Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is the northern or upper most part of the state of Michigan. It is majorly surrounded by Lake Superior at the north, and Wisconsin state and Lake Michigan in the south.  Upper Michigan is very well known for its best fall foliage display in United States. There are several scenic byways in the state which provide mesmerizing view during fall season. It is also a home for several hundred waterfalls ranging from small to large drop heights. Majority of the waterfalls require hiking to reach to the base. Other major attractions and activities include state parks, lakes, skiing, hiking trails, etc.

In this post, we are listing down some beautiful attractions or experiences that we covered during our fall trip in 2019.

Mackinac Bridge

Mackinac Bridge is a suspension bridge over the Straits of Mackinac connecting the Upper Peninsula at St. Ignace city and Lower Peninsula at Mackinaw city. It is also part of the US Interstate 75 highway.

One can experience the scenic view of the bridge and the shore from behind Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse located near the Alexander Henry Park.  It also offers amazing night view of the bridge along a small beach.  The view on both the sides of the Mackinac Bridge is also very scenic. 

Whitefish Point

Whitefish Point marks the entry point of the Whitefish Bay. It is located in the northeastern part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and on the eastern end of Lake Superior. In other words, it can be called as the northeastern most tip of the Michigan State. Whitefish Point is said to be one the most dangerous shipping areas in the Great Lakes area. As more number of ships are lost in this place than any other part of Lake Superior, this place is also called as the graveyard of the Great Lakes.

The place offers several attractions for visitors such as Whitefish Point Lighthouse station, Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and store, Lake Superior shoreline, ship and bird watching area. There is a memorial named “Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” with leaf structure and carving of Edmund Fitzgerald ship sinking on it. This memorial is said to be dedicated to the crew of ship that sank in Lake Superior during storm.

Every ship entering or leaving the Lake Superior has to pass this point. The Museum and Lighthouse is open for visitors. The sandy shoreline on Lake Superior is a beautiful attraction where one can take a walk and spend some time. This place is around one and half hour drive from Mackinac Bridge and around 35 mins from Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

Tahquamenon Falls State Park

Tahquamenon Falls State Park is mostly located within the Whitefish Township in Chippewa County with some part of it extending to Luce County. The park area is around 50000 acres and stretches around 13 miles. Major attractions in the park are the Tahquamenon River and its waterfalls. The Tahquamenon River passes by the park forming two waterfalls and finally merges the Whitefish Bay.

The two waterfalls in the park are named Upper Falls and Lower Falls. Both the waterfalls are accessible along M-123 state highway between Paradise and Newberry towns. It is one and half hour drive from Mackinac Bridge and around 35 mins from Whitefish Point. Once you make it to one of the waterfalls, a 4-5 mile hiking trail is also available along the river if one is interested.  For people who wish to save time and avoid long and tiring hike, one can drive along M-123 to reach the other waterfall. The state park is open throughout the year.

Upper Falls

Upper Falls is a 50-foot tall, 200 feet wide waterfall and is said to have recorded a maximum water flow of 50K gallons per second. This is one of the dramatic falls with a loud roaring sound. The water has amber or brown color due to the tannins from the Cedar & Spruce swamps that is drained by the river. It is also named as “The Root Beer Falls” because of the color of is water. Visitors can see the falls from the observation deck located near to it by following a series of steps and boardwalk. It also features a restaurant and gift shop located near the parking lot.

Lower Falls

Lower Falls is located around 4-5 miles downstream to the Upper Falls. It is smaller than Upper Falls, not so dramatic but looks beautiful because the water drops through a few cascades. If you are driving on M-123 from Whitefish Point, this waterfall lies first along the way. The falls can be seen from a far distance and from the bank of the river. It can also be seen from the island located near the falls and one can reach the island by row boat tours available.

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is located on the shore of Lake Superior in the Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and between Munising and Grand Marais of Alger County. Park’s shoreline stretches around 42 miles. The pictured rock cliff height ranges from 50 to 200 feet above the lake level and stretches around 15 miles long.  This park has some mesmerizing views of the shoreline in addition to the picturesque rock formations, lakes, rivers and gorgeous waterfalls.

