As Michiganians we are fortunate to have many trail-running opportunities throughout our mostly-rural state. Ranging from short park loops and nature trails, to Nordic ski trails awaiting snow, to dedicated hiking trails maintained by state and metro park staff ... all offer runners a more-forgiving surface for their joints, changes in scenery and a less- modern running experience than paved roads.

Some state trail systems take this type of running to a whole different - some would say a more-extreme - level. Trail running can transcend into adventure running when a person chooses to take some risks.

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park is such a place. Set in the western Upper Peninsula near Silver City and the former copper-mining town of White Pine, the Porkies offer miles and miles of secluded hiking trails that are perfect for the hardy runner looking for a challenge.

While the western U.P. is crisscrossed by hundreds of miles of runnable trail, most of these are former railroad grade, snowmobile trails and logging roads. These wide trails with mostly-level footing are good for general training and provide an attractive alternative to running the roads in summer, but don't allow a runner to really "get away": there are frequent road crossings and the trails often follow power lines or other landmarks of technology.

For rough single-track through real back country, the Porkies are Michigan's ultimate place to go, offering many routes of varying length and difficulty with views that mostly don't exist any longer east of the Mississippi.

Now the disclaimer. If one chooses to run the Porkies, it will be rough and tough. This is not a place to go if ankle-turning rocks, tripping roots and gnarly climbs and descents will be a problem.

Bridges may not exist for stream and river crossings. On many routes the nearest road is two to three miles away, or farther. Going alone is not an option in case the unfortunate should occur.

Warnings aside, these are the attributes that make the Porkies worth the trip. With a few tips, the experience can be safe and extremely fun.

When to Go

What you encounter in the Porkies will vary greatly with the season. Winter is prime time for snowshoeing and cross country skiing (42K groomed through the ski area). For running it's not so hot, given the snow the area receives. November runs in six inches of wet snow are doable.

After the last of the snow melts in late spring, running opportunities open up, but be prepared to deal with extensively-flooded trails. If trail fever is strong after a long winter on the roads, go ahead and get out during April and May, but expect five-pound shoes pretty early on in any trek.

Memorial Day brings the unofficial start to summer and the infamous "Run The Porkies" put on by Wakefield track coach Jim Engel. Traditionally a group of about a dozen runners opens the trails by running the 18-mile length of the Lake Superior Trail. By late May there is usually a slightly-drier track, although long stretches of water-covered trail are to be expected. Then comes the notorious U.P. insect season. June is the peak of the perennial black-fly epidemic, during which a Porkies run is probably inadvisable.

By mid-July the worst of the bug problem is over and running the muddy trails becomes superb. The high season for hitting the trails lasts the rest of the summer, and fall brings the famous rainbow of foliage to runners' eyes.

Water

As experienced trail runners know, there are no fountains in the woods. Plan to carry more water than usually necessary, especially in warm weather.

As a guide, I usually carry 44 ounces in my Fuel Belt for a three- to four- hour run and will go through that whole volume. There are abundant flowing or lake water resources available on most routes, if carrying a filter or chemical treatment is more desirable. See literature at the park visitors center for proper filter specifications.

Ticks

In recent years the tick population seems to have shot up in the U.P. During the latter half of the '90s I never picked up a tick running trails here. Now it's rare I don't pick up ticks.

The rule is check early and often for the insects, especially below the knees and under sock lines. A lot of times ticks appear to be a dark, reddish glob of dirt. Make a check by feel, not just sight.

I've yet to have a tick attached that I couldn't simply pick off and throw, but it is possible to have one with its head already sunk into your skin. Be careful in this situation and seek medical attention if necessary.

Mileage

Plan on an extreme amount of extra time to complete trail runs in the Porkies. It could be the trails' nature slows runners down, or it could be the mileage shown on the map assumes flat terrain and does not account for the ups and downs, but whatever the reason is, you won't set many PRs here.

For middle-of-the-pack runners, an 18-mile trek can take between three and five hours. Or more.

Trail Markings

It's important to constantly watch your footing on these trails, but be mindful to look up and spot the trail markings every 100 yards or so (more frequently in some cases). This is especially critical in the old- growth portions of the forest, where the canopy has choked out most of the ground cover.

