Tahquamenon’s Upper Falls epitomizes the beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and draws over a half a million visitors every year!
Tahquamenon Falls is located within the Tahquamenon Falls State Park and is actually two separate falls – Upper and Lower. This blog post is part one of three and will be about the Upper Falls only. Parts two and three will be at a later date.
What Is It?
The Tahquamenon Upper Falls can be found within the Tahquamenon Falls State Park. The state park envelops nearly 50,000 acres over 13 miles.
The falls are found on the Tahquamenon River which is over 89 miles long and begins at Tahquamenon Lakes in Columbus Township. The lakes seem to be a series of four bodies of water and the river predominately flows in an easterly direction until it eventually spills into Lake Superior near Paradise.
Facts about the Upper Falls:
- Measures more than 200′ across with a fall of 48′
- Average flow rate is 7,000 gallons per second but can be as much as 50,000 gallons per secondin late Spring
- Is part of the Tahquamenon River, which is referred to as a blackwater river
- Because the headwaters begin in wetlands that are rich in cedar, spruce and hemlock trees, there is a high amount of tannins that cause the water to have a brown-gold color
- The Upper Falls are the third most voluminous vertical falls in the United States east of the Mississippi, preceded by the Niagra Falls and the Cohoes Falls
- Is often referred to as “The Root Beer Falls” due to it’s color
- Tahquamenon Falls are renowned for being the largest naturally-dyed waterfalls in the US
- The orgin of the name Tahquamenon is unknown but the earliest recording of the current spelling of the word can be found on a Jesuit map of Lake Superior referring to a small island and was published in 1672
- Tahquamenon River is referred to in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem “The Song of Hiawatha”
- The falls attracted nearly 600,000 visitors in 2020
- Tahquamenon State Park is open year around
Where To Find The Falls
The falls are located between Newberry and Paradise on Falls Road or M-123. The state park, as well as, the entrances to the upper falls and the lower falls are clearly marked.
If you are traveling north from Newberry, it will take roughly 28-30 minutes or 23.5 miles. Traffic is not fast on Falls Rd so take your time and enjoy the scenery.
If you are heading south from Paradise, it is around a 17-20 minute drive or 14 miles.
When You Arrive
Before you can enter, you will need to pass through a park ranger checkpoint and present a recreational passport on the license plate of your vehicle. If you did not purchase one when you bought your plate tags or you are from out of state, no worries! You can buy a pass from the ranger, however, there is a $5 convenience fee added so it’s best to get them from the Secretary of State ahead of time, if possible.
I would like to stress…if you are a Michigan resident, purchasing the recreational passport is my number one recommendation for enjoying venues in this state. It is cheaper when you renew your tags and it is a fairly inexpensive way to get out of the house and enjoy what we have to offer here. For an entire year you have access to EVERY ONE HUNDRED AND ONE state parks in Michigan for no additional entrance fees. In my opinion, this is a no brainer and worth every single penny spent.
Also, remember you cannot buy the recreational passports online. Residents can no longer buy daily passes either and will need to purchase a yearly one.
Be prepared – the parking lot is ALWAYS full so you will be walking a short distance. Many drop the family off and then park their vehicle but when everyone starts to do this, it can cause a traffic jam so please be considerate whenever possible.
The walk from the parking lot to the Upper Falls is just shy of a 1/2 mile.
Before Hitting The Trail
Before you even begin walking the trail to the falls, you will pass the Tahquamenon Falls Gift Shop, The Pub and a couple other establishments. You can have lunch/dinner before you start out (Iprefer afterwards but that’s just me), have some ice cream or grab a bottle of water if you forgot to bring one – and you will definitely want a liquid while you’re on the trails.
As you continue on the path, you will pass the restrooms and a small exhibit telling you about some of the wildlife. There is a bench or two right there if you want to have a seat while you wait for someone but I find they are usually full when I go by.
On The Right Path
As you walk along the path there are signs for the types of trees and foilage you will encounter.
There are also plenty of signs to tell you which path to take to reach your desired destination.
Views To Remember
There are several places to stop along the paths and view the falls. There are usually a few benches around too so you can sit and enjoy the falls at your leisure.
Don’t Be These Guys
The park has made it so you can get the keepsake photographic views of the falls from several viewpoints. BUT, there are signs clearly stating to stay within the boundaries or on the trails.
