Within the Marquette/Munising area in Michigan's Upper Peninsula there are many waterfalls. A visit to Laughing Whitefish Falls should be included on your “to do” waterfalls list.
Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site (established in 1965) is a 360-acre park located in northwesternAlger County . They are about 28 miles
southeast of Marquette , Michigan and about 32 miles
southwest of Munising , Michigan
(USA ). Simply put, they are about three miles north of Sundell (off of M-94)..
Laughing Whitefish Falls Scenic Site (established in 1965) is a 360-acre park located in northwestern
We arrive at the parking lot. There is a picnic area with a water pump and,
if I recall right, there is an outhouse.
We begin our 1.2 mile (round trip) hike through a beech/maple forest. The shady forest floor is a green carpet of feathery-looking
ostrich ferns. The hard, dirt trail is
part of the North Country Trail System.
Listen … is that the song of the Black Capped Chickadee?
Trail to Falls
Soon, we arrive at a wooden platform offering us a view at the top of the
falls. Here we watch the water slide down the rocky slope through the picturesque gorge.
1st Platform - Top of Falls
For an
aerobic workout, there are 150 +/- wooden steps down to the base of the falls. Just remember – whoever goes down the stairs
must climb back up them.
Stairs at Falls
At the bottom is a small wooden platform
offering a view of the falls. The falls
flow in lacy rivulets as they slide down a slanted slab of limestone dropping a
total of 100 feet into a small pool at the bottom.
2nd Platform
3rd Platform - Base of Falls
The above photos were taken during
one of our May visits. In a late summer
visit, we found Laughing
Whitefish Falls
to be a delicate veil of water.
Summer Visit - Decreased Water flow
During a mid-April
visit to the Upper Peninsula, we decided to see if we could reach Laughing Whitefish Falls . Unfortunately, the paved County Road ends and the seasonal dirt road
to the falls is not plowed. After a
short distance, our anti-skid brake alarm sounds. Since we do not have a 4-wheel drive vehicle,
we take the hint and return to the County
Road without seeing the falls. It wasn’t until we got home that I confirmed
the only way to see these falls in snow/winter conditions is by snowmobile and
snowshoe.
April - County Road to Falls
May - County Road to Falls
This is a Michigan State Park and requires a “Recreation Passport”. For information on obtaining an annual or daily pass please click on the following link:
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