“take in this breathtaking legend”
Palms Book is an exciting side trip for visitors touring the Upper Peninsula. Known as one of Michigan's alluring natural attractions, the park is home to Kitch-iti-kipi or the “Big Spring.” It is Michigan's largest freshwater spring spanning 200-feet across and 40-foot deep. The flow continues throughout the year at a constant 45 degrees Fahrenheit gushing more than 10,000 gallons of water a minute from fissures in the underlying limestone. By means of a self-guided observation raft, visitors are guided to vantage points overlooking fascinating underwater features and fantasies. Ancient tree trunks, lime-encrusted branches and fat trout can be seen as they slip through crystal waters far below. Clouds of sand kept in constant motion by gushing waters create ever-changing shapes and forms - a challenge to the imagination. The self-guided observation raft and the trail leading to it are ADA accessible.
I'll admit I was skeptical as to how awesome this place was.. When you arrive you park in the lot and walk through a short path and at first all you see is a small lake. Once you get to the edge you will realize that its not just a small lake. Its a massive spring with the clearest water I have ever seen!
There is a small raft with a wheel to pull you across. YOU HAVE TO DO THIS! you can look through the bottom and over the edges and see hundreds of fish swimming around and where the spring water comes up!
Beautiful & amazing place. But remember this is a Michigan State Park, so it's not free & you do need a recreation passport or a daily pass to visit if the both is being tended!!! Offseason it's an honor system! So worth it though!!!
Camping nearby at on of the private campgrounds is CHEAP, 2014 rates were $24 for full hook up, cable tv & wifi!!!!
Stunning and well worth the trip! Try to get a campsite on the nearby Indian Lake. Some of the most pristine water I have ever seen!
So cool! Beautiful and magical to see and the air smells amazingly fresh. Big fish and clear water. Easy to get to for any age with restrooms, swings, grills and picnic tables.
A must see! Inexpensive, educational and beautiful. We were expecting a small boat and were surprised by the well-designed cable controlled raft. So interesting to see the bubbling brook on the floor of the Springs.
This was awesome! Even though it was rainy, the raft has a cover on it so you can still see clearly. All 3 teenagers loved it!
Very beautiful to see. I suggest to get there early because it gets busy fast.
Kids loved it. Worth the stop. As beautiful as it was 25 years ago when I was there as a kid.
This was a beautiful and quite location. A lot smaller than anticipated. Four stars only because we had to pay to park and there weren't any additional trails or anything, just a gift shop and the spring. The ranger was nice enough and the people there were respectful of the beautiful springs. Great photo op.
This was a really cool place to stop at! Although the actual place is free, you have to pay $9 for your car to gain admission into the state park, which does allow you access to all of Michigan's state parks for one day. It was a lot more crowded than I thought it would be, but definitely cool to see the super clear water bubble up from the bottom of the spring. There are also bathrooms and a tourist shop where you can buy souvenirs and food.
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Kitch-Iti-Kipi (Big Springs)
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 8:00 am - 10:00 pm
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Good for paddling and winter sports.
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
Parking
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