Hiking the Tahquamenon Falls

**Nick** · 5th September 06, 06:30 PM

This Labor Day weekend my wife and I went to Tahquamenon Falls State Park. It's located in the eastern part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula near Paradise (There's a Hell, Michigan and a Paradise, Michigan. Funny, eh?) We camped at the Lower Falls. On the first day, we walked around the Lower Falls, only a couple miles of walking.

Here's me, in my Hunting McLeod SWK.

And my sweetie

The Lower Falls have a boardwalk along their length, with spots along the length to stop and see the falls.

And here's a few pictures of the falls themelves. The Lower Falls are a series of small falls at a point in the river where it's split by an island. These falls are on the North shore. The island can be reached by boat, but we didn't go over to the island this trip.

And me wading in the river above the lower falls.

**Nick** · 5th September 06, 06:31 PM

The next day we hiked from the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls. According to the signs, the maps, and the Park service, that's an 8 mile round trip. We found out from a park employee at the halfway point that it's actually about 14 miles. The trail stays mostly to the river, but there's a lot of twists and hills and such. It took us about 4 hours walking, we started at quarter to 9 in the morning, and didn't see another person until we were almost to the Upper Falls. The trail was pretty clear, but there were a few spots with trees across the road.

Since I was still wearing my kilt, I went around the second tree rather than climb over it.

Sure, it was an extra three miles to the falls, but it was worth it for the exercize, the scenery, and this:

The Tahquamenon Brewery

We had a blueberry ale while we stopped for lunch at the brewery, then stopped and saw the falls. (We also stopped and got a half gallon of said blueberry ale when we headed back home).

It's about a 50' drop, the Upper Falls are actually the second largest waterfall on this side of the Mississippi River (Niagra is obviously the largest.) The brown color of the water is from the tanins leached from all the cedar, spruce, and hemlock in the watershed.

Then we headed back to the Lower Falls. Here's us at the end of our hike.

We're going back next summer for sure.

**Livingston** · 5th September 06, 06:45 PM

Great pics Nick. It's been many years since I was in Michigan and I don't know if I ever go to the U.P. Looks similar to parts of the Arrowhead country in northern Minnesota. We'll have to put that area on our "To Visit" list.