Go See It
Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary: Go See It
A 508-acre Michigan Nature Association preserve near Copper Harbor protecting the largest remaining tract of old-growth eastern white pine in Michigan, with trees over 125 feet tall and 300 to 500-plus years old.
The facts
- Drive
- 2 hr 51 min from Marquette
- Cost
- Free
- Season
- Any season works for viewing the pines
- Hours
- Open year-round, no gate
Address
No formal street address. From US-41 in Copper Harbor: turn south onto 2nd Street at the Community Center, go about 1.2 miles, bear left onto Clark Mine Road, go 1.2 miles, turn right onto Burma Road (signed "E. Pines"), go about 0.5-0.65 miles to the trailhead parking lot (Keweenaw County)
DirectionsMore detail
- From Marquette
- , 145 miles via US-41 N (Google Maps route, usual traffic, read Sept. 27, 2026)
- Cost
- No entry or trail fee. The Michigan Nature Association sells a $0.99 downloadable trail map; memberships and donations are requested but not required to visit.
- Season
- Spring (wildflowers, fewer bugs) and fall (color) are most recommended. Winter hiking and snowshoeing are popular and MNA-supported, but the access road and trails are not plowed or maintained in winter.
- Hours
- Roads, parking and trails are not plowed or maintained in winter.
- From the Bridge
- 5 hr 32 min, 309 miles via US-41 N, with the Mackinac Bridge toll (Google Maps route, usual traffic, read Sept. 27, 2026)
Estivant Pines is a 508-acre Michigan Nature Association preserve outside Copper Harbor holding the largest remaining tract of old-growth eastern white pine in Michigan. Some trees top 125 feet and run 300 to 500 years old — among the oldest living things in the state.
Two connected loop trails, Cathedral Grove and the Bertha Daubendiek Memorial Grove, cover the sanctuary in about 2.4 miles. There’s no gate and no fee — just a gravel lot at the end of Burma Road.
Before you go
- Two connected loop trails — Cathedral Grove (about 1 mile) and the Bertha Daubendiek Memorial Grove (about 1.2 miles) — combine for roughly 2.4 to 2.5 miles, rated easy to moderate, with narrow, root-covered, hilly sections and boardwalks over the wetter stretches.
- An unmarked, unmaintained "Fallen Giant Trail" side route runs through a cedar swamp — GPS and hiking experience recommended, not for casual visitors.
- Gravel parking lot at the trailhead with an interpretive display; only a privy on-site, no drinking water — bring your own water and snacks.
- No hunting, fishing, trapping, camping, campfires or pets anywhere in the sanctuary — it's a nature preserve, not a game area.
- Bug spray recommended in warmer months; cell service is unconfirmed this deep in the Keweenaw, so plan accordingly.
- Contact. Michigan Nature Association, (866) 223-2231, michigannature@michigannature.org.
Sources
- Michigan Nature Association, Estivant Pines sanctuary listing Read September 27, 2026
- Michigan Nature Association, Estivant Pines fact sheet (PDF) Read September 27, 2026
- Michigan Nature Association, contact page Read September 27, 2026
- Wikipedia, Estivant Pines Read September 27, 2026
- CopperHarbor.org, Estivant Pines Read September 27, 2026
- Visit Keweenaw, Estivant Pines Nature Sanctuary Read September 27, 2026
- Superior Hiking, Cathedral and Memorial Loop Read September 27, 2026
- Google Maps, Marquette to Estivant Pines (drive time) Read September 27, 2026
- Google Maps, Mackinac Bridge to Estivant Pines (drive time) Read September 27, 2026
Verified September 27, 2026