Find Your Flow
Post-snow and pre-summer trickle, now’s the time to hit Northern Michigan’s waterfalls
By Lynda Wheatley & Kristi Kates
Michigan’s moniker — the Great Lakes State — is no misnomer. The five fabulous lakes surrounding our two peninsulas are the biggest and prettiest freshwater beauties in the world. But maybe a little like your favorite celebrity, lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior sometimes feel like everybody’s beloved — as in, everybody in the nation and, sometimes, the world. For those locals who long to lose themselves by beautiful but lesser-known waters — especially in a post-pandemic summer that’s likely to unleash even more outdoors adventurers than most years before — steer yourself to one of the state’s lesserknown but plentiful (and vertical) waters. More than 200 named waterfalls are here, some hidden deep in our forests and others just a short pathway’s walk from a parking lot. Though none are impossible to find, you’ll likely discover at trail’s end that few other people make the effort. If you ask us, that alone is worth the trip. Here’s eight to try: AGATE FALLS The grand staircase entryway to a mermaid’s ball, perhaps? That’s one impression you might get when you see Agate Falls, with its many-layered “stairs”
and rooster tails of descending water. Located in Ontonagon County on the river of the same name, these falls drop 39 feet over erosion-resistant sandstone, offering picture-perfect views from a variety of angles, including from a railroad bridge that spans the water.
TAHQUAMENON FALLS One of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River, Tahquamenon might be the most famous waterfall in the state. Its wide falls pour 50,000 gallons of water per second over its flat top, luring thousands of Upper Peninsula vacationers to its misty banks each summer and inspiring poets past and present to memorialize it. Mention of Tahquamenon Falls appear in Longfellow’s famed poem, “The Song of Hiawatha,” and in a song by Petoskey-raised Grammynominated indie-folk-electronica musician Sufjan Stevens. As for that red tint to the water — it’s not iron, as many think; it actually originates from the tannins in the cedar swamp waters that feed the falls. MUNISING FALLS Located in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, in the western Upper Peninsula, Munising Falls drop 50 feet over a cliff, making a pretty image with a surprisingly small amount of water. Here, the frame is
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what really makes the picture; the falls are surrounded by striking sandstone rocks, as well as plenty of foliage and trails that are fairly easy to hike. In the winter, the falls freeze into a grand ice column reminiscent of an icicle fit for a giant, which means aweinspiring photos every season of the year. One note before you go: The Munising Falls Visitor Center is undergoing major rehab work and will remain closed this year, so plan your trip to Pictured Rocks and the falls (located just outside of town) before you go.
BOND FALLS Also on the Ontonagon River is Bond Falls, which, as the name suggests, would make a dramatic exit for any super spy. These falls got their start the usual way but gained even more power when a nearby dam funneled more water into its environs. You can often spot Brook trout where the falls end, and you can enjoy the vistas from a picnic area below the dam and the waterfall. Less well-known than nearby Agate Falls, Bond Falls used to be considered the Ontonagon’s secret falls, but as word about their beauty has gotten out, many make a point to hit both Bond and Agate falls in a single trip. MINERS FALLS The Miners River in Munising gives way to Miners Falls partway through its journey,
Top left: Sable Falls, located about one mile west of Grand Marais, tumbles 75 feet over a cascading slope of Munising and Jacobsville sandstone formations on its way to Lake Superior. The best viewing is from the bottom of a long staircase of 168 steps. The trail from the parking area to this staircase is a short one. The trail continues past the falls for a short walk to a rock beach where Sable Creek flows into Lake Superior. Courtesy National Park Service. Top right: Munising Falls is easily reached. Located within the city limits of Munising, where Washington Street becomes Sand Point Road, near Munising Memorial Hospital, the falls are accessible via a paved 800-foot trail along Munising Creek to the base of the falls. Two sets of stairs lead to platforms for additional views of the 50-foot waterfall. Courtesy National Park Service.
and the falls take up several different levels that can be viewed from two different platforms. This waterfall is especially pretty in the springtime as it’s surrounded by a wide variety of blooming wildflowers. Bonus: One of the trails to the falls is on the way to Miners Castle Rock, so you can enjoy both sights in one trip. SABLE FALLS One mile west of Grand Marais, you’ll find Sable Falls, tumbling 75 feet over cliffs and stone formations as it makes its way to Lake Superior a half-mile away. Climb up a couple hundred steps to the main viewing platform, and you’ll be rewarded with beautiful views: three tiers of falls in all, decorated with a hazy mist; a boardwalk allows you to take in both the lower and
