Grand Marais, MI

Grand Marais is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2020 census counted 234 residents. Grand Marais is located within Burt Township on the shores of Lake Superior, and the community is the eastern gateway to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore via H-58. The name Grand Marais is a reference to the large, shallow harbor. Snowmobiling is popular in the winter, and swimming, hiking, boating, kayaking, agate collecting on the beach and fishing are among the summer activities.

Taken together, these details give a newcomer a usable picture of Grand Marais, where its history, geography, and current gathering places meet. For Grand Marais, the memorable detail is the way older history and current gathering places share one local map. A breakwater was later built that extends from the bay into Lake Superior. Grand Marais is the northern terminus of M-77. Seney and the Seney National Wildlife Refuge are to the south.