Exploring the Tahquamenon Falls Area – Waterfalls, Lighthouses, and Shipwrecks

For our first stop in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, we set up basecamp in the Newberry State Forest just a few miles east of Tahquamenon State Park. It doesn’t have the wonderful lake views we’ve experienced lately; but it’s in a beautiful forest, quiet, and best of all, it’s free.

Tahquamenon State Park

The Upper Falls

After a quick lunch we head out to explore the Upper Falls at Tahquamenon State Park via a 1.5 mile loop trail. The initial path to the overlooks is paved making it easily accessible for everyone. We’ve heard these falls referred to as the “Root Beer Falls” and it’s easy to see why.

What makes the water look like Root Beer?

• Brown color
  • a high concentration of tannic acid
• Foamy appearance:
  • force of the water
  • low mineral content (soft water)
  • lignin-proteins (kind of like egg whites) coming from the decaying materials in the surrounding forest

Further down the path, we see a sign saying there are 94 steps down to get up close and personal with these falls, so down we go.

After coming back up those same 94 stairs, we head a little further down the trail to the gorge view only to find sign saying that it’s another 116 stairs to get to there. The family just coming back up those stairs was out of breath; but said it’s definitely worth it, so down we go again.

Once we complete the stairs, we opt for the forest path back to the trailhead vs going back the paved way we came.

We don’t encounter another sole on the path and enjoy the sounds of nature until we come to the trailhead and the Brewery & Pub to be found there.

The Lower Falls

Our visit to the lower falls is via a 3.5 mile loop trail beginning with the easy boardwalk, over the new bridge and around the island. Until recently, the only way to get to the island and close to the falls was via water.

The Lower Falls has several distinct falls with an island in the middle and every curve in the path provides a new and incredible view.

We complete the loop trail via a forest path that runs along the campground.

Crisp Point

As we came up the west coast of lower Michigan we received numerous suggestions to visit Crisp Point, so we decided to see what was so special about it.

Off-road trail fun

The website publishes a recommended route; but it’s a beautiful day and we want to have a little fun. So, we take a shorter (but longer time wise) route via 4×4 roads through the forest directly from our campsite. Some of the “roads” we are on are also designated snowmobile tracks in the winter and go through beautiful forest, over streams, and along lakes.

Once we arrive, we head down the boardwalk toward the beach to take in our first really good view of Lake Superior and the lighthouse guarding the shoreline.

Crisp Point, is one of four original Life Saving Stations on Lake Superior and began operations in 1876 with the lighthouse beginning operation in 1904. The light tower is the only remaining structure as all but one of the others were torn down in 1965 after extensive vandalism. The final building was destroyed by storms in 1996; which earned Crisp Point the title of Most Endangered Lighthouse.

Next we head up the tower to take in the view from the top.

Upon exiting the tower, we have a seat on one of benches right on the edge of the point and just absorb the wonder of this incredible place. We now completely understand why so many people say this is a must see.

The trip home

For the trip back to camp, we use the recommended route; which are well groomed dirt roads through open forest.

Whitefish Point

There are 550 known major shipwrecks in Lake Superior and 200 of them are within the vicinity of Whitefish Point, including the 1975 sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum has been established here to honor all those who have been lost and the incredible heroics of the men who gave their all to help the victims of these shipwrecks.

Lighthouse

Whitefish Point Light Station entered service in 1849 at the eastern edge of Lake Superior’s 80 mile long “Shipwreck Coast”. It is the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior.

Life Saving Station

The USCG Lifeboat Station was established in 1923 and now contains exhibits of the tools used to save lives as well as the stories from both lifesavers and rescued shipwreck victims.

Between 1871 and 1889 surfboats were launched 6,730 times (service-wide) rescuing 6,735 shipwreck victims. These surfboats only capsized 14 times with shipwreck victims aboard losing 41 people, 27 of them being lifesavers.

The stories here are both awe inspiring and tear jerking. Overall you leave with an appreciation for what humankind can accomplish with a lot of determination and little to no technology.

Shipwreck Museum

Artifacts, underwater exploration tools, a second order Fresnel lens, as well as a full display for the famous Edmund Fitzgerald, including the actual ship’s bell, can all be found within the Shipwreck Museum.

The bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald was removed from the wreck and replaced with a bell inscribed with the names of all who perished. At this time a memorial was held and the wreck closed to further exploration.