Photo: Wpwatchdog · CC BY-SA 3.0Upper Tahquamenon Falls
Worth the drive
Is it plungeworthy?
A block on Tahquamenon River.
The details
- Type
- Block
- Watercourse
- Tahquamenon River
- Coordinates
- 46.57484, -85.25665
About Upper Tahquamenon Falls
Upper Tahquamenon Falls is a 48-foot block in Michigan, on Tahquamenon River.
It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.
Plungeworthy rates Upper Tahquamenon Falls 7.5/10 — worth the drive. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.
What you'll find
The Root Beer Falls: 48 feet tall, 200 feet wide, stained amber by cedar-swamp tannins — one of the biggest waterfalls east of the Mississippi by volume, hitting 50,000 gallons a second in spring melt. There's a brewery at the trailhead, because the Upper Peninsula understands hospitality.
Getting there
- Trailhead
- Upper Falls day-use area, Tahquamenon Falls State Park, M-123 near Paradise
- Parking
- Large paved lot
- Road
- Paved M-123
- Hike
- 0.3 mi round trip (easy — 1,100-foot accessible boardwalk)
- Heads up
- Free track chair available by reservation; the River Trail runs four miles downstream to the Lower Falls.
When to go
April–May melt for the full 50,000-gallon show; October wraps it in color; winter turns the amber to bronze ice.
Rules & fees
- Fee / pass
- Michigan Recreation Passport per vehicle
- Dogs
- Leashed, 6-foot max
- Hours
- 8am–10pm
- Camping
- Park campgrounds by reservation
- Warnings
- No swimming — the current under the tannin is all business.
Researched from Wikipedia — Tahquamenon Falls · Michigan.org — Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Upper Tahquamenon 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.
Common questions
How tall is Upper Tahquamenon Falls?
Upper Tahquamenon Falls drops about 48 feet, in Michigan.
Where is Upper Tahquamenon Falls?
Upper Tahquamenon Falls is a waterfall in Michigan, at 46.57484, -85.25665.
Is Upper Tahquamenon Falls worth visiting?
Worth the drive — Plungeworthy rates it 7.5/10.
Gear for the trip
As an Amazon Associate, Plungeworthy earns from qualifying purchases.
