Abandoned Fishing Village on Lake Superior

Way in the upper region of Lake Superior lies Michipicoten (Ojibwe for “big bluffs”) Island, roughly 109 miles northwest of Sault Ste. Marie. It is Lake Superior’s third largest island and was administered in 1985 as Michipicoten Island Provincial Park.

Thanks to its remote location, the island is mostly uninhabited, except for some beaver, birds, caribou, and wolves. During the year except for winter, a few property owners come here as do commercial fishers. It’s a favorite destination for kayakers as well.

As you approach the island from the south end, you'll come across a smaller, pencil thin strip of land called Davieaux Island. Making a quick stop you’ll experience a lighthouse, and except for a couple of other buildings, that’s it. Continuing on to Michipicoten Island, put in at Quebec Harbor.

Get our free mobile app

Aside from a 1912 unmanned lighthouse on the east end of the island, there is something else here that makes the island an exceptional visit: an abandoned fishing village on the southern end; you can pull right in at the village and explore. Visitors say they’ve seen ‘private property’ signs in the area, so honor them accordingly.

The old village is believed to have been named Quebec Harbour, the same as the water inlet, and abandoned in the 1980s. If you get the inclination to hike through the island, there are warnings telling you there are no trails – just wilderness – so there is no way of knowing what you may run into, or even where you are going.

Now scroll down a ways and take a look at the gallery, featuring images of the island, the abandoned fishing village, and a few of Davieaux Island.