Waterfalls in Alger County

The area around Munising in Alger County has delightful waterfalls for visitors to enjoy. Two waterfalls can be viewed from your car, others are a short stroll through the woods on an easy path, while a few require a serious hike into the woods.

The Pictured Rocks Cruise offers a view of some of the waterfalls from their tour boat of the Pictured Rocks that cannot be seen on land. Many of the waterfalls in the Munising area of Alger County are the result of water running over a shelf of cliffs of sandstone called the Munising Formation.

Spring is an especially good time to tour the waterfalls as the streams are filled with melting snow.

Be sure to stop at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore/Hiawatha National Forest Visitors Center in Munising at the blinking light or the Pictured Rocks Visitor Center in Grand Marais for your waterfall map, trail map, and other interesting information about the area.

Alger Falls on Alger Creek Alger Falls is one of the easiest waterfalls to view and can be seen right from your car. Located 1 mile south of Munising on the east side of Highway M-28, at the intersection with M-94. This is a delightful falls where as the water tumbles down over the rocky ledges of Alger Creek. Be sure to pull way off to the side of the road as this is a busy highway.

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Memorial Falls & Rudy M. Olson Memorial Falls on Tannery Creek in the Michigan Nature Association Park. Both these delightful waterfalls are in a wooded area just east of Munising on Highway H-58 at the intersection with Washington Street. You will be able to visit both waterfalls, but the directions are slightly different. Be sure not to park on M-28 as that is a no-parking zone. We recommend you park on Nestor Street, just past the wooded area or on Washington Street.

Memorial Falls
Go east on H-58 and turn right on Nestor Street. Go about 1 block where you will see a trail and a sign. Follow the short trail through this natural setting to the top of a little canyon where you can view Memorial Falls where this small stream drops over a ledge for 30' into the sand below. This is a bit rugged and uneven terrain, so watch your step.

 

Rudolph M. Olson Memorial Falls (formerly called Tannery Falls).
This waterfall is reached by the stairway on H-58 at Washington Street. At the top of the steps you will find a trail through the woods to the falls.

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Munising Falls One of the most beautiful area waterfalls and easy for visitors of all ages to enjoy. Turn east at the blinking light on H-58 and go to Washington Street. Watch for signs for the Pictured Rocks Interpretive Center and Munising Falls, across from the hospital. A nice flat path leads about 300' along Munising Creek to these beautiful waterfalls and there are benches or sitting areas along the way if you want to stop and enjoy this peaceful little valley.

The falls drops 40 to 50 feet into a canyon of colored rocks. Restrooms and a large parking lot will accommodate trailers or RVs. Historical interpretive signs tell about Munising and the Munising Blast Furnace that operated in the late 1800's. Open during the winter . . . a delight for photographers.

Wagner Falls on Wagner Creek, A Michigan Scenic Site.

Take M-28 for 1.5 miles south of Munising to the intersection with M-94. Turn on M-94 for 1/2 mile where you will find a small parking lot and a path that leads to an overlook. The falls is in a leafy glen on the south side of the road.

AuTrain Falls on the AuTrain River

Au Train Falls is 8 miles south of AuTrain on the AuTrain Forest Lake Road or 1/2 mile north of M-94 in Forest Lake. Turn east on Power Dam Road and watch for the signs. Go to the second parking spot and you can take the path downhill to the falls or walk around the gate and take the road to the bridge for a good view.

The large pipe you see carries water from the Cleveland Cliffs Basin Reservoir that was formed by a small dam to the hydroelectric generating plant. The generating plant, constructed in 1910 is about one mile north of the dam. The falls are between the dam and the generating plant.

Scott Falls is located on the south side of M-28 across from the H.J. Rathfoot State Roadside Park. Scott Falls is located 7 miles west of Munising near AuTrain, and can be viewed from your car. Scott Creek tumbles down from a ledge into a small pool. This is one of the few falls you can walk behind or wade in the pool.

Scott Falls is located across from the Roadside Park and a few feet east. The H.J. Rathfoot Roadside Park has restrooms, picnic tables, grills, and boardwalks with a great view of Lake Superior. Enjoy the sandy Lake Superior beach.

This is the location of the famed "Face in the Rocks" only a short walk along the boardwalk and then across the sand beach to the rocks where you will see what remains of this face that was carved many years ago. Historical interpretive signs explain the story of the "Face in the Rock", part of the oral tradition of local Ojibwa. For more information you might enjoy reading the book, A Face in the Rock, written by Loren Graham and published in 1998, available in local bookstores.

