Rock River Canyon Ice Caves

A really enjoyable winter experience can be exploring ice caves and frozen waterfalls. Once you conquer the two main parts of winter adventures in terms of protection from the elements (with proper clothing, cleats, face mask, etc.) and safety (equipment, planning) you can actually have a really good time outdoors. I’m serious lol.

Although it was an incredibly cold weekend, dipping into the negatives, I had a great time exploring Rock River Canyon Ice Caves, more commonly referred to as Eben Ice Caves.

Eben Ice Caves

Eben Ice Caves are located in the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

You can search for the Eben Ice Caves Trailhead, but plan on writing down directions as some service can be spotty. Generally these Ice Caves are visible late December to March, as it may be too mild for them to form outside of that timeframe.

The ice caves are about 25 miles west of Marquette, Michigan. As you get closer, you’ll find yellow signs pointing you in the right direction. Leading to private property, there is a small parking lot and the owners have erected a few porta potties and a tip jar for people visiting…. Y’all the moment I saw those bathrooms, I knew I would never, EVER be the coordinator for cousins reunion lol!

After you hit the bathroom, most people bundle up in the parking lot. I had on fleece leggings under my jeans, but snow pants or coveralls are a good bet as well.

You have about a mile walk in incredibly open field, so the wind is not playing with you. Some snowmobilers made the trek out through this part. They parked closer to the wooded area before walking the rest of the way.

The next part of your hike is through a wooded trail. There are several small off shoots, but just one main trail so its easy to stay on track. Before you head too far in, there’s a Welcome sign with information and a reminder that the area around the caves is very slick.

A pair of snow cleats or traction footwear is helpful. These are pulled over your hiking boots or snow shoes and help you navigate snow or icy spots. It’s highlighted on the sign, but they are highly recommended for seeing the caves. I forgot to order mine, but was able to find a pair at local outdoor store.

The majority of the walk is flat but as you get closer, there are some elevation differences and the cleats (or even hiking poles) will be helpful. Some people also used snowshoe, but you may need to take them off when you get to the more icy, downhill sections. Was it so slippery that some grown folk slid on their bottom instead of taking their chances and falling down? Yes, yes they did. And was I one of those people? Yes, yes I was and I have no shame.

All together, the trail is just over 2 miles. And when you finally do make it the caves, you get the chance to view them up close and go behind the ice formations. Some courageous people even took a trail leading to the top of the caves so they could get a view looking down. You could easily spend 40 minutes here or longer if you are just chatting with friends and really looking at the ice caves.

There are lots of other Ice Caves in the UP to explore, some of which are known for ice climbing. The weekend spent exploring Eben Ice Caves was the same weekend of the 30th annual Michigan Ice Fest , which offers classes for beginner ice climbers.

My favorite view

This was my favorite view, standing just outside of the ice caves, looking up towards the sky.

We came across a grandmother who kept telling her grandkids, “If I can do it, so can you” and several parents with kids in back carriers. Its definitely a doable hike for a range of people, being mindful there are several steep and icy sections. If you keep safety in mind, you can be rewarded with a beautiful view.

While there was no ice climbing at Eben Caves, its really popular in UP Michigan. And there are several people and groups increasing visibility for future black climbers. One of the services that Brown Girls Climb hopes to provide is "accessible & affordable climbing memberships for women and femmes of color climbers". And if you aren’t ready yet to tackle this on your own, watching the documentary Black Ice might be helpful. It follows a non-profit gym in Memphis as they travel to Montana… as the article says its fairly cool to see that increase in Melanin in Montana. I was excited to come across a Detroiter who is making moves in the climbing world. Andrew Alexander King has climbed over 50 summits all across the globe and encouraging other black people to experience the joy of climbing.

If you are trying to get out more during winter, a short hike to view an ice cave would be a great way to start!