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2014 Map of Sands

Name: 2014 Topographic Map of Sands
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 2014
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 2014

About this map

Sands and the surrounding high country of Marquette County define this landscape, where glacial geology left behind a complex network of basins and bluffs. The terrain is dominated by the Kona Hills and Ragged Hills in the northwest, transitioning into the prominent Migisy Bluff near Buschell Lake. This elevation dictates the drainage patterns of several water bodies, including the Carp River and the sprawling Pelissier Lake.

Transport through this part of the Upper Peninsula is primarily defined by a grid of county roads and highway M-553, which connects the small settlements of Cascade and Gentian to the south. Local history is etched into the landscape via family-named routes and landmarks like Uncle Tom Lake and Powell Lake. The map details a transition from high-elevation lookouts to the lower drainage systems of the East Branch Escanaba River, illustrating the rugged, uncrowded nature of the Michigan interior.