Discover the Magic of the Eben Ice Caves in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
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Michigan’s Upper Peninsula transforms into a winter wonderland each year, and the Eben Ice Caves are one of its most enchanting sights. Tucked away in the Rock River Canyon Wilderness, these stunning ice formations draw adventurers from near and far.
About Rock River Canyon Wilderness
The Silver Creek and Rock River canyons are part of the beautiful landscape, which are about 150 feet deep, with other elevations ranging from 600 to 1,000 ft.
When it gets cold, the water that seeps through the sandstone and flows over the edge of the canyon cliffs freezes, creating gorgeous ice curtains and stalactites over the bedrock undercuts.
What Are the Eben Ice Caves?
The Eben Ice Caves, officially named the Rock River Canyon Ice Caves, form when water seeps through sandstone cliffs and freezes into massive curtains of ice.
These shimmering walls can reach up to 50 feet high, creating a surreal landscape worth experiencing. The sandstone and cedar trees nearby contribute to the yellow hue of the ice.
Their proximity to the small community of Eben Junction gives them their nickname.
Nestled within the Hiawatha National Forest, the caves are part of a 4,700-acre protected wilderness area. This serene spot invites visitors to explore while respecting the natural beauty that makes it special.
Pro Tip: The best times to visit the ice caves are in January and February, when it’s cold enough for the ice to form. The ice caves usually stay frozen through March and begin to melt in April as temperatures warm up for the spring.
These stunning natural formations are spectacular and a must-see winter thing to do in Michigan.
How to Get to the Eben Ice Caves
Before setting out, be sure to have an emergency kit in your car that includes blankets, water, flashlights, jumper cables, and other winter necessities. Michigan weather can be unpredictable and snowstorms can spring up suddenly, so it’s good to be prepared.
Located about 15 miles west of Munising and 25 miles east of Marquette, the Eben Ice Caves are accessible yet feel worlds away from the hustle and bustle. Whether you’re coming from Munising or Marquette, simply follow M-94 to Eben Junction (about 30 minutes).
Once you arrive in Eben Junction, you’ll see the yellow signs that guide you to a parking area just off Swajanen Road (fka Frey Rd). The Eben Ice Caves road crosses a farmer’s field on a public access route that has been upgraded for year-round use, improving parking and ensuring better access for emergency responders.
Thanks to the Rondeau family, who maintain the parking area near the trailhead, visitors have access to amenities like restrooms and ample space to park. Be sure to write down directions ahead of time, as cell service in the area can be spotty.
If you’ve been to the Eben Ice Caves, your experience likely went something like this: You drive far out into the Upper Peninsula countryside, down a sometimes-muddy road, and parked along a farmer’s field. Yellow signs labeled “Ice Caves” helped point the way. After arriving, a parking area with portable bathrooms was available.
Updates to this method of accessing the Rock River Wilderness Area have improved the road to year-round access to get visitors to the Ice Caves Parking Lot. Portable toilets no longer exist due to the restroom facilities at the parking lot. The concession stand and outhouses are still in operation for those visitors who wish to purchase refreshments.
Visit Wilderness Canyon – Eben Ice Caves on Facebook for current conditions.
Finding the Trailhead
The trail to the caves is about 1.4 miles round-trip and offers a mix of flat stretches and moderate hills through a snow-covered forest. While the hike is manageable for most, sturdy boots and ice cleats are highly recommended to navigate the icy terrain safely.
You’ll know you’re on the right track when you see the large “Rock River Canyon Wilderness” sign near the trailhead.
The Eben Ice Caves are very easy to find. However, both the internet and GPS service in this area is limited. Before leaving, write down directions. When doing a directions search, search “how to get to Eben Ice Caves“ in order to pinpoint the location you want to visit.
Hiking to the Ice Caves
From the trailhead, it’s a moderate 1.4-mile trek to the Rock River Canyon Ice Caves. You’ll see a giant sign for the Rock River wilderness area, which marks the main trail to the caves. The terrain is flat at the beginning of the trail, but you’ll eventually go up and down some slopes through the forest.
When you come to the river, the trail might not be clearly marked, but you want to stay to the right. Shortly after, you’ll see a trail to follow up to the caves. Although the climb isn’t extreme, it’s somewhat steep. Generally, it takes about 25 minutes to follow the main 1-mile trail up to the caves.