Sorry, Pets are not permitted on trails to these waterfalls in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore except for the path to Munising Falls and Miners Castle

Bridal Veil Falls
Bridal Veil Falls can be seen from a distance at Miners Castle or from the Pictured Rocks Cruises Boat Tour. The falls are located about .6 mile northeast of Miners Beach but cannot be viewed from the North Country Trail.

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Miners Falls Take H-58 east to the Miners Castle Road. Turn north and go about 3.5 miles. Watch for the sign to Miners Falls. Turn right (east) and follow the road to the parking lot. Take the self-guided interpretive trail for 1.2 miles to the popular viewing platform overlooking the falls or you can go down the long stairway to the bottom of the falls. Enjoy views of Miners basin as you hike along the trail. Sorry, no pets.

Chapel Falls and Mosquito Falls can both be accessed from the Chapel Falls parking lot

Mosquito Falls on the Mosquito River is easily accessible and pleasant to view.
The trail leads west from the Chapel Falls trailhead for about .9 miles to Mosquito Falls
where the river tumbles over an 8'high rock shelf.
River Otter and beaver enjoy visiting the area. Sorry, no pets.

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Munising Falls

Munising Falls is located at the Pictured Rocks Interpretive Center on Washington Street, across from the hospital and is part of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

You can visit the Pictured Rocks Interpretive Center during the summer where displays tell some area history about the iron blast furnace that was once located on this site. Enjoy your stroll along the short flat path by Munising Creek to this amazing waterfall.

Sable Falls is located just 1 mile west of Grand Marais on H-58 near the eastern entrance to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Follow the signs to this waterfall on the Sable River where the river cascades over cliffs of Munising and Jacobsville sandstone formations. About 1/4 mile walk from the parking lot to the falls. The first viewing platform is down a stairway. You can also take the 1/2 mile trail to Lake Superior beach for a nice walk. Grand Sable Lake is nearby for fishing and swimming.

Spray Falls on Spray Creek Spray Falls is located 6.5 miles north of Melstrand but is very difficult to find by land. The best way to view this beautiful waterfalls is from the Pictured Rocks Cruise Tour Boat.

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Waterfalls a short distance from Munising

Rock River Falls on the Rock River is located 4.5 Miles NW of Chatham in the Rock River Wilderness Area in the Hiawatha National Forest. This is a rugged drive on back dirt roads. Take Rock River Road north of Chatham, turn left on Forest Road 2276 and watch for the signs. This road is not well marked and easy to miss. Walk from the parking area is about 1 mile. We recommend a stop at the visitor center in Munising for a map and detailed directions as this is a wilderness area.

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Laughing Whitefish Falls on the Laughing Whitefish River, A Michigan Scenic Site. One of Michigan's most impressive waterfalls as the river runs down a scenic gorge surrounded by an old growth forests.
Laughing Whitefish River

There is a parking area, picnic area, and water available at the trailhead. The trail leads about 1/2 mile to the falls. A steep stairway takes you to the bottom of the falls with three observation decks. Take M-94 west of Munising 28 miles to Sundell, just west of Chatham. Watch for Dorsey Road in Sundell and the sign where you turn north for about 2.5 miles. The Visitor Center at the blinking light in Munising has detailed maps and directions.

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Whitefish Falls on the Whitefish River Located 3.5 miles NW of Trenary on Highway US-41. Watch for Diffen Road on your left and take the first road left past Diffen Road (gravel). This road loops past the falls, but you need to watch for a trail through the woods and listen for the falls. Follow the trail for a short walk through dark cedars and shady maples along the riverbank to the falls that cascades over the rocks. Nice spot to stop and listen to the water tumble over the rocks and the birds singing.

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Please use caution on your hikes as many trails have uneven footing,

Be sure to stop at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore/Hiawatha National Forest Visitors Center in Munising at the blinking light or the Pictured Rocks Visitor Center in Grand Marais for your waterfall map, trail map, and other interesting information about the area.

Attractions and Recreation in Alger County
Exploring Munising, AuTrain, and Christmas, Michigan
Recreation in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula Traveler Home Page

Photos: Char & Mary Deloria
Photo of Scott Falls, Spring 2008: Erin Kuivenen, Northwoods Resort on AuTrain Lake
Photo of Miners Falls, Spray Falls, Laughing Whitefish Falls: Chris Goss
Photo of Mosquito Falls by Mark Bolen
Some information from the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore