Tahquamenon Falls in Winter, photo by Karen Lancour
You know that we love, love, love Tahquamenon Falls on Michigan in Pictures. If you haven’t made the trek in wintertime, definitely do – it’s amazing!
Karen shared this photo on the Michigan in Pictures page on Facebook. See it bigger on Facebook and click here to see more of the photos folks have shared with us!
Dead River Falls, photo by johndecember.
The Waterfall Record, a new discovery for me, has this to say about Dead River Falls:
There are some waterfalls that I’ve visited where I’ve had high expectations, and it’s not that I’m terribly disappointed, but not I’m not always sure what the attraction is. On the other hand, there are other waterfalls where my expectations are very low, and I am overwhelmed when I finally see the waterfall. There are two very impressive waterfalls on the Dead River right near Marquette.
I wasn’t expecting much because of the description I read in the book about Michigan waterfalls. I hadn’t seen any pictures, so I really didn’t know what to expect. The first waterfall is not that exciting, but wow, the 2nd waterfall is truly amazing. I wasn’t sure whether to keep walking along, but I did. The 3rd waterfall is small, but I decided to keep going. There was one turn along the trail where I suddenly realized that the 4th waterfall was going to be spectacular. It was early May, and the amount of snow melt created a great surprise. The waterfall is maybe 30′ tall or so, but the amount of water flowing over the falls was amazing. This group of waterfalls isn’t advertised that much, so you’ll likely be alone.
Also, I should mention, if I haven’t already, that the trail leading to the falls, while not terribly dangerous, would be best described as precarious at a few specific points. At one point, you’ll be hugging the dirt trail that is only feet from a river that is flowing VERY fast, at least in May. If you’re not careful, you’ll be carried away by the very swift current. As long as you’re paying close attention, I think you’ll be ok.
Read on for directions and a photo of the indeed impressive Upper Falls, and also to check out over 60 more Michigan waterfalls. Note that the site author says that on a June 2011 visit he encountered a No Trespassing sign due to work at the falls so maybe call the Marquette CVB to check before making the trek…
Check this photo out bigger and check out the area on John’s map.
Many (many) more Michigan waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures.
Loop and Swirl – Superior Falls (Wisconsin/Upper Michigan Border), photo by Aaron C. Jors.
On Saturday we dove into Mittengate – the lighthearted battle between Michigan & Wisconsin over the Badger State’s use of the mitten in tourism promotion.
To help keep the cheese-loving hordes at bay, we’re lucky to have the Montreal River and Superior Falls! GoWaterfalling’s page on Superior Falls explains:
Superior Falls is located on the Montreal River just a few hundred yards from Lake Superior. The Montreal River forms part of the border between Michigan and Wisconsin so the falls is technically in both states, but it is most easily visited from the Michigan side. I do not know if it can be visited from the Wisconsin side.
This is an impressive waterfall consisting of several drops and some very dramatic gorge walls. Unfortunately there is a dam a short distance above the falls and most of the water is diverted for power generation. The power company is required to maintain at least 20 cubic feet of water per second flowing over the falls. Early spring is the best time to see the falls…
The fence is a bit frustrating and often blocks your view, but it also will save you from a long, long fall into the gorge. The overlook is at the top of the gorge wall pictured below.
They also note that Northern States Power operates the Superior Falls Hydro plant in the area – you can see more photos of the falls and of the small power plant at the unofficial Superior Falls homepage.
Check this photo out bigger and in Aaron’s Waterfalls sideshow. He also has a great photo of Tannery Falls on Michigan in Pictures and there’s tons more Michigan waterfalls in our Waterfall category!
Tannery Falls, photo by trumansnare.
GoWaterfalling.com says that Tannery Falls:
…is not as well advertised as the larger Munising Falls, but as a result it is somewhat wilder and less visited. Like other waterfalls in the area, it suffers from a lack of water in the summer.
Click through for information on finding this out-of-the-way gem.
Check the photo out on black and see more including Tahquamenon Falls and the Pictured Rocks in Nick’s Upper Peninsula Michigan slideshow.
