• 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!

Economic Benefit of Pictured Rocks NL

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Date: September 8, 2006
Contact: Jim Northup, 906-387-2607

This sandstone formation along Lake Superior's Pictured Rocks cliffs is known as Petit Portal.
NPS photo by Brenda St. Martin
Petit Portal and Lake Superior
A new National Park Service study estimates that the economic value of the existence of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore for the local community is $19.3 million annually, and reports that the presence of the park supports a total of 461 jobs.

The report, entitled the “Economic Benefit of Units of the National Park System” was released by the Washington Office of the National Park Service in mid-August. Using a formula known as the Money Generation Model, it calculates the economic benefit of every unit of the U.S. National Park System. For the purposes of the study, “local area” is defined as within 50 miles of the park.

“In my mind, parks are priceless,” Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Superintendent Jim Northup said. “As Americans, I hope we value our parks not only for their economic value but more so for what they represent as part of our heritage, for preserving the best of what America has to offer, and for opportunities to learn, have fun, find inspiration, physical challenge and even spiritual renewal.”

“However, we also know that units of the national park system have tremendous economic value to local communities,” Northup added. “We are proud to be an important component of what makes the Upper Peninsula such a special place to visit, and hope the community recognizes the park’s value as well.”

“The park staff and I will continue to do everything we can to continue to make Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore an attractive and wonderful place to visit,” Northup concluded.

The full NPS study is available on the web at http://www2.nature.nps.gov/stats/

Did You Know?

The Schoolcraft Blast Furnace was located at today's Munising Falls site.

The Schoolcraft/Munising Blast Furnace operated from 1869 to 1877. It produced many tons of pig iron for post Civil War continental expansion. Only ruins remain at this National Register of Historic Places site, located at Munising Falls in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. More...