• Little Portal Point at sunset. Photo copyright Craig Blacklock

    Pictured Rocks

    National Lakeshore Michigan

  • Fire Ban in Effect

    A FIRE BAN in all drive-in and hike-in campgrounds, effective at 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 24. Due to very hazardous conditions, the ban is in effect until further notice.

  • Chapel Road - last quarter mile closed

    The last quarter-mile of Chapel Road is closed due to construction. Only very limited parking available along Chapel Road. Please park at Miners Beach. More »

  • Sable Falls re-opens, Friday, May 25, 5 p.m.

    The trail and stairs to Sable Falls are closed due to a collapse of the stream bank. Work is nearly done, and the trail will re-open for Memorial Day weekend!

Amphibians and Reptiles

A garter snake meanders through long grass.

NPS photo by Gregg Bruff

Garter snake

As would be expected at this northern latitude, herpetofauna are not numerous. Only 5 reptilian and 11 amphibian species are known to exist within the Lakeshore.

Among species present are American toad (Bufo americanus), spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum), spring peeper (Hyla crucifer), leopard frog (Rana pipiens), painted turtle (Chrysemys picta), snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina), eastern garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis), smooth greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis) and northern redbelly snake (Storeria occipitomaculata).


Did You Know?

Mineral seepage creates the vibrant colors shown on this close-up photo of the Pictured Rocks cliffs.

Mineral stains give color to the famous cliffs of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Red and orange colors are iron, black is manganese, white is limonite, and green is a trace of copper. There are no pictographs or petroglyphs on the Pictured Rocks cliffs (that we know of). More...