Old school roadside tourist attraction for just $1!!! Nothing costs one dollar. Sure you have to hoof up 170 steps but on a nice day the view is great. Plus they have a big statue of Paul Bunyon and Babe. The gift store is total tourist kitch and junk but it's all part of the charm. I wouldn't go out of my way to see this but if passing by take a few minutes to enjoy this blast from the past. read more

We were driving through the UP looking for some activity for the kids. Climbing castle rock was the perfect experience. It was quick, affordable and provided a nice break from our drive. It won't blow you away but the view was fantastic from the top. It's a short hike up some somewhat steep stairs, kids will be fine with it. Not handicap accessible. It will take maybe 15mins to get up. Only costs $1pp! There's a gift shop at the bottom that sells touristy items. Also large statues of bunyon and blue at the bottom. It's not going to fill your whole day but a nice rest stop adventure. read more

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So here is a tip: If you purchased a Michigan State recreation passport take a picture of it and show the person at the register and you will get free access. There are totem poles and a statue of Paul Bunyan with his blue ox that you can snap some pictures before ascending. Castle rock is approximately 200 feet. Be sure to wear good walking shoes as its a bit of a walk! The Castle rock has amazing views. There is a gift shop that has a huge variety of souvenirs. It is dog friendly and they provide water for fur baby at the entrance of the gift shop. Overall, if you are in the UP its a good spot to get an amazing view. read more

This has been a staple of all my Mackinac city visits for years. It has a huge gift shop for many souvenirs. The best is the 110 steps I believe and the view from the top. There are benches in between for thise of us that need a break. It was closed for the season I believe in late October but stopped by the attraction to take a picture. All of my family has been here and it's a classic. Paul Bunyan and Babe and the Big blue ox is always a popular photo while here. read more

Castle Rock - Hiking Near Me - Saint Ignace, Michigan

It's ok. Lots of stairs to get there. You can see the lake and Mackinac island from there, but not really a big deal. I don't ever need to go back there. There's a store, you need to go through and pay there. read more

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The tickets to climb castle rock were dirt cheap, at a 1 dollar a person price tag, view was great, and it had a giant Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox to take pictures with! read more

Castle Rock - View at top of castle rock - Hiking Near Me - Saint Ignace, Michigan

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Like most reviews, yes, it's just $1 per person. It's not the most amazing view but it's a great workout and gives a nice view of Mackinaw Island. Don't get me wrong, I was super petrified since I was so high up lol but so worth visiting when in the area. Note: make sure to wear comfortable shoes because the steps are concrete, hard, and steep. read more

One big fat dollar gets you up to the top of the rock. I love that kind of a deal. Nice souvenir shop so you'll surely spend more than $1 while you're there, but that's what these types of places are for. Paul Bunyan & Babe are comically protected by a too-tall chain-link fence. I suppose this keeps the kids from climbing on them and destroying them, but it's so in your face it's hard to get a good photo. Lots of stairs. Nice way to stretch your legs after being on the road for a while. The view is nice. We had a good clear day. Not the most dramatic view you'll ever see, but remember, you only paid $1. Just do it. read more

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Good view from the top for a dollar. Some of the many steps to the top are in poor shape. They lean to the left and sometimes back. They would not be fun when slippery. Be prepared for a strong workout since it's quite a climb. read more

Well, blimey! Between a State Park hike earlier in the day, another nature walk, a paddle boat and these hellish stairs my arse is on it's way to perfection. Not really though.. in reality my right calf is (still) tense AF, but who is counting. Somehow we made it up these stairs rather rapidly, we were kicking booty and taking names for real. Honestly, it's not as bad as it looks if you're concerned about the exercise portion of it. If you have a slight unease with heights like myself, well- maybe it is a little bad. The stairs are uneven, somewhere halfway through they start to lean which is challenging and annoying, but on the upside there's little 'turn outs' where you can congregate with the old folk and catch your breath if necessary. Then, when you finally reach the top.. the view is amazing. To one side there's a bunch of nothingness - trees as far as you can see, and to the other side is the bridge and lower peninsula, and dividing both is the bluest, most beautiful water. Definitely worth hauling yourself up there for. Actually going up will set you back a whopping dollar, but you get a pretty gangster sticker for it in return once you come back down, so it's all good. read more

