Days 5 and 6 of our 2020 Michigan Road Trip we spent around Tahquamenon Falls. We wanted to come here because it looked neat and was near some things we wanted to do (the train and Soo Locks), and it was so nice we ended up spending all of our time here! The falls were beautiful, the campground was within walking distance of everything, and we were so happy to camp more than just one night in the same place. If you have time to stay here during your Upper Michigan road trip, I’d highy recommend it!

About Tahquamenon Falls

Tahquamenon (pronounced Tah-kwa-me-non) Falls State Park is home to two big waterfalls, the Upper and Lower Tahquamenon Falls, along with many lakes and trails and activities. They are famous for being the largest waterfalls in Michigan, the Upper being one of the largest in eastern North America, and for their amber brown color, which comes from the tannins that leach into the water from the plants and bark of the cedar and hemlock swamps upriver. The two falls are about 4 miles apart and each have their own parking lot and campground, and trails connecting the two. For more info and pictures about the falls, see UpTravel.com’s Tahquamenon Falls article. For maps of the area and trails, see the Shore Line Visitor Guide’s site. You will need a Michigan Recreation Passport to enter, see here for more info.

Where To Stay

Tahquamenon Falls Portage Campground

There are two Campgrounds at Tahquamenon Falls State Park, both at the Lower Falls. The Portage campground is closer to the falls (within easy walking distance) so we stayed here. The Hemlock campground is a little further away and you can either take the .7 mile trail or short drive to the falls. Book your site using Michigan DNR Reservations.

We loved the Tahquamenon Falls Portage campground! Mostly because it was very close to the Lower Falls – with our 2 and 4 year olds we could easily walk there (although it was far enough we had to keep the walk back in mind – being pregnant I couldn’t really carry a kid back). It was a nice campground with bathrooms, a playground the kids loved, and bigger lots – we were surrounded by huge motorhomes but still had enough room. Note: this was the first time we’d seen several sites share a hookup and actually had to buy an extension cord to reach it. There is no camp store, but a quarter mile up the road is Gene’s Tahquamenon General Store with firewood, gas, and food (and extension cords) – you might want to stop there on your way in. This was the perfect place to spend 2-4 nights! There were lots of trails and exploring and playing in the water.

What To Do With Little Kids at Tahquamenon Falls

We spent 2 days in the Tahquamenon Falls area. The first day we left Mackinac Island on the 9am ferry, restocked on groceries in St. Ignace, then drove 1 hour to the Tahquamenon Falls Trolley for the 12:30 train ride, before continuing on for another 1 hour to the Falls. If you are interested in other options for what to do/see on your way to the falls, check out these links:

Tahquamenon Falls Train (aka Toonerville Trolley)

The Tahquamenon Falls Train & Riverboat Tours has been around since 1927! Also known as the Toonerville Trolley Train, at the time we went there was a 2 hour train ride only option we thought our boys would like. We bought tickets ahead of time and were glad we did because the train was full (this was in August). This is what the train ride mostly looked like – that tiny black dot in the back is a bear.

The train was super cute and the ride was fun, the boys liked it, but 2 hours was pretty long for the kids. They take you all the way to the river, where you get out and have a little break with snacks and toys for the kids while they switch the train around, then train you all the way back.

The scenery was not exactly beautiful, there was a lot of swamp and dead areas from fire, the seats were hard, and I expected more information about what we were seeing but there was no audio. We lucked out in that it was overcast and cool that day, I could imagine it getting hot and miserable (for having little kids on a longish train ride). We did see a bear though! (We suspect they feed them, hah – it looked like he was eating something on the tracks). It would have been beautiful to do this later for the fall colors.

Next we found our campsite at the Lower Falls. Originally we were going to set up camp and do the Lower Falls and rowboat adventure, but it was pouring rain so we decided to do the Upper Falls instead, which was just hiking and viewing and could be done in the rain. So we stopped at Gene’s Tahquamenon General Store a quarter mile up the road for gas and firewood, then went to the Upper Falls. It actually stopped raining by the time we got there and we had a wonderful time!

Upper Falls

The Upper Tahquamenon Falls is Michigan’s largest waterfalls and one of the largest in the US east of the Mississippi. It is almost 200 feet across and 50 feet high, and up to 50,000 gallons of water flow down the falls every second!

It’s an easy 1/3 mile ADA accessible paved and boardwalk path from the parking lot to get to the upper viewing area, and 94 steps down after that to get up close to the falls. By the parking lot there are restrooms, a gift shop, and a brewery. The gift store was very nice, we found some awesome dinosaur placemats. Interestingly there was no visitor center at either falls, so we never got to learn much about them.

