The good people at Michigan Storm Chasers share that Monday, September 1st marks the beginning of meteorological fall which is distinct from astronomical fall which happens at the equinox on the 21st. They say it aligns better with our actual weather patterns and I (and the weather this year) agree with them. Storm Chasers are a great follow on Facebook or their website with an incredible network of weather resources including extensive live videos & webcams so give them a follow!
Bill took this at Bond Falls in the UP back in October of 2020. See his latest on Flickr!
PS: This is not “AI” – it’s a long exposure taken with a high quality camera & lens. Gear & skill unquestionably matter!
Pure Michigan shares that lower Bond Falls is a scenic and popular waterfall in the Upper Peninsula’s Ontonagon County that is created by the middle branch of the Ontonagon River tumbling over a thick belt of fractured rock that divides it into numerous small cascades. Total drop of the falls is approximately 50 feet & you can get directions & more from the DNR page for Bond Falls Scenic Site.
I originally saw this photo posted by a Facebook page not affiliated with the photographer, something that has become increasingly common. I really hope we can all endeavor to share info & links for the photos we share and to block & report pages that steal photos from actual photographers!
You can view & purchase more Michigan waterfall pictures including these on John’s website, and also get prints, canvas, puzzles, photo coasters, note cards, and Michigan calendars at michigannutphotography.com so what are you waiting for?
Nobody on the road, nobody on the beach I feel it in the air, the summer’s out of reach Empty lake, empty streets, the sun goes down alone I’m driving by your house, though I know you’re not home -Don Henley
There’s still some summer left to squeeze, but these cool nights tell me it won’t be long before the summer out of reach!
Twelve falls ago, I featured this passage along with a different photo from Gowtham. He took this one at Bond Falls in the UP way back in 2009. While he doesn’t seem to be doing a whole lot these days on Flickr, you can for sure follow along in the journal on his website!
The Perseid meteor shower is a summer staple & fast approaching the peak!! Our friends at EarthSky say that the early mornings of August 11-13, 2024 are your best bet for meteor action, but you can usually see them between midnight – 6am. That’s perfect because there’s an excellent chance of Northern Lights for the next couple of days & they are usually strongest between midnight – 3am.
EarthSky writes that the August Perseid meteor shower is rich and steady, from early August through the peak. The meteors are colorful. And they frequently leave persistent trains. All of these factors make the Perseid shower perhaps the most beloved meteor shower for the Northern Hemisphere.
This photo of a Perseid meteor over Bond Falls that I shared back in 2013 remains one of my favorite michpics ever! Sathya wrote on their blog:
The deafening sound of 500 gallons of water / second from 50 feet The tranquil silence of the dark night Milky way adorning the skies A (Perseids) meteor fireball streaking across the horizon Definitely a moment of serenity and one I would cherish!
For sure check out Like the Ocean to view & purchase prints and a whole lot of amazing photos & amazing thoughts about some of the most beautiful places on this planet.
Bond Falls is in the western U.P. on Bond Falls Rd, east of Pauding MI. This is the most impressive waterfall in Michigan with the possible exception of Tahquamenon Falls. The main drop is 40 feet high and 100+ feet wide. Above the main falls are a series of cascades and rapids that must drop a total of 20 feet.
The water level is controlled by a dam, and a steady flow over the falls is maintained for scenic reasons. Of course during the spring melt the flow is much higher.
Bond Fall is a Michigan State Scenic Site. The site was renovated around 2003. The old parking area was upstream of the falls, and a steep concrete stairway led to the base of the falls. The new parking area is near the base of the falls, and a level boardwalk leads you to prime views of the falls. The area is not quite as wild looking as it once was, but it is accessible to everyone. The trail on the east side of the falls is still wild with some steep rocky climbs. There are other trails that go off into the woods, and there are campsites nearby.
In addition to being very picturesque, this is a very popular waterfall, and unless you visit early in the morning or in winter, you are going to have a lot of company.
Bringing back this November 2014 photo I featured of Bond Falls for another look! See more in Yanbing Shi’s Landscape gallery on Flickr.
