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One of the harder hikes in Michigan, Hogback Mountain offers a 360 degree view of the surrounding area, everything from Presque Isle to the Huron Mountain Club; all for the price of a 2 mile hike with around 600 ft of elevation change.
The trailhead for Hogback Mountain sits 5 miles North of Marquette, Mi on County Road 550. About 1/2 mile past the Sugarloaf Mtn parking lot, the unmarked road is on the left side if going north bound -- the parking area is for Wetmore Pond.
The trail begins with an easy half mile hike through a wooded area, with minor elevation change. From there, switchbacks begin with cliff faces spotted with greenstone at your side and hemlocks surrounding you. The final stretch of the 2 mile climb is a rock face scramble, nothing crazy, but just enough to require good footing.
The top is mostly solid rock, meaning there is no heavy foliage and you have a 360 degree view. To the South, you'll be able to see Marquette and Presque Isle. To the East, Sugarloaf Mountain. And to the North, the Huron Mountains. The colors of Fall in peak season make the top, well, over-the-top; making it my suggested time of the year to do the hike. The trail is open year round, and at no time will the peak ever be crowded.