The park is also home of several of Michigan’s gorgeous waterfalls namely Chapel Falls, Chapel Beach Falls, Miners Falls, Mosquito Falls, Sable Falls, Bridalveil Falls, etc. Other attractions within the park include Sand Point, Chapel Rock, Chapel Creek, Chapel Beach, Grand Portal Point, Lover’s Leap, View of Lake Superior, etc. In addition to above attractions, the park also offers activities such as camping, kayaking, hiking, bird watching, boat tours, etc.

Most of the points can be covered or reached by hiking Lakeshore North Country Trail and the 10 mile Chapel Loop. There are various way to get to the trail. One can drive along county road H-58, turn onto Chapel drive and then onto Chapel Road to reach to the Chapel Basin Parking Lot. From here, one can take the trails to explore the attractions and shoreline. One can also get to the North Country trail from Munising Falls and from Grand Marais side using H-58 county road or M-77 state highway.

Check out our other post about hiking at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Sand Point Beach

Sand Point and its beach is 4 miles drive from Munising and located at the end of Sand Point Road. It is nearby to Munising Falls. The place is popular for sunbathing, swimming and viewing sunset. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore headquarters is located in Sand Point. There is also a trail named Sand Point Marsh Trail which gets merged with North Country Trail.

Chapel Rock

Chapel Rock is a sandstone formation or structure with an old Pine tree on it. It is located along the coast of Lake Superior in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The rock is known as La Chappelle as named by some European explorers. The sandstone formation is said to be carved by high waters of Nipissing Great Lakes thousands of years ago.  

Chapel Rock is a must see attraction if you are visiting this park. One can hike the 3 mile trail from the Chapel Basin parking lot to reach to its observation point. The trail also offers beautiful view of Chapel Falls and Chapel Lake from the overlooks located along the way. Please watch you steps as part of the trail, especially along the lakeshore, is steep, close to shore and sometimes slippery. If you are not interested in hiking, then the easiest way to view this point is probably to take the boat tour that leaves from Munising but the hike is of more fun.

Chapel Beach

Chapel Beach is a small beach located 0.4 miles from Chapel Rock observation point and along the coast of the Lake Superior in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This beach is also said to be formed due to erosion caused by high waters of the Nipissing Great Lakes several thousand years ago. In between the Beach and the Chapel Rock, is a small creek named Chapel Creek which forms the Chapel Beach Falls as it flows down into Lake Superior. There are camping grounds or campsites around this place if one plans to stay overnight after long hikes.

Grand Portal Point

Grand Portal Point, also called as Grand Portal Arch, is an arch formation on pictured rocks cliffs. It is around 5 mile from Chapel Basin parking lot and around 1.5 mile from Chapel Rock. One can also take the alternate trail to Mosquito Beach and then take North Country Trail to reach Grand Portal Point. The view of the Grand Portal Point and surrounding is so beautiful and is worth hiking.

Chapel Falls

Chapel Falls is a 60 feet tall waterfall located in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It drops down the sandstone cliffs to merge into the Chapel Lake and is surrounded by the lush green forest. The falls is around 1.3 miles from Chapel Basin parking lot and lies on Chapel Loop along the trail towards Chapel Rock. There are two overlooks from where one can experience the gorgeous view of the Chapel Falls. The view during the fall season is more gorgeous with autumn color surrounding the waterfall.

Chapel Beach Falls

Chapel Beach Falls is a smallest waterfall in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. It is located between the Chapel Rock and Chapel Beach. It is formed by the Chapel creek cascading down into the Lake Superior just by the side of the Chapel Beach.

Mosquito Falls

Mosquito Falls is a small waterfall formed by Mosquito river dropping over an 8-10 feet height. It is located 1.2 miles from Chapel Basin parking lot and can be reached by heading out onto a side trail from Chapel Loop when hiking towards Mosquito Beach. It requires some steep downhill and uphill hikes to reach to the base of the falls and is somewhat tiring. Hence it can be planned as one of the last point to cover on the loop.