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The climb will set you back 50 cents, but it's worth every penny. Babe the Blue Ox and Paul Bunyan bravely overlook I-75, protecting climbers from the perils of overly-pastied Yoopers trolling for trolls. The climb, according to Local Kid, is a full 170 steps to the top. But you'll see both peninsulas, the Mackinac Bridge, Mackinac Island, Castle Rock Camp Park, and even the casino in the distance. In the gift shop are many treasures, from edible rocks to Mexican jumping beans; rubber tomahawks and elusively dirty t-shirts. Me, I scored a pack of playing cards and a ceramic sculpture of the rock and PaulBabe for Mom for Christmas. Don't tell her! Also, a climb up the rock gets you a free sticker. This is a staple from my childhood. And I love it just as much now. Go. read more

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The climb is 174 tilty, old steps to the top. But the view is worth doing it three times! Mackinaw Island looks beautiful from that height. Seeing the tips of the Mighty Mack peek over the tops of the trees is such a treat also. For me the real treasure of this place is looking down on the coniferous forest below. You truly are standing atop God's Country. As an added benefit Paul Bunion looks like he is sitting on a giant potty at the base of the climb. This will make for some awesome jokes on the way up:) read more

Castle Rock - Oh you know... Just Paul Bunion on a giant seat.... - Hiking Near Me - Saint Ignace, Michigan

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I have always loved hiking to the top and staring into the wilderness of the Upper Peninsula. It can be quite the hike but worth it. It costs a dollar. The curio shop is full of Michigan trinkets. Definitely worth the price and the experience. read more

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Amazing view but wear comfortable walking shoes. The stairs are kind of hard to walk up and down. The gift shop is filled with fun and interesting souvenirs to purchase. Don't forget to get a sticker once you complete the climb to the top. read more

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Around 200 steps up to a beautiful viewing spot. Cute gift shop with lots of trinkets. read more

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This was a nice little stop not far from the bridge. It's a gift store with fun items and souvenirs, but the main attraction is the big tall mountain rock in which you have to climb/walk a good amount of stairs to get to. It only costs a dollar to do and will take 30 minutes if your day to get some great pics and breathtaking views. It's nice to just hangout at the top for a few minutes. Definitely a recommended place if your in the area. read more

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We had just left Mackinaw Island, and decided that we needed to visit the UP. Drove through St. Ignace, and saw Castle Rock. You pay a $1 per person to get in, you start by walking by a giant Paul Bunyan statue with Babe the Blue Ox. You can get pictures here, but it is surrounded by a tall chain link fence which makes the pictures kind of awkward. You then climb ancient cement steps to the lookout. The steps are uneven and tilted in parts, with an old iron railing. Seems like a million steps up, but thank goodness for the places to rest along the way. The view on top is pretty awesome, so it was fun to see. The gift shop is pretty hokey but not untypical. read more

For as much as out of shape I am this couple hundred steps was not a big deal at all definitely worth the view and better yet to experience it with my newlywed wife and her parents!!! read more

Castle Rock - Hiking Near Me - Saint Ignace, Michigan

Me and my family were going on vacation to the U.P. This was our first stop after the mackinaw bridge and it was amazing. Once we bought out entry, we were greeted by a large statue and we climbed the site. The walk up the stairs through the woods was very nice. Once we got to the top it was kind of scary how high it was but once I took in the view I was very happy. read more

Such a beautiful view. The stairs to climb are wobbly, uneven, and potentially dangerous buy I suppose it adds to the charm of the place. The view up top is beautiful. You can see far out for a very long ways. Well worth the climb. There is a small gift shop there as well that has cute, tourist-y things. Typical tourist shop. You are supposed to get a sticker when you come back in after your climb. I asked the girl at the counter for one and she literally turned away and ignored me. Very bummed about that as I collect them. Maybe she didn't hear. Oh well. Not going to let it ruin my trip! Very cool and unique place. It doesn't take long at all, so I recommend you stop by if you're passing through. read more

