tahquamenon falls state park

Never have seen the falls frozen, was worth the trip! As we drove to/from them the scenic drive was just as beautiful.

This is truly one of my favorite places in Michigan. I usually make it back at least once a year. The upper and lower falls are the key attractions, the upper falls being the larger of the two and the most photographed. Both falls are accessed with well a maintained trail that runs along the river bank through a serene and pristine forest. There are about 90 stairs down to the viewing platforms at the upper falls, although there are two good viewpoints from the top of the bluff as well. The park is absolutely beautiful fall, winter, or summer. I've been there on crisp fall days with the leaves ablaze in a glory of colors and falling gently onto the trail, on a cold winters day with the snow falling and the spray from the falls coating the adjacent rocks and trees in fantastic ice formations, and in the summer to enjoy all of the activities that warm weather allows. A perfect winter visit for me is to walk or snowshoe to the lower falls (about 1 mile in and 1 mile out if I recall correctly), then drive to the upper falls area, hike to the upper falls, then enjoy hot drinks and a nice dinner at the Camp 33 Brewery. The trail to the lower falls in winter is less visited and in my opinion even more beautiful than the trail to the upper falls. The trail is narrow, the trees are closer, and you really gain a sense of being in a winter bound wilderness. There are cross country ski loops, however I've never skied here (would love to though). A favorite summertime activity is to take a boat across the pond at the lower falls to the island and enjoy splashing in the river. A trail wraps around the island, offering intimate views of the falls on either side. You can rent a boat or put your own in.There are two main campgrounds at the park: river mouth and lower falls. I have tent camped at the river mouth campground (rustic side), sited in a pine forest adjacent the river. Sites were large and it was quiet during our stay. There is convenient river access for a canoe or kayak, and the river here flows relatively slowly. The campground up-river at the lower falls was more crowded during this visit. This site is down-river from the lower falls (no falls view) and concession areas. The site is up on a bank that does not allow convenient river access and the river flows faster here. The campground itself is nice and in a forested area, although it appeared to me that the sites were smaller.

Tahquamenon Falls's serenity invigorates anyone who goes to the place. Just watching the waterfalls makes you feel good. Touching and plunging yourself in to the waters makes you feel superb. Aside from the water falls you also get to see parks preserve and conserve by the state's environmental bureau. If you go to this place, you can have your picnic too as there are picnic tables available in the vicinity. Shopping in this place is a little bit expensive though.

We picked a weekday to visit the falls in August, 2014. The walk to the upper falls is paved and there are viewing spots along the path. There are stairs going down to the river below the falls. A sign tells how many steps it is down to the bottom, remember there are the same number coming back up.There is a concession area, restaurant, souvenir shop, and my favorite, an ice cream concession!There are many waterfalls in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and I think this is the nicest one.

15 Roadtrek Class B RVs descended on the Lower falls campground on January 22,2015 for a winter weekend camp gathering. The snowshoeing was spectacular to both falls. The staff was very accommodating and we enjoyed evening campfires and dinners at the brewpub by the upper falls. A wonderful winter weekend in the Upper Peninsula.Dick and Colleen Peura

We were delighted by a winter visit to this fascinating Michigan park. It's namesake falls were still running, but surrounded by striking ice flows and shoreside trees covered with frozen mist. The path to the upper falls was well cleared and packed, and easily covered in ordinary shoes or boots. Visiting the lower falls required snowshoes (available on free loan from the park personnel) and an hour's walk on a well-maintained showshoe/ski trail. Within the campground, sites were well plowed and electricity was available, as were pit toilets. the modern bathhouse was closed for the season. Park staff went out of their way to be helpful and informative. The winter air served to magnify a sky chockablock with stars. Whitefish Bay is a dazzling sight under the winter sun, and although Whitefish Point lighthouse and station is closed for the season, the boardwalk out near the point provides a striking view of the surrounding waters and, on a windy day, pounding waves. Hundreds of snowmobiles use the area, and their noise was a minor annoyance, but it was easily balanced by the the obvious fun the riders were having and their general good humor. More than once we saw a group of them stop to push a stuck car out of the snow. Couple, family, or solo traveler, if you like winter, you will like this park.