Miners Falls

Miners Falls is an impressive 50 feet tall waterfall located on Miners River in the western part of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. This does not lie along or around the Chapel Basin Loop where most of the other attractions are located. One can reach the attraction by taking H-58 highway from Munising, turning onto Miners Castle road and then driving along the Miners fall road. It is one of the easiest accessible waterfalls and is located around 0.6 miles from its parking lot. There is a combination of gravel & muddy path, and a series of steps at the end taking one to the observation platform. There are two overlooks or platforms. The upper one doesn’t provide a good clear view of the waterfall while the lower one which is around 50-60 steps downhill and offers gorgeous view of the same.

Munising Falls

Munising Falls is a 50-feet tall waterfall located in Munising city and in the western part of the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The water falling down the cliff is mostly said to be impressive during spring due to high water flow rate but the view is still worth watching during fall season. The waterfall is located left from the point where Washington Street turns into the Sand Point road. The waterfall is easily accessible for visitors. From the parking lot, one can hike the short paved trail that goes along the Munising creek and takes to the observation platform from where you can experience the gorgeous view of the fall.

Wagner Falls

Wagner Falls is a beautiful 20-feet tall waterfall located on Wagner Creek in Alger County. The waterfalls is formed by the Wagner creek flowing down several rock ledges. It is around 1.6 miles from Munising and around 3.8 miles from Munising Falls. The parking lot is located on the side of the road. From parking lot, the observation platform can be reached by taking a short trail followed by boardwalk.

Alger Falls

Alger Falls is a 15 feet tall road-side waterfall with a series of drops. It is located around the intersection of M-28 and M-94, and is 0.5 miles from Wagner Falls. The view of the fall can be seen from highway or by taking turnout. The water flow is usually high during spring.

Scott Falls

Scott Falls is another small 10 feet tall road-side waterfall along M-28 highway and located near Au Train town. The water flows over a sandstone cliff into a small pool. One can see the waterfall from the highway or take turnout. The fall looks more beautiful during spring or when there is more rainfall letting high water levels dropping down the cliff.

Canyon Falls

Canyon Falls is a 15 feet tall waterfall located along the US-41 highway and around 2 miles south of Alberta. The gorge and the waterfall are both beautiful. One can park their vehicles in the designated parking lot along-side US-41 and take the canyon falls trail to reach the waterfalls. The trail is around 1 mile long and is scenic as it moves along the Sturgeon River with a series of rapids and finally ends at the waterfall. There is also a restricted trail beyond the point where waterfall is located. The Sturgeon River continues to flow into a gorge forming canyons and the same is also known as “Grand Canyon of Upper Peninsula”.

Hungarian Falls

Hungarian Falls is formed by a series of water drops on the Dover creek and is located west of Hubbell in Houghton County. There are four to five water drops. All the falls are around 5-10 feet wide and drop from different heights. There are three main falls namely upper, middle & lower falls while there are other smaller ones too.

Upper Falls

The upper falls is around 20 feet tall and located beyond the dam at the end of the hiking trail. It is a beautiful waterfall with around 10-12 feet wide and cascades down the rock sledges.

Middle Falls

The middle fall is around 20 feet tall and drops into a small pool. This is just few feet away from lower falls. One can reach to the base of the fall by either following the creek and passing across it which probably is the easiest or the other way is to take the trail from top and then hiking steep downhill.

Lower Falls

The lower fall is around 50 feet tall and is said to be the most beautiful of the all. The waterfall view from the base of the valley is said to be amazing but there do not seem to be an easy trail that takes one down there. There is a steep trail from the top of the fall but is bit risky and would suggest keeping children away from it. Another view of the fall is from top of it from where most visitors usually enjoy watching it.

There are also other water drops as seen below. One of which drops from the dam near the upper falls and the other is a small cascade between the middle fall and the dam.

One can reach the place by driving along M-26 and taking detour onto Golf Course road near Hubbell. You can park your vehicle on the road side shoulder and hike the trail or there is another inlet by road side that takes you to a small parking lot taking one further near to the hiking trail.

Porcupine Mountains State Park

Porcupine Mountains State Park is one of the largest state park located in the northwest part of Upper Peninsula in Michigan. It falls under the Ontonagon and Gogebic counties, near the shoreline of Lake Superior. The park has an area of around 60000 acres. It offers attractions like Lake of the Clouds, Summit Peak, waterfalls, rivers and lakes. It also includes several miles of hiking trails, ski area, cabins and campgrounds. The park comprises of lush green forest which looks more gorgeous during fall season as it turns into yellow, orange and red color.

