Kitch-Iti-Kipi – All You Need To Know

Michigan’s upper peninsula is home to Kitch-iti-kipi, Michigan’s largest freshwater spring. It is known for its crystal-clear water and its breathtaking natural beauty. Kitch-iti-kipi is also known as “The Big Spring”.

We have visited Kitch-iti-kipi a few times during different seasons. I love it so much that when we go to the upper peninsula, I request that we swing by on our way to other destinations. It’s so beautiful and peaceful – I just can’t get enough of it. And I highly recommend that everyone adds it to their Michigan bucket list.

Fun Facts About Kitch-iti-kkipi

• Kitch-iti-kipi is 200 feet across.
• The Big Spring is 40 feet deep.
• It is Michigan’s largest freshwater spring.
• 10,000 gallons of water per minute gush from fissures in the underlying limestone.
• The water stays at a constant temperature of 45 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.
• The self-operated raft has an opening in the floor that allows you to see deep in the water. Don’t worry, the hole has railings around it so adults, kids, and pets can’t fall in.
• Kitch-iti-kipi never freezes.
• You can find large lake trout, brown trout, & brook trout in Kitch-iti-kipi.
• The big cold spring (Kitch-iti-kipi) is in constant motion.
• The legend of Kitch-iti-kipi is about a young chieftain who told his girlfriend that he loved her more than all the other dark-haired maidens. She told him to prove it. The test of his devotion was to canoe into the big cold water and she would jump off an overhanging bough where he’d have to catch her.
• The Kitch-iti-kipi property deed requires the property “to be forever used as a public park, using the name Palms Book State Park.”

Where is Kitch-iti-kipi?

The Big Spring (Kitch-iti-kipi) is located in Palms Brooks State Park in Manistique, Michigan.

Address: Sawmill Rd, Manistique, MI 49854
Phone Number: (906) 341-2355

How to get to Kitch-iti-kipi from Mackinaw City

*This route has tolls

• Get on I-75 N in Wawatam Township from S Huron Ave and E Central Ave
• Follow U.S. Rte 2 W to Arbutus Ave in Manistique
  about 1 hr. 30 min. (92.2 miles)
• Take Co Hwy 442 and Co Rd 455 to Sawmill Rd in Thompson Township
  about 17 min.

Kitch-iti-kipi Parking, Restrooms, & Amenities

Kitch-iti-kipi Spring has a pretty big parking lot. Even though the parking area is big, it fills fast in the summer months.

Just off the parking lot, you’ll see a gift shop. The gift shop sells ice cream, concessions, souvenirs, and more.

They also have a picnic area with charcoal grills and picnic tables. You’ll find modern restrooms nearby. It’s a really great spot to eat a picnic lunch and let the kids burn off some energy before you hit the road again.

Best Time to Visit Kitch-iti-kipi

Kitch-iti-kipi is open year-round from 10 am to 8 pm.

Believe it or not, Kitch-iti-kipi is open year-round. It is absolutely breathtaking in every season.

Summer: Everybody visits the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the summer. The weather is hot and the roads are clear. Everything in the U.P. is busy then, including Kitch-iti-kipi. If you choose to go in the summer, try to get there early to avoid crowds. If you end up waiting in line to ride the observation raft, don’t worry it usually moves pretty quickly. The raft can accommodate a decent amount of park visitors.

Spring, Winter, and Fall: These seasons will be the least busy. But the winter roads and trails can be very icy and difficult to navigate. We visited in December once and the entire path was ice. My kids had fun sliding their way over the trail to the Big Spring.

You really can’t choose a wrong season to visit.

More Awesome Things to do in Michigan:
SkyBridge Michigan – Ultimate Guide
Eben Ice Caves – All You Need to Know
Things to do in Michigan in Fall

Kitch-iti-kipi Cost

You will need a State of Michigan Recreation Passport in order to get into the parking area. If you don’t have one, these can be purchased right a the booth upon entry.

Annual pass for Michigan Residents – $18
Annual pass for Michigan Residents if purchased at time of license plate renewal – $13

Annual pass for Non-Michigan Residents – $39
Day pass for Non-Michigan Residents – $11

Recreation passports are good for entrance into any of the Michigan state parks or recreation areas, state forest campgrounds, designated boating access sites or parking lot, state-designated trailheads, recreation staging areas, or access sites related to trails/pathways.

Kitch-iti-kipi Trail & Experience

Trail Distance: 0.2 miles out and back
Difficulty: Easy
Dog Friendly: Yes, on a leash. They can even get on the raft.
Wheelchair Friendly: Kitch-iti-kipi is an ADA-accessible attraction & wheelchair friendly

Just a short walk from the parking lot you’ll find a boardwalk. Follow the boardwalk to the Kitch-iti-kipi spring. Very quickly you will stumble upon the viewing platform or self-operated raft.

The observation raft has a giant wheel that needs to be cranked in order to move the platform. Usually, visitors will take turns turning the wheel so that everyone can observe Kitch-iti-kipi. And sometimes if you are lucky a park employee will be there to do it for you.

The raft also has an opening in the floor. This opening is surrounded by a railing and has a roof above it. This opening is a great spot to observe deep into the water without the glare of the sun.

When looking deep into the crystal clear water look for fish, lime-encrusted branches, ancient tree trunks, and clouds of sand being pushed up by the water. The water is so clear that you can see the emerald bottom of the spring. It’s really neat.

Where to Stay

Many people opt to stay in the nearby town of Manistique, Michigan. We opted to make Kitch-iti-kipi a pit stop on our way to Marquette or Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

Here are some hotel and housing accommodations:

Camping:
Indian Lake State Park is really close to Kitch-iti-kipi. It has a lot of amenities that include hiking trails, swimming, boating & fishing.

Helpful Resources We Can’t Live Without

Accommodations- We love and swear by HiltonHonors, but when we want to stay someplace different, we use Hotels.com. You can search for deals on hotels, cabins, houses & more.

Getting There- Roadtripping with our car is how we prefer to travel. That being said, Skyscanner has great deals on flights and RVShare has deals on RV rentals.

Other Favorites-
Save money on gas- Upside
Find pit stops on your route- RoadTrippers
Deals on local food & attractions- Living Social
Explore top city attractions at a fraction of the price- CityPASS

Looking for gear? See the best deals on clothing & gear here, & best travel essentials here.
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Things to do Near Kitch-iti-kipi

• Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (55 min. drive)
• Tahquamenon Falls State Park (1 hr. 49 min. drive)
• Hunt for Yooperlites along Lake Superior (~1 hr. 20 min. drive)
• Dead River Falls (1 hr. 44 min. drive)
• Manistique Boardwalk

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