A lot of people visit the Rock River Canyon Ice Caves, so the snow is almost always packed down. Despite that, it can be easy to lose the trail along the way if there’s fresh snow on the ground and no footprints to follow. Fortunately, all of the paths in the area are close to each other, so you shouldn’t get lost.
Unless the area has just recently received some snowfall, the trail will be packed down by the many visitors who came before you. The hike to the ice caves is about a half-mile from where you park, and though the first section is pretty flat, as you get closer to the caves there are some pretty steep ups and downs. And as you may imagine, once you get there, the ice caves are, well… icy.
While you’re here, you could take the trail that goes above the Eben Ice Caves, which is an easier trek. You can find the path about halfway through the main trail unless it’s covered by fresh snow. From above the caves, you get a different perspective of the forest and ice curtain.
The new parking lot is actually into the woods east of the open field visitors previously trekked across. Visitors will now drive across the open field into the woods 1/4 mile and park in the parking lot and access the trailhead at the west end of the parking lot (you will drive past the trailhead at the entrance of the parking lot).
When you see a welcome sign for the “Rock River Canyon Ice Caves” and “Rock River Canyon Wilderness” area, turn left at the sign, and follow this trail to the caves.
Exploring the Eben Ice Caves
Once you arrive, you’ll be greeted by towering walls of ice glistening in the winter sunlight. It’s easy to spend 20 or 30 minutes looking around.
Many visitors enjoy stepping behind the icy curtains to take in the magical view from within. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can climb above the caves for a different perspective.
Tips for Your Visit
This destination might be difficult for smaller children, people with infants, anyone who has trouble walking/climbing, or is unstable on slippery surfaces.
- Be sure to dress warmly! Temperatures in this area are often below zero with wind chill factors at -20 to -30 below. This is typical Upper Peninsula winter weather, so be sure to bundle up!
- Invest in some ice cleats. The area around the caves is extremely slippery and cleats will help provide extra traction. Inexpensive rubber slip-on cleats are available through Amazon or at almost any sporting goods store.
- The trails to and from the caves can be steep and slippery, especially if there’s been a lot of foot traffic. Be sure to plan enough time to take it slow.
- Use extreme caution when climbing or going inside the caves. Watch for unstable areas and be aware of where any children in your group are at all times.
- Before heading in, take a minute to read the safety information posted on the Rock River Canyon Wilderness sign.
Keep in mind that fluctuations in temperature can make the ice weak, causing some of the large icicles to fall unexpectedly. This can make exploring the inside and climbing the outside of the ice caves risky. Stay alert to avoid injuries.
For the most up-to-date information on cave conditions, visit the Eben Ice Caves Facebook page.
A Visit to the Eben Ice Caves
A group of friends and I recently embarked on a little afternoon trip to the Eben Ice Caves and really enjoyed it. After a slight wrong turn, we found our way, parked by the field, and hiked in. There were probably ten or fifteen other cars there when we pulled in. It was early afternoon.
I’d guess it took our group about fifteen minutes or so to get to the caves, as we were taking it slow and enjoying the scenery. And the way the sunlight cast the bare birch tree’s shadows over fluffy mounds of snow made me want to stop to photograph everything, but I eventually made my way to the caves. Gorgeous area though.
Let me pause here to note – once again – that you’ll probably enjoy the experience a little more if you do have some sort of cleats on your shoes or boots. I didn’t, and it was slippery as all hell in some spots on the trail. (Note to self for next year – buy ice cleats.)
At any rate, once we got there the group dispersed to explore behind the giant walls of ice, take photos, or just stand back and observe one of the Upper Peninsula’s many natural wonders.
I walked/slipped/slid behind the ice to get some photos and could have hung out there for a while. It’s really something to see, much like the ice curtains off Sand Point Road in Pictured Rocks (link). The difference is that here there’s enough room to get behind the ice.
We probably spent a half hour or so playing around the caves, then climbed up above the ice and made our way back along another section of the trail. This part of the trail was a much easier hike than the way we took in. (If you want to take this way in, go right when the trail forks at the “Rock River Canyon Ice Caves” sign.
Jesse Land, Awesome Mitten’s Resident Yooper
Things to Do Near the Eben Ice Caves Michigan
The Upper Peninsula has tons of prime winter attractions, especially around Alger County and Marquette County. For instance, the Valley Spur Cross Country Ski Trail offers 27 miles of trails through meadows, hardwood forest, hemlock groves, and alongside small lakes. Check out these other trails too.
