Summer & Fall · Waterfall Tours
Waterfall Tours
Some of the best waterfall country in the Midwest starts right outside the door.
Waterfall Country
Pick a waterfall, any waterfall
Within about thirty minutes of the resort, the rivers fall apart. Iron County and the Western UP pack in more waterfalls than just about anywhere in the Midwest, from drive-up overlooks to gorges you hike into. It’s a build-your-own tour, no guide required: some you can see in flip-flops, some take boots and a map.
Copper Falls State Park
19 Miles • 25 min Drive
The marquee stop. Two signature drops, Copper Falls and Brownstone Falls, cut through an 80-foot gorge inside a developed state park. The Doughboys Trail loops about 1.7 miles past railed overlooks and footbridges, easy enough for almost anyone.
Potato River Falls
19 Miles • 28 min Drive
Tall and quiet. The Potato drops around 90 feet over two tiers in a rustic county park, with an upper overlook deck and a steep stairway down to the lower falls. The last mile of road is gravel, and it runs hardest in spring.
Black River Scenic Byway
30 Miles • 45 min Drive
Five waterfalls strung along one road. The Byway runs north from Bessemer to Lake Superior, with marked trailheads for Great Conglomerate, Potawatomi, Gorge, Sandstone, and Rainbow Falls, the tallest, in the final few miles. Make a half-day of it and finish at Black River Harbor.
Superior Falls
15 Miles • 22 min Drive
A 100-foot drop a stone’s throw from Lake Superior. The Montreal River tears through a rock gorge right before it hits the big lake, and the main viewpoint is steps from the gravel lot. A steep path drops to the river and on down to the shore. Best in spring runoff.
Saxon Falls
13 Miles • 22 min Drive
Big water, deep gorge. The Montreal cascades over several drops into one of the deepest gorges in the Midwest, seen from a platform a short, easy walk from the lot. Access is off County B near Saxon, and spring is when it really moves.
Interstate Falls
16 Miles • 28 min Drive
A wide ledge drop right on the state line. The Montreal spills about 18 feet across the whole river, reached by a short riverside trail with two viewing platforms.
Gile Falls
10 Miles • 15 min Drive
Close to town and easy to reach. Just below the Gile Flowage, the river drops about 15 feet over two ledges with a sharp bend between them. Park near the fire station, cross the footbridge, and watch your step on the wet rock.
Upson Falls
3 Miles • 7 min Drive
The closest one to the resort, basically in the backyard. The Potato drops about 18 feet inside Upson Community Park, with short riverfront trails, swimming holes, and a handful of rustic campsites. Drive right up.
Foster Falls
8 Miles • 14 min Drive
Wild and unfenced. The Potato splits into a steep eastern chute and a gentler western cascade, with the North Country Trail running right through it. Forest roads get you close, then it’s a short walk in. No railings, so mind your footing.
Wren Falls
13 Miles • 25 min Drive
Small falls, serious gorge. The Tyler Forks only drops about a dozen feet, but it does it inside a deep canyon you view from a clifftop a hundred feet up. Gravel roads and a mile-ish hike keep the crowds off. The North Country Trail crosses here.
Rouse Falls
7 Miles • 12 min Drive
The hidden one. Rouse Creek tumbles past an odd formation of cubic volcanic rock, and finding it takes some work: gravel, a rustic trail, mud, and bugs in summer. Worth it if you like your waterfalls earned and your geology strange.
Spring Camp Falls
15 Miles • 30 min Drive
Best reached on an ATV. This roughly 20-foot drop on the West Fork of the Montreal sits right off Iron County’s Trail 13, a natural rest stop on a day of riding. Driving in means rough two-track and a walk, so most people roll up on the trail.
Kimball Falls
14 Miles • 24 min Drive
The family-friendly one. More cataract than plunge, this drop on the West Fork Montreal sits inside developed Kimball Town Park, with picnic tables, restrooms, and an easy, accessible path. Less than a mile off US-2.
Make a weekend of it
Stay a few nights and chase them at your own pace. There’s more water falling out here than any one page can hold, including a few worth keeping quiet about.
On Foot
Hiking & Biking
Half these falls are a hike anyway. Here’s the rest of the trail country.