’s floor. The sand constantly churns.
• This is home to large lake trout, brown trout and brook trout. 
• The overflow of the spring waters enters a rushing stream that winds through the surrounding forest and empties into Indian Lake. 

REFLECTIONS FROM KITCH-ITI-KIPI’S PAST

For many years, Ojibwa families hunted and lived in the area surrounding Kitch-iti-kipi. Many left when settlers followed the tracks of European explorers and adventure seekers. The settlers worked to tame the thick forests, trap wildlife to trade for supplies and harvest lumber to build communities in the U.P. and the Midwest. Lumber camps used Kitch-iti-kipi as a dumping ground for unwanted logs and trash. 

John Bellaire, the owner of a five-and-dime store in Manistique, came upon the hidden spring in the 1920s. He would visit the enchanting waters almost daily. Rather than buy the land for himself, Bellaire wanted everyone to enjoy the spring. So he convinced members of the Palms and Book families who owned the Palms Book Land Company to sell 90 acres surrounding the spring to the State of Michigan for $10. The deed stipulated the land had to be used forever as a public state park. 

Over the next two decades, the State obtained several more land parcels and the Palms Book State Park now covers nearly 388 acres.

There are several folktales and legends about the spring. A 2020 book by Carole Lynn Hare (Miskwa Anang Kwe), The Legend of Kitch-iti-kipi, tells her Ojibwa tribe’s version. John Bellaire admitted to making up other stories in the 1920s to attract visitors to the area.

BREAK YOUR ROUTINE AT THE BIG SPRING 

ALL ARE WELCOME INCLUDING PETS

You can reach the Big Spring on a short, wheelchair/stroller-accessible paved path from the parking lot to the observation deck and dock. The raft that takes you across the spring is ADA-accessible, too.

Your pet may accompany you on the path and the raft. It must always be on a six-foot or shorter leash. If the raft is crowded, consider leaving your pet on shore. Please clean up after your pet.

ENCOUNTER NATURE ON THE KITCH-ITI-KIPI TRAIL

As you walk or roll down the nearly 100-foot-long (0.3 km) out-and-back trail, listen for birds and enjoy the many trees and plants along the way. 
GAZE INTO A MYSTERIOUS WORLD BELOW

At the dock, board the free, crank-propelled raft. Riding across the spring is well worth the wait at busier times!

To operate the raft, one or more passengers volunteer to turn the big wheel that propels the raft slowly across and then back to the dock. The raft has a glass covered opening in the center of the deck. A fence surrounds the opening and a roof overhead reduces any sun glare.

From this center hole or the sides of the raft, you can look into the depths at the bubbling and swirling sand, the large trout swimming under and around the raft, ancient tree trunks and lime-encrusted branches. It is a window into nature you will long remember.

Park rangers occasionally operate the crank wheel and feed the fish as you cross the spring. This brings the fish closer to the surface so you can take even better photographs!

PICNIC WITHIN YARDS OF THE DOCK

When you return to the dock, a concession stand offers snacks, souvenirs and picnic supplies. There are picnic tables, charcoal grills and modern restrooms nearby. 

SOME THINGS YOU CAN NOT DO WHILE YOU ARE HERE

As tempting as it is at Kitch-iti-kipi, there is no swimming, no fishing and no kayaking or paddling. Plan to swim, fish and paddle at the nearby Indian Lake State Park. 

EXPLORE NEARBY WILDERNESS DESTINATIONS

When you are at Kitch-iti-kipi you are close to the Hiawatha National Forest, Lake Superior State Forest and Seney National Wildlife Refuge. These wilderness destinations are open year-round and offer seasonal hiking, paddling, fishing, wild berry picking, bird watching, hunting, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

VENTURE TO POPULAR U.P. ATTRACTIONS

Another reason to add Kitch-iti-kipi on your U.P. itinerary is it is less than a day trip away from:

• Fayette Historic State Park: 1 hour
• Grand Island: 1 hour
• Mackinac Island: 1-½ hours
• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: 1 hour

WHERE TO STAY

At Kitch-iti-kipi, you are a short drive to hotels, resorts and restaurants that will fit your budget, amenities and menu preferences. 

One of the closest places to stay is Indian Lake State Park. It is on the fourth largest inland lake in the Upper Peninsula and is home to two campgrounds (one modern and one semi-modern) and overnight lodgings. Even if you do not stay here, it has a swimming beach, boat launch, picnic area, two miles of hiking trails and a quarter-mile, paved, wheelchair-accessible trail along the lake that you and your family can enjoy for hours.