Without greenery on the forest floor to contrast with the trail, everything can start to look the same, most notably when fresh leaves fall in fall and foot traffic is at a minimum.

Sample Running Routes

Lake Superior Trail - Point to point, egress via east Presque Isle River Trail, map mileage: 18.1, approximate time: 3 to 3.5 hours (if your long-run road pace is around 8 minutes/mile).

Course description: The Memorial Day "Run The Porkies" route. Start at the Lake Superior Trailhead on M-107 just below Lake of the Clouds.

First 5 miles feature a rocky descent to the Lake Superior shoreline, passing Lone Rock. The next 5 miles follow the lakeshore and occasionally the trail heads out onto the secluded rock beach before reaching the mouth of the Big Carp River, approximately the halfway point.

Another mile-plus to the mouth of the Little Carp River (both rivers normally have bridges) leads to a set of stairs that climb away from the lake. Be sure to stay on the Lake Superior Trail after crossing the Little Carp and climbing out of the valley - the Pinkerton Trail intersects here and can be used as a 2-3 mile bail-out to South Boundary Road if necessary.

After the Little Carp, the LST traverses the old-growth virgin forest the park is famous for, crossing several streams running in the bottom of deep ravines.

After Speaker's Cabin (another bail-out point), there are roughly 3 miles left with a couple root scrambles to climb. Take a left on the East River Trail when you reach the Presque Isle River to reach the vehicle you've stashed on the South Boundary Road bridge over the river, or continue on the LST across the suspension footbridge to the trailhead parking lot.

Big Carp-Lake Superior loop - Map mileage: 20 plus, approximate time: 3.5 to 4 hours.

Course description: From the Lake of the Clouds scenic overlook parking lot, head west on the Big Carp River Trail taking in awesome bluff-top views for roughly the first 2 miles. Then descend to the river over the next 3 or so miles through lush forest.

Crossing the river on a bridge, head right to stay on the Big Carp, bypassing the Correction Line Trail. Following the river provides the scenery here, continuing to descend to the Big Carp mouth.

A right turn will take you back up to M-107 following the eastern stretch of the Lake Superior Trail, with a nice-sized climb up away from the lake. Turn right on the road to return to Lake of The Clouds in about a mile, with a final climb to contend with.

Big Carp-Correction Line-Mirror Lake-Government Peak Loop (and variations) - Map mileage: 20.6, approximate time: 4 plus hours.

Course description: On the way up to the Lake Superior Trailhead and Lake of the Clouds, the Government Peak Trailhead lies on the left of M- 107. This loop can begin from here or Lake of the Clouds.

Starting at the Government Peak Trailhead, take the Escarpment Trail west to fully experience the valley containing Lake of the Clouds below. There is a sharp ascent to begin this run.

Passing through the Lake of the Clouds Scenic Area and onto the Big Carp River Trail will eventually lead to the intersection with the Correction Line Trail just over the river. Take the Correction Line this time to Mirror Lake, turning left past the cabins when reaching the lake.

To shorten the route, take a left on the North Mirror Lake Trail to return to Lake of the Clouds with a sharp descent to the bottom of the large lake, followed by a serious - very serious - climb to the Lake of the Clouds parking area.

If you're up for the full loop, bypass the North Mirror Lake Trail to get on the Government Peak Trail. After a couple miles, the Government Peak summit marks the highest point in the park, more than 1,200 feet above Lake Superior. Continue to follow the Government Peak Trail through several intersections back to M-107.

Another shorter variation of the loop, for those looking for about 2.5 to 3 hours of running, is taking the North Mirror Lake Trail down from Lake of the Clouds and finishing the loop by taking the Government Peak Trail.

All the loops present a new experience when you take them opposite direction, and there are ways to add small and large amounts of distance to most of them. For runners looking for more-moderate distances, the east end of the park (Government Peak Trailhead, Union Spring Trailhead) as well as the Summit Peak area - off South Boundary Road - provide shorter loops and out-and-backs.

For general information on the park, see the official Web site at ="http://www.michigandnr.com/ parksandtrails/ParksandTrailsInfo.aspx?id=426.

The back-country trail map, with mileages noted, is available in PDF format at http://www.michigandnr.com/ publications/pdfs/RecreationCamping/Porkies_bcmap.pdf. MR