One can drive along M-64 from Ontonagon and then continue to drive on 107th Engineers Memorial Highway towards Lake of the Clouds overlook. This takes you to the Park’s designated parking lot and then one can take the small trail to the overlook. There is a visitor center on South Boundary Road and located 0.3 miles from the intersection of 107th Engineers Memorial Highway and South Boundary Road. One can also visit the Summit Peak located around 13 miles from visitor center. Several waterfalls namely Nawadaha, Manabezho, Manido, etc, are also located within the park.

Lake of the Clouds

Lake of the Clouds is a lake located in the valley of Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It is around 130 acres in size and surrounded by lush green forest on both sides. This is one of the important and most photographed attractions in the Porcupine Mountains State Park. It can be viewed from the Lake of the Cloud overlook located few feet from the parking lot. The trail is a loop with a rock cliff overlook followed by a boardwalk offering view of Lake of the clouds from several angles and the Carp River surrounded by forest. This view during fall season is mesmerizing and is recommended to be a must-visit place.

Summit Peak

The Summit Peak is the highest point in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park located at an elevation of 1958 feet. It features a 50 feet observation tower from where visitors can experience scenic view of the porcupine mountains wilderness and also the gorgeous Lake Superior. It is around 13 miles from the visitor center. One can take turn from South Boundary Road to Summit Peak road to reach to the parking lot. Then take the Summit Peak Trail and walk around 0.9 miles to reach to the observation tower. If one is interested, they can also take the 5 mile loop trail.

Nawadaha Falls

Nawadaha Falls is a 15 feet tall waterfall located in the area of Porcupine Mountains State Park and is part of the Presque Isle River. It is around 100-150 feet wide. One can access the waterfall using an easy foot trail and then view from the top. Reaching to the base of the fall require some risky hike downhill.

There are two more falls located on the Presque Isle River namely Manabezho and Manido Falls which just few feet downstream from the Nawadaha Falls.

Potawatomi Falls

Potawatomi Falls is a scenic 30 feet tall and 150-200 feet wide waterfall located on the Black River. The water drop is unevenly split into 2 parts by the rock cliff over which it flows. It is around an hour drive from Porcupine Mountains Stake Park. It can be easily accessed with a series of steps and is within 600 feet from its parking lot. There is an observation platform that offers the gorgeous front facing view of the waterfall and the gorge.

Gorge Falls

Gorge Falls is another beautiful 25 feet tall and around 5 feet wide waterfall located on the Black river. It is just few foot downstream of Potawatomi Falls and can be accessible from the same parking lot as that of the latter. Like Potawatomi, this also involves hiking a trail with series of steps that takes you to the observation platform.

Sandstone Falls

Sandstone Falls is a 15 feet tall and 25-30 feet wide waterfall located on the Black River. It lies in between the Gorge and Rainbow Falls, and is around 1.2 miles drive from Potawatomi Falls. The fall base is around 0.5 mile walk from the parking lot and involves hiking a series of steps. The flow of water drops from a height passing between two rock cliffs making it look beautiful.

Copper Harbor, Beginning of US Highway 41 and County Road 510

Copper Harbor is a town in Keweenaw County of Michigan and is located near the Lake Superior shoreline. Brockway Mountain located in Copper Harbor is one of the popular attraction. Copper Harbor is one of the places along the Lake Superior shoreline, from where one can get to experience the northern lights (aurora borealis) based on the conditions, if you are lucky.

The Beginning of US Highway 41 is located few miles east of Copper Harbor in Michigan. There are 2 routes to reach this point. One by driving along US 41 via Delaware and other along M-26 via Eagle Harbor. Both the routes are very scenic and beautiful. During fall season, both the routes display bright fall foliage colors and is a must visit if you are here for fall trip. The route via M-26 does also offer view of the Lake Superior shoreline, hence making it even more scenic.

County Road 510 is around 25 miles scenic route located in Marquette County. The road starts at the intersection with Midway drive near US 41, crosses over the Dead River and ends at the intersection with County Road 550. This is another route that offers beautiful fall foliage display during fall season. The view from the bridge crossing Dead River is also equally beautiful.

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