What are the top ten best waterfalls to explore in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan?
There are many gorgeous waterfalls in Michigan and over the past decade I have hiked to many of them just here in the U.P. of Michigan. Some are well-known and easily accessible, and some are more off the beaten path. I am the type of person that finds beauty in even the sight of a tiny Spring stream cascading over a fallen log, but for the sake of this article we will cover my very favorite that you could also enjoy.
1. Tahquamenon Falls
Located in Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Paradise, Michigan is one of the best known falls in Michigan. It is one of the largest waterfalls East of the Mississippi River and is actually made up of two sections of falls: the Upper Falls and the Lower Falls. The famous North Country trail runs through the park and connects between the Upper and Lower Falls or in the Summer months there may also be a shuttle service available to bring from one end to the other.
The Upper Falls is over 200 feet wide with a drop of nearly 50 feet. During peak flow, the falls can have an impressive flow rate of up to 50,000 gallons per second. Then there is the Lower Falls which is actually a series of five falls which flow around an island which can be accessed by rowboat.
Even though this park is remote, Tahquamenon Falls State Park actually has a brewery called Tahquamenon Falls Brewery & Pub. The brewery is located in Paradise, within the park, and is open year-round except for April, from 10 AM–10 PM. It features rustic charm, a large bar, and a selection of micro-brewed beers, as well as hearty food and root beer. There is also a cafe, general store and gift shop.
The park itself, which is nearly 50,000 acres has around 35 miles of hiking trails and several campgrounds ranging from rustic to modern. Reservations must be made through the Michigan DNR website and a recreation permit is required for entry. As a sidenote, we will be spending several days here this Summer so you can look forward to further video and blog posts coming up!
2. Bond Falls
On the other side of the Upper Peninsula is Bond Falls near Paulding, Michigan located in Bond Falls State Park. A recreation passport is required for entry.
The middle branch of the Ontonagon River cascades about 50 feet down a series of rock ledges surrounded by dramatic volcanic rock formations. There’s a 600-foot fully accessible boardwalk with six viewing locations and three viewing platforms, making it an excellent spot for visitors of all abilities.
There are vault toilets and a picnic area. There are also two nearby campgrounds and both provide a great base for exploring the waterfalls and the nearby areas.
Bond Falls Flowage Campground is located just outside of Paulding and features 26 campsites suitable for tent camping while Bond Falls East Campground is a utility-owned recreation area with 22 campsites that are first-come, first-served. A permit is required, and while signs indicate it’s a “fee area,” camping is currently free the last I had heard. Please let me know if this has changed. I have not camped here myself so I did some research to see what sort of “permit” is required and I was told after selecting an unoccupied site, a park manager will follow up with you to issue a permit.
3. Douglass – Houghton Falls
This falls is located between Lake Linden, Michigan and Laurium, Michigan and at 110 feet it is the tallest waterfall in Michigan. I do want to note that I have seen many debates about whether the proper name is Houghton Douglass or Douglass Houghton Falls however most sites claim that it is Douglass Houghton falls named after the man who was Michigan’s first state geologist. Feel free to comment below if you have other information.
In any event, this is known as somewhat of a dangerous waterfall due to several accidents and deaths and had been closed for a while in the past. The land was sold to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources in September 2018, and investments have been made to consider site plans for better access and facilities. I have been told there have been plans to open the area as a Michigan state park and veteran’s memorial.
This waterfall can be hard to find, but as you are driving North up US-41 keep a look out for a small sign on the right hand side where you can see that people have parked. The significant height and historical significance of these falls make them a noteworthy destination but please use caution when considering your ability to navigate steep and rocky terrain.
4. Hungarian Falls
In the same general area as the falls above is Hungarian Falls located in Hubbell, Michigan. These are a beautiful series of falls that are separated into three separate waterfalls and the surrounding ten acres are part of a land trust which helps keep it open to the public.
The upper falls are part of the Hungarian Falls Nature Area, which was saved from private ownership by the Keweenaw Land Trust through a community fundraising project in 2013. The middle Falls drop about 25 feet over sandstone ledges and boulders into a small pool, surrounded by a white pine and hemlock forest and has a nice pool at the bottom which can be fun for wading or just a great lunch site. The Lower Falls is often considered the most spectacular of the three since the lower falls drop approximately 100 feet into a gorge below. However, with the best view of the falls being from above, and no trails leading to the base it can be hard to really see much.
You must park on the road at a gate but the trail in is often wet and muddy. According to my Alltrails app the trail is about 1.7 miles out-and-back and takes an average of 46 minutes to complete.
5. Black River Falls
The Black River Falls located on the Black River Scenic Byway near Bessemer, MI is a series of five waterfalls and each one is quite impressive.
These falls are Great Conglomerate Falls, Potawatomi Falls, Gorge Falls, Sandstone Falls, and Rainbow Falls. The trails into each waterfall range from 1/8 to ¾ of a mile in with lots of stairs leading down to some (then of course you get to enjoy all of those stairs going back up! With the exception of Potawatomi and Gorge Falls which share a parking area, you will probably want to park at each separate parking area along the way as these falls are not connected by trails as far as I know.
