M-35 (Michigan Highway)

M-35 (Michigan Highway)

M-35 is a state trunkline highway in the Upper Peninsula (UP) of the US state of Michigan. Running for 127.99 miles (205.98 km) in a general north–south direction, it connects the cities of Menominee, Escanaba and Negaunee. The southern section of M-35 in Menominee and Delta counties carries two additional designations. M-35 forms a segment of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour, and it is the UP Hidden Coast Recreational Heritage Trail, which is a part of the Michigan Heritage Routes system. Along the southern section, the highway is the closest trunkline to the Green Bay, a section of Lake Michigan, and is also the shortest route between Menominee and Escanaba. The northern section of the highway turns inland through wooded terrain, connecting rural portions of Delta and Marquette counties.

M-35 is an original state trunkline that was first designated by July 1, 1919, originally intended to run from Menominee in the south to near Big Bay in the north, before turning toward L'Anse to end at Ontonagon. However, the section through the Huron Mountains in northern Marquette and Baraga counties was never built. Automobile pioneer Henry Ford helped halt this construction to gain favor with and membership in the exclusive Huron Mountain Club. Some discontinuous sections were later ceded to local control. The northern segment of the route between Ontonagon and Baraga was retained as a discontinuous segment of the highway; this northern segment was redesignated as another state trunkline. The northern end was rerouted out of the City of Negaunee into Negaunee Township to avoid mining activity near Palmer.