Shelldrake

Michigan's ghost towns are copper and iron towns of the Upper Peninsula, plus lumber camps the pine barons abandoned.

The Shelldrake River is a 32-mile-long (51 km) river in Chippewa County on the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States. It flows through Tahquamenon Falls State Park and the Lake Superior State Forest into Lake Superior. The Shelldrake River's headwaters are an undefined area in the Betsy Lake Wetland, an Eastern Hemlock and tamarack forest in the roadless area of northern Tahquamenon Falls State Park. This wetland, in Chippewa County and adjacent Luce County, is dominated by Lake Superior-fed rain and snow.

The on-the-ground condition of Shelldrake is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Shelldrake is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Shelldrake is roughly 46.6406, -85.2286 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.