Our family spent the day here in September 2023 and it was one of our most memorable trips. You can see the video with more details of the trail conditions and what each waterfall looked like here.
Black River Harbor Campground is nearby. It’s part of the Ottawa National Forest and is situated on a bluff overlooking Lake Superior. The campground has 40 campsites, some with views of the lake. Seventeen sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis, while 23 can be reserved.
6. Presque Isle Waterfalls
The Presque Isle Waterfalls is a series of three cascades that are located along the Presque Isle Waterfall Trail in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. The Fall are Manbezho Falls, Manido Falls and Nawadaha Falls.
For these falls, you can park at the trailhead and take a 1.9 mile out and back trail to hike to all three falls in one trip. There are viewing platforms and stairs offering you many different perspectives as you view these falls.
The Presque Isle Campground is located here as well. It has 50 rustic campsites for tenting or rvs. You do need a recreation passport for entry into the park. It should be noted that Boundary Rd coming from within the Porcupine Mountains headquarters is seasonal, and in Winter months it becomes a snowmobile trail. In the snowy months Presque Isle Waterfalls loop is best accessed via County Rd 519 coming from Wakefield, MI and you can park at the gate and hike a short way in.
I have two videos showing a visit to these waterfalls both in the Summer time and in early Spring while there was still snow. You can find the Summer time views of Presque Isle Waterfalls here and the snow-covered Winter -/Spring views of the waterfalls here.
7. Bonanza Falls
Bonanza Falls, which has also been known as the Greenwood Falls and is located just outside of the other end of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park near Silver City, MI.
Here the Big Iron River cuts about 100-foot-wide swath through the forest before emptying into Lake Superior at the mouth. There are no significant cascades along this section but the series of 10 foot or less drops is still beautiful to look at especially in the Spring when the river is really rushing. At some points of the late Summer and early Fall it can be quite transformed into a quiet trickle but it is still fun to bring your family to wade and cool off while you sit and enjoy a snack.
I have featured Bonanza Falls in several of my videos with the scenes of the higher levels of water in the Spring here and the early Autumn slower flow and gorgeous leaf colors in this video here.
8. Canyon Falls
Canyon Falls is located about 15 miles South of L’Anse, Michigan and is sometimes referred to as “the Grand Canyon of the Upper Peninsula.” There is a nice rest area here with plenty of parking, shade, picnic trails, a dog-walking area and public restrooms. The trail is well maintained with little bridges over the wet areas.
As you walk the one-mile trail alongside the Sturgeon River, there are areas where you can stop and admire the view before you get to the real attraction further down the way. Up ahead the river flows into a squared-off gorge and surges 30 feet over a cliff of black rock before spilling into the canyon below.
There is no camping here, but Canyon Falls is a really nice place for those that might not be able to handle the number of stairs that other falls may have.
9. Sturgeon River Gorge Falls
The Sturgeon River Falls is in the Sturgeon River Wilderness area which is in the Ottawa National Forest. This is a remote and GORGE-ous (See what I did there?) area and can be a challenge to get to, especially in early Spring. Sometimes there are trees across the road and very muddy areas, the trail down to the falls is well made, but is steep and long as it winds back and forth. This makes it one of my favorite waterfalls in the U.P. It is in the middle of nowhere and is not frequented by hordes of tourists looking for the quick view.
Once you make it to the bottom of the trail you are rewarded by the sight of the Sturgeon River plunging over a twenty-foot descent cascading down rugged volcanic formations.
10. Montreal Falls
Montreal Falls is another remote set of waterfalls located south of Copper Harbor, Michigan, in the Copper Country State Forest and flowing into Lake Superior. There is a Lower Falls which is the main falls and then a narrow trail leads to the Upper Falls which seems to be less traveled, but in my opinion is well worth the extra steps.
Montreal Falls can be difficult to get to. I made a video here a few years at which time people were allowed to drive part of the way in on Smith Fisheries Rd, however this road has now been closed to the public. It is my understanding that people are allowed to use the road to HIKE in but no motorized vehicles are allowed. I plan on going out there again this Summer and will confirm, but from what I can find out now the hike is close to 3 miles and I suspect quite muddy depending on the season.
If you do hike in on this road please be respectful and stay on the path so we do not lose further access.
How many of these Waterfalls have you been to and which falls should I add to my bucket list?
These are just some of my favorites that I have visited over the past years. There are over 300 waterfalls in Upper Michigan, and I am sure there will be many more that I will be able to explore in the years to come. I share these places that I love in the hopes that you will come to love them as I do. So, as you explore, please tread lightly, leave no trace, and let the spirit of conservation guide your path.
I have a video of a Decade of the Best Waterfalls in Upper Michigan which includes all these falls and a few more that were not on this list. If you would like to see the video, head on over to our Youtube channel and be sure to subscribe while you are there.
