Western Upper Peninsula and Keweenaw
92 waterfalls · Gogebic County, Ontonagon County, Iron County, Houghton County, and Keweenaw County
Gogebic County, with 42 listed falls, leads the state. Along the Black River north of Bessemer, a string of falls including Great Conglomerate, Potawatomi, Sandstone and Rainbow drop through a forested valley on the way to Lake Superior, with vertical drops of 25 to 45 feet recorded by USGS. The Presque Isle River and the Porcupine Mountains add more. In Ontonagon County, Bond Falls on the Middle Branch Ontonagon River spreads over a broad rock face with a 50-foot drop and a walkway across the river. Houghton and Keweenaw counties feature falls over volcanic rock on the copper-mining peninsula.
Start with: Bond Falls, Gabbro Falls, Hungarian Falls, Houghton Falls, Great Conglomerate Falls
Marquette and Baraga Highlands
84 waterfalls · Marquette County, Baraga County, Dickinson County, Delta County, and Menominee County
The rugged hills between L'Anse and Marquette, including the Huron Mountains, hold dozens of falls on rivers such as the Sturgeon, Dead and Yellow Dog. Canyon Falls in Baraga County sits at the head of a narrow rock gorge on the Sturgeon River south of L'Anse, and Dead River Falls in Marquette County is a sequence of drops through a rocky, wooded gorge. Many falls in these counties lie at the end of rough two-track roads. Southward, Dickinson, Delta and Menominee counties have gentler terrain, with falls on rivers draining toward Lake Michigan and Green Bay.
Start with: Canyon Falls, Dead River Falls, Fumee Falls, Power House Falls, Black River Falls
Pictured Rocks and the Eastern UP
23 waterfalls · Alger County, Luce County, and Chippewa County
Around Munising, sandstone layers form a cliffline that streams pour over on their way to Lake Superior. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore contains Munising Falls, Miners Falls and Sable Falls, while Wagner Falls and Laughing Whitefish Falls are protected as state scenic sites. Horseshoe Falls is a privately run attraction with an admission fee. Further east in Luce County, the Upper Falls of the Tahquamenon River is one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi and among the most visited in Michigan, with its distinctive amber water. The Lower Falls lie a few miles downstream within the same state park.
Start with: Upper Falls, Munising Falls, Miners Falls, Laughing Whitefish Falls, Wagner Falls
Northern Lower Peninsula
1 waterfall · Presque Isle County
South of the Straits, waterfalls are nearly absent because thick glacial sediments blanket the bedrock. Ocqueoc Falls in Presque Isle County is the notable exception and one of the most reviewed falls in the state. The Ocqueoc River runs over low limestone ledges in a wooded setting, creating a series of small, wide cascades and pools popular for wading in summer. The site has a universally accessible design, allowing visitors using wheelchairs to reach the water's edge. It is a modest fall by Upper Peninsula standards, but it is the most notable natural waterfall in the Lower Peninsula.
Start with: Ocqueoc Falls
