Munising Waterfalls Tour (Blog Hike #102)

Trails: (numerous)

Hike Location: Various Munising waterfalls

Geographic Location: Munising, MI (46.41105, -86.64793)

Length: 1 mile total

Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)

Last Hiked: August 2001

Overview: Several short hikes to waterfalls surrounding the town of Munising, Michigan.
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: (See below)

The hike: Munising is a small town sitting directly on Lake Superior in the middle of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.  In the wintertime, Munising is a famous stopover for snowmobilers buzzing along one of the many snowmobile trails that criss-cross the Upper Peninsula.  In the summer, the town becomes a tourist attraction as ships heading for the nearby Pictured Rocks or touring the numerous shipwrecks in Munising harbor depart from the town’s docks.

            The town is also home to several waterfalls of various characters that add to the scenic beauty of Pictured Rocks and Lake Superior.  All of these waterfalls are easily accessed by short hikes from marked parking areas and trailheads.  Our directions start in downtown Munising and then proceed from waterfall to waterfall.

            Start by going east on SR 28 and turning left on Prospect Street.  Where Prospect Street ends, turn left and proceed two blocks to the parking area for Horseshoe Falls, our first stop.  Pay the small entry fee, exit the building onto the trail system and turn left, heading uphill along a small stream to Horseshoe Falls.  The trail ends at the falls, which gently drop 30 feet in three tiers onto bear rock.  The falls are spring-fed and therefore run the entire summer.  The name Horseshoe comes from the rock shelter which surrounds the falls in the shape of a horseshoe.

Horseshoe Falls

            Turn around and head back downhill, turning gently right as the trail forks.  Take a moment to visit the garden, which contains several local shrub and flower species and the pond, which features trout and ducks that visitors can feed.  After viewing both of these attractions, head back to the souvenir shop to complete the hike.

            Our next stop is Munising Falls.  Retrace your steps back to SR 28 and turn right.  Where SR 28 turns left into downtown Munising, turn right and go past the national forest visitors center.  At a sign for the city hospital, turn left, pass the hospital and look for a sign for Munising Falls on the right.  Turn right here and park in the parking lot next to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Visitors Center.

            Walk past the Visitor Center and look for a gravel trail heading for Munising Falls.  The trail begins following a creek up a narrow ravine.  Where some steps go uphill to the right, stay left, cross the creek on a bridge, and shortly arrive at the base of Munising Falls.  At 60 feet, this is the largest spring-fed waterfall in Munising.  Water vertically drops over the top of a large rock shelter directly into a small plunge pool before proceeding downstream.  In terms of appearance, this waterfall greatly resembles those of the Appalachian plateau.  At times in the past there has been a trail leading uphill and under the rock shelter behind the falls.  However, due to erosion, this trail has become unsafe and has been closed.

Munising Falls

            Retrace your steps first to the parking lot, then to SR 28.  Turn left onto SR 28 and head east out of Munising to the intersection of SR 28 and SR 94.  On the left side of the road directly across from SR 94 sits Alger Falls, which can be viewed from a gravel pull off on the left side of the road.  No hike is required to view the falls which cascade 20 feet out of the forest and into the field along SR 28.  This not a spectacular waterfall, but given the lack of effort required to reach it, it is easily worth the journey.

Wagner Falls

            To reach our last waterfall, turn onto SR 94 and proceed 0.3 miles to Wagner Falls State Scenic Site, accessed by a small parking lot on the left side of the road.  Begin by taking the small dirt path leaving the parking area and entering the forest.  The path meanders along with the main stream on the left, soon crossing a side stream on a wooden bridge.  0.25 miles from the trailhead the trail reaches a wooden platform in front of Wagner Falls.  Water cascades in moderate volume 25 feet over innumerable small terraces of stone.  Of the four waterfalls presented here, this is probably my favorite, not because of looks, but because of the peaceful splashing sounds the water makes as it falls over the countless rock ledges.  It is hard to believe such a tremendous sound could be made by such a small waterfall.  Close your eyes and simply listen to the splashing, just imagining what could be sitting in front of you.  After soaking in the sounds and sights, retrace your steps to the parking area to complete your tour of Munising’s waterfalls.