Big Manitou Falls

One for the list

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A waterfall on Black River.

Scale12/60

Documentation15/20

Character8/20

The details

Watercourse: Black River
Coordinates: 46.53627, -92.12214

Get directions →

About Big Manitou Falls

Big Manitou Falls is a waterfall in Wisconsin, on Black River.

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

Plungeworthy rates Big Manitou Falls 3.5/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

Wisconsin's tallest anything-that-falls: 165 feet of the Black River roaring off the Douglas Fault — taller than Niagara, reached through a pedestrian tunnel under the highway to accessible overlooks on both rims.

Getting there

Trailhead: Interfalls Lake day-use area, Pattison State Park, WI-35 south of Superior
Parking: Main park lot
Road: Paved
Hike: 0.5 mi round trip (easy — overlook path; the River Trail spur drops steeply to river level)
Heads up: The tunnel under Hwy 35 is the secret handshake; overlooks line both banks.

When to go

April–May melt for the full 165-foot show; winter ice draws photographers to the rim.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: WI vehicle admission — $13/day resident, $16 non-resident (annual $28/$50)
Dogs: Leashed, 8-foot max
Hours: 6am–11pm year-round
Camping: 59-site campground plus walk-in sites
Warnings: Steep unfenced slopes past the overlooks; the river below moves faster than it looks.

Researched from WI DNR — Pattison State Park · Wikipedia — Big Manitou Falls. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Big Manitou 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.