O Kun de Kun Falls, photo by Splash of Sunset Photography
Go Waterfalling says that O Kun de Kun Falls
O Kun de Kun Falls is one of the largest of the waterfalls in Ontanagon county. It is not as large as Bond Falls or Agate Falls, but it is just as scenic and far wilder. It is a mile plus hike to O Kun de Kun Falls and there are no fences or signs. The waterfall is also unusual in that it is an actual plunge falls. Only a handful of the many waterfalls around Lake Superior are plunge falls. You can go behind the falls if you want, but you need to be careful and sure footed.
The trail head to the falls is located on the east side of US 45 about 8 miles north of Bruce Crossing. There are signs for the parking area. The trail to the falls is part of the North Country Trail. It is a 1.3 mile fairly level hike to the falls. Before you reach the main falls you will reach a smaller 10′ plunge upstream. Keep going! The first time I tried to visit O Kun de Kun I stopped at the upper falls, thinking I had reached my destination. The real falls is just a short distance downstream. The trail crosses a suspension bridge below the falls. If you have not gone far enough to see the bridge, keep going.
If you’re wondering about the name of the falls, it was after a famous chief. If you’re wondering about the title of this post, Pasty.com explains:
The name “Ontonagon” is derived from the Ojibway word “nontounagon,” which means “I lost my bowl.” Local legend surrounding the name stems from the story that a member of Chief O-Kun-De-Kun’s band was washing bowls near the mouth of the river when she was startled by an unkempt stranger in a canoe. The woman inadvertently dropped one of the bowls into the river and exclaimed “nontounagon”. The white man took her declaration to be a reply to his question about the name of the area.
Check this out bigger and in Matthew’s great Waterfalls of the Western UP album.
Learn about Bond Falls, Agate Falls abd more Michigan Waterfalls on Michigan in Pictures!
“Spray Falls” Michigan’s Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, photo by Michigan Nut.
Go Waterfalling’s page on Spray Falls says that:
Spray Falls is the remotest, and perhaps the most impressive of the several waterfalls in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The 70′ waterfall plunges over the cliffs at Pictured Rocks and lands directly in Lake Superior.
The falls is right on the edge of the cliffs, and the creek has not cut back into the cliffs at all, so it is impossible to view the falls from the front unless you are on the water. The cliffs are sheer for miles in both directions, so there is no way to get near the base of the falls without a watercraft. Lake Superior is too cold for swimming. :)
The Lakeshore Trail passes right over the top of the falls, and you can get right to the brink of the falls.
There’s more information on the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore waterfalls page and I can add from personal experience that if you’re not up to the 1.5 mile hike from Chapel Beach, the Pictured Rocks Boat Tours from Munising can give you a great view as well! (one note – they can’t make it all the way there if it’s wavy though!)
Check this out on black and in John’s Michigan Waterfalls slideshow.
More of the Pictured Rocks on Michigan in Pictures!
Wagner Falls, Munising, MI, photo by Whitney Lake.
Stephen Wagner at Go Waterfalling has this to say about Wagner Falls: Picturesque, easy to visit, and you got to love the name. ;)
It’s one of several waterfalls in the Munising area.
View this photo on black and in Whitney Lake’s Michigan slideshow.
Agate Falls 1939 and Agate Falls, photo by Marty Hogan
Dear Everybody
having a swell time
tried a different lake today and caught some nice bass.
-Nick
Marty posted this postcard of Agate Falls that Nick mailed at 1pm on the 14th of July,1939 to Kenosha along with a modern-day look. No word on if Nick’s last name was Adams. ;)
GoWaterfalling.com says that Agate Falls is a pretty waterfall that is relatively easy to get to on your way to or from Bond Falls. They write:
Agate Falls is a Michigan State Scenic Site 6.5 miles east of Bruce Crossing on MI-28. There is a roadside park (Joseph F. Oravec roadside park) just past the bridge over the Ontonagon River. Unfortunately the provided trails and overlooks are somewhat limited. With some effort you can scramble down to the river to get some very good views of the falls, which seems to be popular with local fishermen, or scramble up the river banks to get to the old railroad bridge over the falls. The bridge is now part of a snowmobile trail.