My family visited the falls around Labor Day and although the weather was rainy and cold,the walk to the falls was on a paved path and beautiful to see this small fall.

The Best Park regardless of seasons and no dislikes. DNR staff is extremely friendly and helpful if needed.

we visited the Tahquamenon Falls twice this year, once in July and again in late October. Both were breathtaking and completely different from the other. The falls in the autumn look like a giant root beer float, taking on a copper hue and creating foam when they crash down. The autumn colors around the falls are spectacular. Great photos and opportunities! Take a walk down a short, paved and winding path to the upper falls. Views are great from path and even better if you descend down just less than 100 metal stairs to get up close and personal. The walk lends itself to a brief nature and history lesson with plaques, signs and other postings along the way. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is really an incredible place to visit - seems almost untouched in many areas and a world away from the hustle of big cities. The forests are thick, wildlife is abundant, the people are very friendly. Don't leave without trying smoked whitefish from the surrounding great lakes and a delicious beef pasty.

Beautiful falls in the UP of Michigan. Not as cool as the falls in Yellowstone but still great to see in my home state. Lots of walking so be prepared with the correct shoes.

Another unexpected surprise we ran across on the way to the shipwreck museum. Not huge massive Niagara style falls but still very nice to check out, restaurants and giftshops in the park as well. If in the are make sure you stop by for awhile.

We visited the Upper Falls, and it was a very pleasant afternoon. It is about a 15 minute stroll on a paved path through beautiful woods full of wildlife. In order to reach the platform over the falls, there are 94 well-maintained metal steps. The view is well worth the effort. The falls are absolutely gorgeous, the color of tiger eye stones. Very unusual.The park has many trails, and from what we say, they are extremely well-marked. There are nice, clean bathrooms a short distance from the parking lot, as well as a visitor's center, brew pup and gift shop at the parking lot.

This place is amazing! Although the Lower Falls are nice enough, the Upper Falls are breathtaking! The water is the color of tea and is gorgeous pouring down the big waterfall. There are lots of trails to walk on and there are several viewing points around the Upper Falls. This place is a must see in Paradise, and also be sure to go to the Tahquamenon Brewery (get the Whitefish!)

Whenever we are in the Upper Peninsula, we visit Tahquamenon Falls. This is a beautiful park any season of the year. We hike the easy one-third mile trail to the overlook and then a little farther to the 94 metal steps that lead us down to the brink of the Upper Falls (50' high and 200' across). We return to the main trail and walk a short distance to another set of steps (116 of them by my count) taking us down to the gorge at river level with a slightly different view of the Upper Falls. A short drive downstream is the Lower Falls. The Lower Falls are more like cascades and are not as spectacular or as popular as the Upper Falls but they are still worth visiting. During one summertime visit, we rented a rowboat from the on-site park concessionaire and paddled across the river to the small island where hiking trails offered us different views of the Lower Falls. There is a private company that offers seasonal train and riverboat tours to the Upper Falls. In addition to hiking and waterfall views, this park has restrooms, picnic tables and camp sites.

This is a wonderful park with the highlight being the Tahquamenon Falls. The Upper Falls are definitely the show stoppers and the park has put in a lot of effort to build trails (many paved) and vantage points for excellent viewing. Note that some (not all) of the vantage points do include stairs. Lovely location to get a quick look at the falls or to get out and hike more. Additionally the Upper Falls parking lot have a great gift store and microbrewery/restaurant that we highly recommend. There is a fee to enter the park - depending on how long you plan to stay it may make sense to buy just a day pass or a year pass. Price also depends on if you are a resident of Michigan. Also, dogs are permitted throughout the park!