We’re Obsessed With This Michigan Trail That Leads To An Incredible 200-Foot Wide Waterfall

One thing I love about the Upper Peninsula in the Great Lakes State is its rugged natural beauty: state and national parks and forests, the shores of three great lakes, and perhaps best of all, waterfalls galore. All of the U.P.'s natural beauty was on display when I recently paid a visit to Tahquamenon Falls State Park. At more than 50,000 acres, the park includes Lake Superior shoreline, Northwoods forests, and Upper Tahquamenon Falls, Michigan, which happens to be the state's largest waterfall. (It's not the tallest in the state, but that's also located on the Upper Peninsula).

Ready to explore more waterfalls beyond the state border? From jaw-dropping cascades to swimmable emerald ponds, there are countless magnificent waterfalls found across the United States to explore.

Go Chasing Waterfalls

You will find Tahquamenon Falls State Park approximately an hour west of Sault Ste. Marie and an hour north of the Mackinac Bridge, just off of Whitefish Bay.

The massive park has several units, but the one dedicated to Upper Falls is where you'll find the state's largest waterfall.

This unit has plenty of amenities, including shopping, concessions, rentals, and even a brewery.

To get to the falls, take the wide, paved path from the parking area.

The trail is accessible and passes through a lovely mixed deciduous and conifer forest.

There are a couple of slight inclines along the way, but nothing too major.

I heard the falls before I saw them. When the trail forked, and when the trail forked, I followed the sound in that direction.

This led me to the most distant viewpoint of the falls. It was perfect, because I got to take in all of the 200-foot wide waterfall, and much of the beautiful Tahquamenon River valley. If you're in a hurry to get as close to the waterfall as possible as soon as possible, follow the fork to the right – either way, you'll eventually end up in the same place.

From the first viewpoint, I meandered to the next overlook, which – in my opinion – offers the best view of the falls for taking photos.

You can see the entire cascade without obstruction, as well as a bit of the river.

The final overlook gets you up close and personal with the waterfall. You can feel the roar of the water in your feet and the mist on your face – on that day, anyway, when the river was swollen with spring meltwater.

Check out this video I took of Upper Tahquamenon Falls to experience what I did (volume up!):

The Upper Tahquamenon Falls, Michigan, is not only the largest waterfall in the Great Lakes State, it's one of the largest in the United States, east of the Mississippi River. As the name implies, it's not the only waterfall in the park. Four miles downstream, you'll find Lower Falls, which is a series of five cascades flowing around an island in the river. There's a trail connecting the two falls that's moderately challenging, and at 10.2 miles, out and back, you should allow plenty of time to finish. I had less than stellar cell service while I was there, so I recommend downloading trail maps from AllTrails Plus before you go so you can navigate offline.

Next time you're searching for "waterfalls near me" in Michigan, be sure to add this one to your list! Have you visited the Upper Falls at Tahquamenon Falls State Park? Were you as amazed as I was? Let me know in the comments!