GoWaterfalling should be your go-to site for exploring Michigan waterfalls. Their entry for one of Michigan’s most beautiful waterfalls, Bond Falls near Paulding in the Upper Peninsula, says (in part):
Bond Falls is in the western U.P. on Bond Falls Rd, east of Pauding MI. This is the most impressive waterfall in Michigan with the possible exception of Tahquamenon Falls. The main drop is 40 feet high and 100+ feet wide. Above the main falls are a series of cascades and rapids that must drop a total of 20 feet.
The water level is controlled by a dam, and a steady flow over the falls is maintained for scenic reasons. Of course during the spring melt the flow is much higher.
Bond Fall is a Michigan State Scenic Site. The site was renovated around 2003. The old parking area was upstream of the falls, and a steep concrete stairway led to the base of the falls. The new parking area is near the base of the falls, and a level boardwalk leads you to prime views of the falls. The area is not quite as wild looking as it once was, but it is accessible to everyone. The trail on the east side of the falls is still wild with some steep rocky climbs. There are other trails that go off into the woods, and there are campsites nearby.
In addition to being very picturesque, this is a very popular waterfall, and unless you visit early in the morning or in winter, you are going to have a lot of company.
No matter where you live worldwide, the 2020 Perseid meteor shower will probably produce the greatest number of meteors on the mornings of August 11, 12 and 13. On the peak mornings in 2020, the moon will be at or slightly past its last quarter phase, so moonlight will somewhat mar this year’s production. Still, there are some ways you can minimize the moon and optimize your chances for a good display of Perseids this year. Here are some thoughts:
The Perseids tend to be bright, and a good percentage of them should be able to overcome the moonlight. Who knows? You still might see up to 40 to 50 meteors per hour at the shower’s peak, even in the light of a bright moon. Will you see over 100 per hour, as in some years? Not likely. Still …
Try to watch after midnight but before moonrise. If fortune smiles upon you, the evening hours might offer you an earthgrazer – a looooong, slow, colorful meteor traveling horizontally across the evening sky. Earthgrazer meteors are rare but memorable. Perseid earthgrazers appear before midnight, when the radiant point of the shower is close to the horizon.
Watch in moonlight, but place yourself in the moon’s shadow.
Consider watching after the peak. People tend to focus on the peak mornings of meteor showers, and that’s entirely appropriate. But meteors in annual showers – which come from streams of debris left behind in space by comets – typically last weeks, not days. Perseid meteors have been streaking across our skies since around July 17. We’ll see Perseids for 10 days or so after the peak mornings on August 11, 12 and 13, though at considerably reduced numbers. Yet, each day as the moon wanes in the morning sky, less moonlight will obtrude on the show. Starting on or around August 17, moon-free skies reign all night long.
You can read about the taking of this photo & purchase a print from Sathya in Chasing the Perseids at his blog Like the Ocean & see more in his awesome Showcase album on Flickr.
Gorgeous photo from Bond Falls in the western Upper Peninsula taken back in October of 2014. GoWaterfalling’s page on Bond Falls says (in part):
This is the best single waterfall in the Western U.P, and the second best waterfall in Michigan. If you are in the Western U.P., possibly on your way to or from the Porcupines or Copper Harbor, this is a definitely worth a stop.
…The main drop is 40 feet high and 100+ feet wide. Above the main falls are a series of cascades and rapids that must drop a total of 20 feet. The water level is controlled by a dam, and a steady flow over the falls is maintained for scenic reasons. Of course during the spring melt the flow is much higher.
View Yanbing Shi’s photo bigger and see more from Michigan and elsewhere in his Landscape slideshow.
Bond Falls is in the western U.P. on Bond Falls Rd, east of Pauding MI. This is the most impressive waterfall in Michigan with the possible exception of Tahquamenon Falls. The main drop is 40 feet high and 100+ feet wide. Above the main falls are a series of cascades and rapids that must drop a total of 20 feet.
The water level is controlled by a dam, and a steady flow over the falls is maintained for scenic reasons. Of course during the spring melt the flow is much higher.
Bond Fall is a Michigan State Scenic Site. The site was renovated around 2003. The old parking area was upstream of the falls, and a steep concrete stairway led to the base of the falls. The new parking area is near the base of the falls, and a level boardwalk leads you to prime views of the falls.
Read on for more including directions to the falls.
Aime writes: The majestic Bond Falls. Normally a short, easy walk but in the winter a very hazardous one. The steep steps were covered with a few layers of ice and the path was extremely slippery. It was totally worth it.
Michigan in Pictures 