Palms Book State Park

Palms Book State Park, a 308 acre park, in Schoolcraft County in the Upper Peninsula. The park is a day use park with “kitch’Iti-Kipi” or “Big Springs, Michigan’s largest spring as its centerpoint. The state acquired the land consisting of 90 acres in 1926. The purchase included the spring and the total cost of the purchase was $10.00. Today the park draws 70,000 visitors annually.  Palms Book is a great day excursion when visiting the Upper Peninsula.  The spring is a unique nature experience that the entire family will enjoy.
This natural spring is one of Michigan’s most intriguing natural wonders. The natural spring pours out more than 10,000 gallons of water per minute from narrow openings in the underlying limestone that were created by glacial drift. The result is a crystal clear pond 200 feet long and 40 feet deep. Visitors board a wooden raft with observation holes in the middle and pull themselves across the spring to get an up close view of the wonders below. Visitors see swirls of sand and bubbling water and then below view ancient trees with branches encased by sandstone and brown trout happily swimming past. Visitors view wonders of colors in the water, early in the morning often see many trout rising to top of the spring as it is covered with the morning mist.
The spring never freezes and visitors can visit year round. In winter the park road is not plowed and the gate is locked by hikers still walk in to see the amazing spring in the middle of winter.

 

Native American Legend:

A young Native American chieftain, kitch-iti-kipi, was captivated by a young woman in his tribe.  As he proclaimed his love to her she required that he prove it and as a test of devotion she said he must set sail in his canoe on the pool deep in the conifer swamp.  She was to leap from an overhanging bough and it was his task to catch her from his canoe.  However, as the legend is told, she never went to the trees and his canoe tipped over as he was looking for her.  As the legend concludes the Spring is named kitch-iti-kipi afar him as he died trying to satisfy the task of a foolish young woman.

 

Things to Do:

 
Day Use:

 
There is an observation raft, picnic area, restrooms and a concession stand.  There is no swimming at the park and the shoreline is undeveloped.
Camping:

 There is no camping at this facility.
Nearby Attractions:
Palms Book State Park borders Indian Lake State Park but the shoreline is undeveloped and forested right to the shoreline. There is an improved boat launch just north of the park that is reached by separate entrance at the end of M-149.