These signs are up for a reason – actually, two reasons. The first should be apparent to most people and that it’s for our safety. Rocks and weeds along the banks can become wet or algae covered and slimy, making them incredibly slippery. A fall into the water in certain areas can be deadly.
The second reason is to protect the enviroment from unnecessary destruction. This is a state park, afterall. The rules are meant to preserve for not just us, but generations to come, and to teach respect for nature.
So, don’t be like the two guys in the pictures below. They blatantly went over railings and walked wherever they wanted to go – supposedly to get pictures. I believe it was for attention because they were somewhere they knew was off limits and were smiling and looking around the entire time. I’m sure they think of themselves as rebels, they were not.
Don’t be like them, please.
You’re Not Done!
If you have survived the 94 steps to see the falls from the brink viewing deck, don’t forget to follow the path to the gorge. You will have more steps – a lot more step – but the view is just as spectacular as they were next to the Upper Falls.
The gorge has 116 steps down to a boardwalk before you reach the viewing deck. The walk is not difficult but if you are someone with mobility issues, the stairs may be a struggle. I had to stop several times to catch my breath and the hot August day was not a friend to me. Thankfully, there are benches at the top of the staircase!
I admit, I have been to the Upper Falls a couple of times in the last few years and I had never made the trek down to the gorge. I really wish I had gone before this last visit. Standing next to the Upper Falls is awe-striking to say the least, but the view from the gorge was just as breathtaking. Don’t pass it up. You will be glad you took the time to enjoy it.
FYI: I did not see any wheelchair access for either viewing point, only stairs.
Take A Hike…No, Really
If you prefer to take the path less traveled then there are trails for you, too!
From the Gorge Viewing Deck there is the River Trail. This trail is four miles in length and will take you to the Lower Falls via the woods and along the Tahquamenon River.
Slightly shorter, the Giant Pines Loop begins at the Brink Deck and is 3.8 miles. This loop circles through the woods, around the restaurant and such and, finally, back to the parking lot.
We have walked the very short nature trail (0.3 miles) from the Gorge View area and it was an easy jaunt with a fairly wide path.
DNR Maps
Additional Information
Tahquamenon Falls State Park now has one Track Chair that has be donated by Kali’s Cure. A track chair is an off-road, electronic wheelchair-type device that allows people with mobility issues to go where they may not have been able to before, such as, on beaches, into woods, etc.
Tahquamenon State Park has one chair which is located at the Upper Falls Fact Shack. Per the Michigan DNR website, here is the information to use the chair:
How to reserve
Available first-come, first-reserved year-round (reservations must be made 24 hours or more in advance). When the track chair is not reserved in advance, it will be available to borrow first-come, first-served at the Upper Falls Fact Shack from noon to 5 p.m. (June 1-Sept. 5). To make advance reservations, call 906-492-3415. Click HERE to view website page
Nearby
- Crisp Point Lighthouse (Read about my excursion to the lighthouse HERE) 23.9 miles/48 minutes
- Paradise, MI: 14.2 miles/18 minutes
- Newberry, MI: 23.5 miles/28 minutes
- Whitefish Point, MI: 25.0 miles/34 minutes
- Tahquamenon Falls State Park Rivermouth Campground: 19.8 miles/29 minutes
- Point Iroquois Lighthouse: 50.4 miles/1 hour 7 minutes
- Camp Paradise: 10.8 miles/22 minutes
- Tahquamenon Lower Falls: 4.9 miles/10 minute
- Two Hearted River State Park Campground: 18 miles/33 minutes
- Tahquamenon Falls State Park Portage Campground: 4.6 miles/9 minute
- Sault Ste Marie: 75.9 miles/ 1 hour 24 minutes
- Tahquamenon Falls State Park Campground North: 4.0 miles/8 minutes
- Tahquamenon Falls Riverboat Tours: 41.2 miles/55 minutes
Local Eats
- The Inn Gastropub & Smokehouse, Paradise (HIGHLY Recommend)
- Wheelhouse Diner & Goat Locker Saloon, Paradise
- Tahquamenon Falls Brewery, Upper Falls
- The Berry Patch, Paradise
Cost Of The Day
- Recreational Passport – I always purchase mine when I renew my tags so it cost me $12, however, you can purchase passes at the gate for a higher price. I have all the cost broken down in a previous post to help you out. You can read it all HERE
- There is a gift shop, restaurant, ice cream window and food truck on the grounds
Where’s The Map?
Last Views
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