Francisco Morazan Shipwreck Trail

This is an out-and-back across South Manitou Island to a bluff overlooking the partially submerged Francisco Morazan in Lake Michigan. The mapped Burdick Road approach is about six miles round trip; allow three to four hours on foot, before adding ferry time.

Posted distances do not agree. The connected route to the bluff is just under three miles each way, so use the longer estimate and check a current island map before setting out.

Start at the Ranger Station in the island village. Follow Burdick Road west to Ohio Road near Florence Lake, then continue across the island's unpaved roads and footpaths to the Shipwreck Trail. Take that path to its bluff-side end and return the same way. Expect old tracks and narrower footways rather than one smooth, purpose-built trail.

This entry stops at the wreck viewpoint. A longer island outing continues from the shipwreck turnoff to the old-growth cedar grove; the combined walk is listed at 6.9 miles round trip.

The wreck lies about 300 yards offshore, with parts of the hull still above the water. Double-crested cormorants use the ship. From the bluff, include the nearby trees at the edge of the frame; they give the distant freighter a sense of scale against the open lake.

The freighter left Chicago for Europe on November 27, 1960, carrying 1,118 tons of cargo, including canned chicken, toys, and empty shampoo bottles. Fog and a failed boiler pump forced an hours-long drift; the ship was then pushed off course in blinding snow and ran aground the next evening. The crew and the captain's pregnant wife were rescued, but the vessel could not be saved. Its remains are protected as part of the Manitou Passage State Underwater Preserve.

The normal public route to the island is the passenger ferry from Leland. Plan the hike around the return sailing and carry the food you need; there are no shops or food services on the island. A Sleeping Bear Dunes entrance pass is required, and pets are prohibited on the island.