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Showcasing the DNR: First-time backcountry camping at the Porkies
October 29, 2026
Did you know that beavers slapping their tails against the water is a classic alarm signal – a defensive warning used when they detect a predator, another beaver or a human near their lodge or territory? That's one of many interesting nature tidbits shared during a three-day beginner backpacking trek at Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in the western Upper Peninsula, part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources Outdoor Skills Academy.
Read more about this adventure in this Showcasing the DNR story – Beauty on the bend: First-time backcountry camping at the Porkies.