Miners Falls

Worth a detour

Is it plungeworthy?

35feet tall

A horsetail on Miners River.

Scale38/60

Documentation15/20

Character14/20

The details

Type: Horsetail
Watercourse: Miners River
Coordinates: 46.47465, -86.53139

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About Miners Falls

Miners Falls is a 35-foot horsetail in Michigan, on Miners River.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Miners Falls 6.7/10 — worth a detour. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Fifty feet of Miners River punching through a sandstone notch in the Pictured Rocks backcountry — a rolling gravel walk, 64 steps down, and the spray in your face. Spring wildflowers line the trail; fall sets it on fire.

Getting there

Trailhead: Miners Falls trailhead, off Miners Castle Road (H-11), northeast of Munising
Parking: Small lot — rigs over 32 feet shouldn't try
Road: Paved; closed to cars December–March (snowmobile country)
Hike: 1.2 mi round trip (moderate — gentle path, then the staircase)
Heads up: Upper and lower overlooks; pair with Miners Castle down the same road.

When to go

Spring for flow and wildflowers, fall for color; winter access is ski or snowshoe only.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: Pictured Rocks entrance fee — $25/vehicle, card only
Dogs: Leashed — one of the few Pictured Rocks trails that allows them
Camping: Little Beaver Lake Campground (NPS)
Warnings: The 64 steps polish slick with spray and ice.

Researched from NPS — Miners Falls · NPS — Pictured Rocks pets. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Miners Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.