10/16/2026
Michigan's High Point Has Changed, Mount Arvon has lost it's Crown.
Michigan has a new highest point, once again.
For more than 40 years, Mount Arvon in the Upper Peninsula has been recognized as the highest point in the state of Michigan. A new survey has brought nearby Mount Curwood back into the spotlight — reclaiming a title it held decades ago!
The story actually goes back to the 1950s.
1954–1958: Mount Curwood takes the lead. Early U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) measurements found Mount Curwood to be higher than Mount Arvon. A 1958 survey again put Curwood ahead, this time by about 5 feet.
1963: Another survey backs Curwood. The independent Committee for Michigan’s Highest Point conducted a spirit-level survey and measured Curwood approximately 14 feet higher than Arvon.
1982: Everything changes. A field survey by personnel from the USGS Mid-Continent Mapping Center used precision leveling equipment and found Mount Arvon approximately 11 inches higher than Curwood. The results reversed the previous standings, and Arvon became Michigan’s recognized high point. New elevation benchmarks were installed on both summits.
2015: New questions emerge. An aerial LiDAR survey — using laser pulses from an aircraft to measure the landscape — found the two summits virtually equal in height. The measurements were too close to settle the question confidently.
October 26–27, 2024: A new investigation. Engineer and surveyor Eric Gilbertson traveled to the Upper Peninsula and conducted new ground measurements of both peaks. He used two survey-grade differential GNSS systems: a Trimble DA2 and an older Promark 220 with an Ashtech antenna. These systems use satellite measurements and advanced data processing to determine elevations far more accurately than an ordinary handheld GPS or phone.
Gilbertson also examined the older survey records and the 2015 LiDAR data. He found that the summit benchmark on Mount Arvon stood about 7 inches above the surrounding ground, while the highest natural bedrock on Mount Curwood extended about 8.5 inches above its benchmark. Measuring the monuments alone could therefore give a misleading picture of which mountain was actually higher.
The result? Mount Curwood measured 1,979.3 feet, while Mount Arvon measured 1,978.9 feet. That makes Curwood higher by just 0.4 feet — approximately 4.8 inches!
Gilbertson’s findings were included in the 2025 research paper LiDAR Accuracy on North American Mountain Summits, coauthored with Richard Hensley, Andrew Kirmse, Kyle Bretherton and Kathryn Stanchak, and published in Progress in Physical Geography: Earth and Environment.
There is still a distinction between a new scientific finding and formal recognition by every organization that tracks state high points. Some highpointing organizations have taken a cautious approach pending official government recognition or a government-run resurvey.
So, after decades of Mount Arvon holding the title, Mount Curwood is once again the leading contender for the highest natural point in Michigan — and the difference comes down to less than half a foot!
What do you think? Should a new, carefully documented survey settle the question, or should Michigan conduct its own official resurvey?
Sources:
https://www.countryhighpoints.com/michigan-new-state-highpoint-mt-curwood/
https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.12341
https://marksmountaintravels.com/2025/12/24/48-hours-to-the-top-of-michigan-2025/
https://outdoorpilgrim.com/high-point-michigan/
