By far the biggest attraction in our area is Pictured Rocks.  Some visitors are only familiar with the Pictured Rock formations that are located along the mainland near Munising in the national park.  This is mainly due to their proximity of being accessible and viewed by land.  However, many people don’t realize there are Pictured Rocks around Grand Island.  Grand Island is located one-half mile offshore from Munising.  Most people are unaware of the cliffs around Grand Island since the majority of Pictured Rock formations along Grand Island’s coastline are only visible by water.  Riptide Ride focuses on these hidden gems and we see about 25 miles of Pictured Rocks on Grand Island.  There you will find the tallest cliffs, towering at 300 feet (versus 200 feet in the national park), the North Light Portal, sea caves, beaches, and as a bonus two lighthouses.

According to writings from the U.S. Government, the cliffs on Grand Island and in the national park are made from the same geologic formations consisting of lower and middle Cambrian sandstone of the Munising and Jacobsville formation.  The Cambrian outcrops are 500 million year old.  The reddish-brown Jacobsville sandstone was prized as a building material and was once quarried on the west of the island.  As an interesting note, during the different phases of glacier periods, Grand Island changed from three separate islands into one.  Check out our photo gallery to see the Pictured Rocks we showcase.  They are beautiful, majestic, and every bit Pictured Rocks!