Marty’s Agate Falls slideshow has several more photos including the roadside sign.
Also see Michigan Wild & Scenic Rivers: Ontonagon River on Michigan in Pictures.
Upper Bond Falls, photo by James Marvin Phelps.
It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States that certain selected rivers of the Nation which, with their immediate environments, possess outstandingly remarkable scenic, recreational, geologic, fish and wildlife, historic, cultural or other similar values, shall be preserved in free-flowing condition, and that they and their immediate environments shall be protected for the benefit and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Congress declares that the established national policy of dams and other construction at appropriate sections of the rivers of the United States needs to be complemented by a policy that would preserve other selected rivers or sections thereof in their free-flowing condition to protect the water quality of such rivers and to fulfill other vital national conservation purposes.
~Wild & Scenic Rivers Act, October 2, 1968
Michigan has 16 nationally designated Wild & Scenic Rivers. Since Field & Stream tapped Michigan #1 for flyfishing in the USA, I thought it would be cool to profile these unique rivers & streams. We’ll start with the Ontonagon River. The Our Favorites page at upflyfishing.com says:
The Ontonagon River, along with its four branches and tributaries drains an enormous area of the western Upper Peninsula in Ontonagon, southwest Houghton and northern Gogebic Counties. The system offers a wide diversity of opportunities for wading, canoeing, shoreline, and even boat anglers. Much of the flow is through wild, scenic country. Several beautiful waterfalls and whitewater rapids appear along its journey.
…A 12 mile stretch of the East Branch (from Lower Dam Falls to Sparrow Rapids has been designated as a Michigan Blue Ribbon Trout Stream. The Middle Branch supports a good population of resident Brown, Rainbow, and Brook Trout. Access is fairly good with sections flowing along the Ottawa National Forest. A few anglers tube or canoe and the river is wide enough to permit flyfishing in most stretches. Overall, the Middle Branch supports the best trout fishing on the Ontonagon and the village of Watersmeet is in the heart of several of these great fishing areas. Down stream from Agate Falls, the river becomes receptive to anadromous fish, and anglers enjoy an extended fishing season. Expect good Steeelheading in spring, with browns up to 6 pounds and salmon showing up in the fall. Some Brook trout also frequent the river here.
FYI, Bond Falls are on the Middle Branch. Check this out background big and in James’ Bond Falls slideshow.
The First Morels this Year 05/02/2010, photo by rickrjw
The TIME Magazine feature Mushroom Nation linked over to our feature on yellow chanterelle mushrooms. In it, James Beard Award–winning food writer Josh Ozersky takes a look at how wild mushrooms are becoming as American as apple pie. He writes that:
…for all their exoticism, they’re still pretty cheap. Even a mom-and-pop restaurant can make a mood-altering dish with some woodsy mushrooms, roasted up with salt and served along side a gelatinous hunk of braised short rib. A few fresh chanterelles in a little omelet with some small spring asparagus, and you’ve got an appetizer of unsurpassable elegance. Unlike their fetishized cousins the truffles, people still use mushrooms as staple items and not luxuries — a practice that might not persist if they become more popular. They add a level of flavor and texture to everything they touch, and there’s a variety for nearly every use, from the delicacy of enoki to the almost obscene potency of portobellos.
Compared with the crappy little button mushrooms you see at the supermarket, de-natured and nude, and grown somewhere far from the forest floor, they represent an instant ticket to a better vision of life. If a restaurant, you can charge for that; if cooking at home, you can brag on it. Either way, it costs little. And of course there are no calories to speak of in mushrooms, so even the most ascetic of eaters can consume them with abandon. They’re apparently loaded with various unpronounceable anti-oxidants too, so that’s another benefit.
Read on at TIME and find more about mushrooms on Michigan in Pictures. It won’t be long now before morels make their appearance in Michigan woods!
Rick bagged his first blonde morels in 2010 on May 2nd and says (with true morel hunter evasiveness) that he found them “in the woods”. See this photo background bigilicious and check out more in his Boyne City, Michigan slideshow.
Michigan in Pictures 