Palms Book State Park, Manistique, Michigan
When preparing for a trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, many travel recommendations suggested a stopover at Kitch-iti-kipi. Translating as “Big Cold Spring” from the native Ojibwa language, the park’s highlight is Michigan’s largest natural freshwater spring. The spring is over 200 feet across, 40 feet deep, and maintains a year-round water temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
To enjoy the spring, a crank-propelled wooden raft with a glass-bottom viewing area allows visitors to cross the spring while being mesmerized by the water and fish below. The self-propelled boat can be fun for children to operate, but they may need some help pulling it along to speed up the journey from shore to shore.
Kitch-iti-kipi stands out for many reasons, including the fact that the spring rarely freezes in the harsh Upper Peninsula winters. There are also the tales of many legends involving the spring. Many of these were made up to attract tourists to the area. Still, one tale, The Legend of Kitch-iti-kipi, is a transcription of an oral tradition story passed down by a Native American family in Michigan similar to Romeo and Juliet, involving a tragic tale of a brave, a maiden, and a chief.
Like most Michigan State Parks, Palms Book State Park has an entry fee that can be paid at the gate. No swimming, diving, fishing, or boating other than the self-propelled, guided raft is allowed in the spring. There are seasonal concessions and a gift shop where I purchased one of my favorite mugs. When I get to the bottom of the cup, it reminds me of the bluish-green bottom of the springs and takes me back to the mesmerizing entry of over 10,000 gallons of water per minute into the spring..
It is a little out of the way to get to Kitch-iti-kipi, but it was a great travel find! Many Michiganders consider visiting the springs a right of passage, which should be true for anyone else visiting the Upper Peninsula.