You can visit the ice curtains at Sand Point as well. Located in Munising, the ice stands 20 to 50 feet high along Sand Point Road. Thousands of ice climbers and spectators gather here for Michigan Ice Fest, which is held the second week of February. Typically, the ice doesn’t melt until early April, so you have plenty of time to plan a visit.
This part of the Upper Peninsula has several frozen waterfalls too. Wagner Falls is just south of Munising. You can reach the observation deck that overlooks the falls via a very short trail from a small parking area. Munising Falls is located within city limits where Washington Street turns into Sand Point Road. An 800-foot trail leads to the base of the falls, and two sets of stairs lead to higher platforms for a better viewpoint.
On the Marquette side, Dead River Falls is accessible via a less than 1-mile trail, which starts as an access road. A short walk later, you’ll see a footpath on the left that leads down to the river and the lowest falls. The river drops more than 90 feet, and several waterfalls in it drop more than 15 feet. You can follow the trail upstream to see these other falls.
Additionally, you can go to Pictured Rocks in the winter, which has many more frozen waterfalls and miles of picturesque Lake Superior shoreline to explore. With an average snowfall of about 140 inches every year, you can enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and more.
A unique winter activity that isn’t available everywhere is dog sledding. Husky Haven Kennels has been established in the Upper Peninsula since 2014, offering tours on double-driver sleds. The tours give you a chance to take the reins with a professional guiding you along the way. Tours are even available in the summer.
Restaurants Near the Rock River Canyon Michigan Ice Caves
Eben Junction doesn’t have a ton of restaurants, but The Snack Bar Restaurant serves breakfast, homemade soups, burgers, seafood, and awesome desserts. In nearby Chatham, The Pub is popular for its great flavor and atmosphere. The restaurant was built as a pool hall in 1926 (during Prohibition) and has become a local hangout.
Chatham is also home to Mama Cow’s, which serves hand-dipped ice cream and more from The Chocolate Shoppe. The menu includes quick burgers and hot dogs. In Au Train to the north, The Brownstone Inn offers fine dining that features a range of sandwich options, burgers, and dinners, such as steak, chicken, and seafood.
For more restaurants, we recommend heading to Munising or Marquette. These cities certainly have plenty of eateries to satiate any appetite:
Munising Restaurants
- Gallery Coffee Company is a unique roastery with delicious brews. In addition to the coffee shop, the 8,000-square-foot building features a gallery and entertainment venue.
- Pictured Rocks Pizza creates gourmet, wood-oven pizzas, and you can build your own with specialty ingredients, such as gluten-free crust. If you’re not in the mood for pizza, the menu includes fresh salads and pastas.
- Driftwood Deli makes delicious sandwiches — pastrami club, Italian grinder, U.P. muffuletta. After you grab a bite, you can get craft beer, cider beer, and wine from ByGeorge Brewing Co. next door.
Marquette Restaurants
- Dead River Coffee Roasters is a small-town coffee roaster that serves locally made pastries alongside its brews. Chai tea and tart lemonade are on the menu for non-coffee drinkers.
- Lagniappe Cajun Creole Eatery prepares authentic Southern cuisine with creative flair.
Places to Stay Near the Eben Ice Caves
If you’re looking for hotels near the Eben Ice Caves, the Village Inn Motel in Chatham is rated the top hotel in Alger County. It has eight large guest rooms with queen beds and a guest suite with two bathrooms for up to six people. Aside from that, you’ll find well-known hotel brands in Au Train, Munising, and Marquette.
The area has plenty of vacation rentals as well. In Au Train, this Lake Superior Waterfront Cabin is a 3-bed, 2-bath cabin just steps from Lake Superior. It’s a great place to call home and relax when you’re not adventuring around the Upper Peninsula.
In nearby Christmas (yup, there’s really a town in Michigan called Christmas!), Santa’s Shack is a 3-bed, 2-bath home. It’s actually two apartments that are connected by a laundry room, so it has two living rooms and two kitchens. You can find even more vacation rentals in nearby Munising and Marquette.
More Things to Do in Winter in Michigan
The Eben Ice Caves are a testament to the beauty of Michigan’s winters. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or just looking for a unique day trip, this natural wonder promises an unforgettable experience.
If you’re looking for more things to do in Michigan in winter, here are a few ideas:
- plan family-friendly winter vacation
- explore one of Michigan’s frozen waterfalls
- try winter camping in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
- visit one of the best Michigan ski resorts
Thanks to Christine Snow & Jesse Land for contributing to this article on the Eben Ice Caves near Marquette, Michigan.