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Tahquamenon Falls |
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| If you are a fan of Mother Nature and the Great Outdoors, it doesn’t get any greater than this! Tahquamenon Falls, open for your pleasure and enjoyment year round, originate from the springs north of McMillan draining an area of more than 820 square miles. |
Tahquamenon Falls |
| From its
source the river wanders nearly 94 miles before reaching its final
destination in Whitefish Bay. Tahquamenon encompasses almost 40,000
acres stretching over 13 miles and is divided into the Upper and Lower
Falls, both equally superlative and magnificent. The Upper falls is one
of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi with a drop of nearly
50 feet spreading 200 feet across. A maximum flow of more than 50,000
gallons of water per second has been recorded surging over its
impressive rock face. The Upper Falls is also the location of the
Tahquamenon Falls Brewery and Pub, a family friendly restaurant serving
a wide variety of appetizers and entrees including whitefish, steak and
shrimp. What a great way to grab a little refreshment after a long day
of nature walks. The Pub’s main attractions include a long rustic bar at
the entrance and a functioning Micro Brewery. Also be sure to check out
Camp 33, a small gift shop neighboring the restaurant. Four miles
downstream you will find the Lower Falls, a series of five smaller falls
cascading around an island and forming a small lake where you can rent
rowboats. Admission to the state park is $4.00. Long before any European settlers or white men set their eyes on the Falls, Chippewa Indians had made their settlement aside the banks of the river. Camping along the falls provided plentiful fishing and good land for harvesting and trapping. The 1800’s brought a change of land occupancy as the lumberjacks took control of the rivers to transport millions of logs to saw mills miles away. These lumberjacks were among the first permanent settlers in the Tahquamenon area. Over the years tribes vacated the lands and the settlers turned their attention to new expeditions, but a few things remained the same. The steady churning of the falls creates a foamy lather on the surface of the water, one trademark of the falls that has been present since the days of early voyageurs. Also trademark of the falls is the amber color of the water, which gives it a muddy or rusty appearance. The tawny color of the water is a result of run off from the Cedar, Spruce and Hemlock trees in the swamps. Plan on spending the afternoon exploring the nature trails that run between the upper and lower falls. The trails offer great landscape for hiking, backpacking, fishing, canoeing, nature study and photography. Fall colors provide a picturesque view of the park and the ice formations from the falls and Lake Superior during the winter are truly a photographers’ delight. Tahquamenon Falls State Park is located in the northeastern part of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on Michigan State Highway 123 just a short drive from Newberry. For more information on the Falls, feel free to visit their website http://www.exploringthenorth.com/tahqua/tahqua.html. |
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