15 Best Waterfalls in Michigan (2026 Updated)
Of the 200 named waterfalls in Michigan, these 15 earn the strongest visitor ratings, led by Upper Falls, Bond Falls, and Miners Falls. The list spans the Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP, Western Upper Peninsula and Keweenaw, and Marquette and Baraga Highlands.
How We Picked
We ranked the 100 publicly accessible Michigan waterfalls with at least five Google reviews by a weighted rating that balances score against review volume, so a 4.9 from a dozen reviewers counts for less than a 4.8 from thousands. Every waterfall links to a full page with coordinates, maps and nearby falls.
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1. Upper Falls
Newberry, MI · Luce County · Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP
Why it made the list
It is the most reviewed waterfall in Michigan, holding 4.9 stars across 1,223 Google reviews. 92% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "A huge amount of cedar-stained water drains over this wide waterfall on the Tahquamenon River." Reviews most often mention fall colors, wheelchair accessibility, walk to falls, and boardwalk. Older records also call it Upper Tahquamenon Falls and Big Falls. It is one of 23 named falls in the Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP region. The nearest town is Newberry, about 19 miles to the southwest.
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2. Bond Falls
Iron River, MI · Ontonagon County · Western Upper Peninsula and Keweenaw
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.9-star Google rating and is the 3rd most reviewed in the state, with 685 reviews. 93% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "Sightseeing locale with hiking trails & a river-crossing walkway offering views of scenic falls." The USGS gazetteer describes it as: Located on the Middle Branch Ontonagon River, the falls have a vertical drop of 50 feet. It is one of 92 named falls in the Western Upper Peninsula and Keweenaw region. Little Falls is only 2.7 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Iron River, about 32 miles to the southeast.
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3. Miners Falls
Munising, MI · Alger County · Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.9-star Google rating and is the 5th most reviewed in the state, with 419 reviews. 89% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "Waterfall in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, accessible via a path with stairs to a lookout." It is one of 23 named falls in the Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP region. Bridalveil Falls is only 2.4 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Munising, about 7.1 miles to the southwest.
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4. Canyon Falls
L'Anse, MI · Baraga County · Marquette and Baraga Highlands
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.9-star Google rating and is the 7th most reviewed in the state, with 275 reviews. 95% of reviewers give it five stars. The USGS gazetteer describes it as: Along the course of the Sturgeon River, SW of the mouth of Bocco Creek, 1.3 mi S of Alberta and 9.2 mi SSW of L'Anse. Older records also call it Bocco Falls. It is one of 84 named falls in the Marquette and Baraga Highlands region. Lower Canyon Falls is only 0.1 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is L'Anse, about 9.3 miles to the north.
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5. Sable Falls
Newberry, MI · Alger County · Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 185 reviews. 90% of reviewers give it five stars. Older records also call it Grand Sable Falls. It is one of 23 named falls in the Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP region. Chipmunk Falls is only 2.7 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Newberry, about 32 miles to the southeast.
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6. Great Conglomerate Falls
Bessemer, MI · Gogebic County · Western Upper Peninsula and Keweenaw
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 117 reviews. 88% of reviewers give it five stars. The USGS gazetteer describes it as: The falls have a vertical drop of 30 feet. Older records also call it Conglomerate Falls. It is one of 92 named falls in the Western Upper Peninsula and Keweenaw region. Potawatomi Falls is only 0.4 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Bessemer, about 10 miles to the south.
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7. Spray Falls
Munising, MI · Alger County · Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 5.0 stars across 30 reviews. 100% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "Hiking trails & boats lead to this powerful 70' waterfall which plunges into Lake Superior." It is one of 23 named falls in the Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP region. Chapel Falls is only 2.6 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Munising, about 15 miles to the southwest.
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8. Kakabika Falls
Wakefield, MI · Gogebic County · Western Upper Peninsula and Keweenaw
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 41 reviews. 85% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 92 named falls in the Western Upper Peninsula and Keweenaw region. The nearest town is Wakefield, about 25 miles to the west.
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9. Silver Falls
L'Anse, MI · Baraga County · Marquette and Baraga Highlands
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.9 stars across 37 reviews. 95% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 84 named falls in the Marquette and Baraga Highlands region. Middle Silver River Falls is only 2.6 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is L'Anse, about 6.0 miles to the southwest.