Views are amazing! Grounds are decrepit and down right scary. zero upkeep in the last 30 years. Be careful not to anger Boo behind the counter, she'll tell you off and be ranting for 20 minutes on how she hopes you never come back (I personally witnessed this over another customer). Very poor business morale anesthesia respect. read more

Good view for only $1. I give this two stars because I felt the conditions weren't safe and up kept. Definitely a tourist trap!

Neat roadside place. Big souvenir shop. Nice people. Great views! There a quite a lot of steps to get up there and its fairly steep, but it's a short distance. read more

Amazing walk to the top for a great view. Worth every penny and you will want your camera. It is a very touristy stop along your way up to the UP from the Mackinaw Bridge, but it is a great stop. Make sure you have a penny ($0.51) for the pennypress souvenir. The hike is a bit steep to get to the top, but worth it read more

It is always fun to go here whenever I'm in the UP. It is a short climb little heart taking a little bit but it's fun.

Let's start out by saying that the climb will leave your legs rubbery. Having said that, the view is absolutely beautiful when you get to the top so don't let the climb deter you. I'm a 325lb guy and I made it no problem. NO time limit so really take it in when you get up there, take a bunch of pictures, breathe the fresh air, moon drivers on the highway below.... read more

Castle Rock - Looking south from top of castle rock - Hiking Near Me - Saint Ignace, Michigan

For a tourist stop this one is pretty affordable; it only costs $1 for admittance. Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox guard the entrance and from there it is only at least 100 steps to the top; definitely do not skip leg day for this one! Once at the top the panoramic view is definitey breathtaking and if you go during off peak hours there is no competition to take in the surroundings. read more

Nice exercise going up the hill and breathtaking view once you are on top. Not for the faint of heart. It only cost $1 per person to get in. Cool Paul Bunyan statue. read more

Great tourist attraction that has been enjoyed for generations. Paul Bunyan and Babe make an excellent photo op and the apx. 170 stair climb leads to a gorgeous view. Gift shop has something for everyone. read more

The view is decent and comes at a cheap cost only $1. However the customer service is down right rude and condescending. I was not informed that this store is mainly cash only. I did not have cash and went to buy a small cup about $5. The cashier stated that I needed to read the cash machine which had multiple messages on. While I was reading through them she grumbled about how "obvious the sign was and how I had to spend $10 if using a card". The only thing is the sign was not large and with the other messages, easily lost. I apologized and stated I only had a card and therefore chose not to buy anything. The cashier complained and glared me down. My friend went up and asked if we could get the stickers for climbing to the top since I was so annoyed with this lady. She questioned if we had actually climbed to the top. My friend stated yes we both had climbed and she glanced between myself and my friend before finally walking over and grabbing two stickers. Then proceeded to glare at me as I left the shop. Though the climb was nice it most definitely was not worth the customer service. I recommend not going and dealing with such a rude customer service. No reason to let someone dampen the mood over such a small tourist stop. read more

Castle Rock will show you just how out of shape you are! It only cost $1/person to climb to the top and it is worth it once you get up there. From the top you can see the Bridge and Mackinac Island. read more

I have been there several times and LOVED it - this time with my daughter and grand kids - I can say the staff at the counter were rude and just made rude comments every time someone walked in or by.... There was the older grey haired bitty and the chunky brunette - in which the chunky brunette said AS a customer was walking out of rest room - going to have to go in and spray rest room smells like some has died in there - even from out here...... nice. If that is the staff they are going to have after ALL the years I have been going there - I will find some where else to take my grand kids. Imagine how the person felt walking out of the bathroom & the brunette was not whispering either. The kids did like Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox - did get pictures with them. That is the only reason I am giving 2 stars!! read more