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10. Ocqueoc Falls
Rogers City, MI · Presque Isle County · Northern Lower Peninsula
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.8-star Google rating and is the 2nd most reviewed in the state, with 718 reviews. 84% of reviewers give it five stars. The nearest town is Rogers City, about 12 miles to the east.
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11. Laughing Whitefish Falls
K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, MI · Alger County · Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.8-star Google rating and is the 6th most reviewed in the state, with 297 reviews. 87% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "Densely wooded hiking trail leading to a scenic platform overlooking a large waterfall." It is one of 23 named falls in the Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP region. The nearest town is K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, about 15 miles to the west.
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12. Wagner Falls
Munising, MI · Alger County · Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP
Why it made the list
It holds a 4.8-star Google rating and is the 8th most reviewed in the state, with 253 reviews. 82% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 23 named falls in the Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP region. Alger Falls is only 0.4 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Munising, about 1.6 miles to the north.
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13. Dead River Falls
Trowbridge Park, MI · Marquette County · Marquette and Baraga Highlands
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 215 reviews. 89% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 84 named falls in the Marquette and Baraga Highlands region. Reany Falls is only 0.4 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. The nearest town is Trowbridge Park, about 2.1 miles to the southeast.
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14. Au Train Falls
Munising, MI · Alger County · Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 181 reviews. 85% of reviewers give it five stars. It is one of 23 named falls in the Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP region. The nearest town is Munising, about 11 miles to the northeast.
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15. Fumee Falls
Quinnesec, MI · Dickinson County · Marquette and Baraga Highlands
Why it made the list
Visitors rate it 4.8 stars across 162 reviews. 81% of reviewers give it five stars. Google's listing sums it up as: "Roadside waterfall offering stairs to the top with a viewing platform, plus picnic spots." Reviews most often mention stairs to the top, observation deck, roadside falls, and roadside park. It is one of 84 named falls in the Marquette and Baraga Highlands region. Little Quinnesec Falls is only 2.4 miles away, so the two are easy to pair in one outing. It is right in Quinnesec.
When to Visit Michigan's Waterfalls
Spring snowmelt is the main event. In the Upper Peninsula, melt typically runs from April into late May, depending on elevation and distance from Lake Superior, and the falls are at their most powerful then. Some seasonal roads and two-tracks remain snowbound or muddy into May. By June, black flies and mosquitoes are thick in the woods, especially near wetlands, and flows begin to settle. Summer brings comfortable temperatures and the busiest crowds at Tahquamenon, Bond Falls and Pictured Rocks. Fall color usually peaks from late September to early October, making it one of the most popular times to visit. Winter is long and snowy, and some falls freeze into impressive ice formations, with ice climbing near Munising, but many roads are not plowed.
Before You Go
Michigan's falls are spread across the Ottawa and Hiawatha national forests, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, state parks such as Tahquamenon Falls and Porcupine Mountains Wilderness, state forests and scenic sites, and large tracts of commercial forest. State parks require a Michigan Recreation Passport for vehicle entry, and some national forest sites have their own fees. Many lesser-known falls in Gogebic, Baraga and Marquette counties are reached by unmarked two-track roads that can be washed out, muddy or blocked by fallen trees, so high-clearance vehicles and offline maps help. Cell service is spotty. Hazards include cold, fast water in spring, steep riverbanks, slippery rock, and remote terrain. Bring insect protection from late May through July.
Read our waterfall safety rules and packing list before heading out.
Explore More Michigan Waterfalls
See all 200 waterfalls in the Michigan waterfall guide, or browse by town: Newberry, Iron River, Munising, L'Anse, Bessemer, Wakefield, Rogers City, K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base.
More Michigan Waterfall Lists
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best waterfall in Michigan?
Upper Falls tops our 2026 list, with a 4.9-star rating from 1,223 Google reviews. It is near Newberry in Luce County.
How was this list made?
We ranked the 100 publicly accessible Michigan waterfalls with at least five Google reviews by a weighted rating that balances score against review volume, so a 4.9 from a dozen reviewers counts for less than a 4.8 from thousands.
How many waterfalls are in Michigan?
Our directory lists 200 named waterfalls in Michigan. See them all, sorted by town, in the Michigan waterfall guide.
Why are almost all Michigan waterfalls in the Upper Peninsula?
The Upper Peninsula has hard, exposed bedrock and rivers that drop toward Lake Superior, while the Lower Peninsula is covered by thick glacial deposits with little relief. That geology leaves the Lower Peninsula with very few natural falls.