(Map clipping courtesy of Shoreline Visitors Guide)

On the way back to the van we took the .8 mile Nature Trail. It’s a lovely little dirt trail that parallels the main paved path to the parking lot (highlighted in yellow in the pic). It was relatively flat and great for little kids!

 

Finally we went back to the campsite to set up camp and have dinner, now that is was NOT raining (and didn’t rain again the rest of our two night stay). This was the first night we put up the screen and lights and it was lovely. The screen is from a screened in tent room we had and it fit almost perfectly. We didn’t really need it because the bugs weren’t out, but the boys loved playing there, and it gave the van an extra cozy feel!

So, day 2 at Tahquamenon Falls we woke up, had breakfast, I took the kids to the camp playground while my husband cleaned up, and then we headed down the short trail to the Lower Falls!

Lower Falls

Lower Tahquamenon Falls is actually about 5 small falls surrounding an island, with trails, rowboats, wading, and more. You can get to the falls from the parking lot or campground by taking the footpath/boardwalk to the viewing areas, and then to the island even get to the island by renting a rowboat (between Memorial Day and Labor Day) or taking the bridge (new as of 2022, after we visited). At some points the river is shallow enough to walk through and get right up to the falls, so bring your wading clothes and water shoes, it is really fun! Near the parking lot is a huge picnic area, restrooms, and a concession store.

Row Boat To The Island

You can rent a rowboat (and lifejackets) to get to the island at Lower Falls between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The section of water you cross is very calm and it appeared no experience was required, by the way some people’s boats were behaving. You don’t have to go straight across and can toodle about all your want. There is a little place to dock your boat which will be there when you are ready to go back. This was my favorite part (because I wasn’t the one rowing, hah)! I do believe it is cash only, but there is an ATM.

Or, Take The Bridge to the Island

As of 2022 there is now a footbridge to the island at Lower Falls! In order to make the island accessible to all, they put in a 142 foot long aluminum bridge that was brought in by helicopter in 4 pieces! I’m kind of sad we missed it, but also glad because it forced us to use the rowboat which really added to the fun and adventure of our visit. For pictures of the installations see Michigan Radio’s article, and for more info see Travel The Mitten’s article. I believe it’s ADA accessible, and about a 10 minute walk from the parking lot with several views of the falls along the way.

Play In The Lower Falls

You are allowed to play in the water! We took the trail to the right and waded in right away, because that’s what everyone else was doing, but it turns out there are places all around the island to go in and get near its multiple falls. So if you start around the island to the right, the first falls are mostly on rock and quite slippery, although there is sand further downstream. If you keep going up the trail to the second falls, there is better footing and lots of room to cross the river, and a cute tiny island to play on. If you keep going around the trail to the opposite side of the island, there are bigger taller falls that you can stand under and climb on top! (See the pic above). Having little kids, we stuck to the first two sets of falls and kind of creek walked upstream. The boys loved this part, but being 2 and 4 definitely needed to hold our hands. If you plan on going in the water, wear shorts or pants that are easily rolled up, and a bag for your shoes! And maybe a towel for when you get out and need to dry off.

Walk The Island Trail

The 5 acre island has a half mile trail around the perimeter that is short and kid friendly. We walked in the water first, then then continued our “hike” around the island on the path. There are multiple good spots to get in the water from the trail or just sit and watch the river. It was a fun little hike that was just long enough for our 2 and 4 year old, although they didn’t think it was very exciting after playing in the river.

At some point we had lunch…I cannot remember if we ate it on the island, at the picnic tables by the parking lot, or went back to camp. But after the island adventure we did go back to camp to attempt naps for the boys. However, the van was not dark enough for them to fall asleep, so that failed, but I did get my daily afternoon rest I need while pregnant.

Walk the Boardwalk at Lower Falls to more Viewpoints and Trails

In the afternoon we walked back to the Lower Falls to “hike” the boardwalk and surrounding trails. If you continue past the boats area, it turns into a long wood boardwalk that takes you to another viewing area, and then other trails beyond that, I think all the way to Upper Falls although it’s pretty far. There are no loop trails short enough for our 2 and 4 year olds, but they loved running on the fenced boardwalk, and on the way back we explored a ways down the trail going to the other campground. Here is a map of the trails:

Then we went back to camp for dinner and a campfire! It was such a cozy little campsite, we really enjoyed it, and especially loved spending more than one night in the same place!

Runners Up

Here are some other activities that we considered but were unable to fit in. I include them in case you’re interested!

Castle Rock, St. Ignace

On the drive from Mackinac Island to Tahquamenon Falls we stopped at the Trolley Train, but if we’d had time we could have first stopped at Castle Rock just outside of St. Ignace. There are stairs and views, and I’m always on the lookout for views. It a lot of stairs to get 195 feet above the water on a big rock, one of the oldest lookout points in the area. Fore more info see the website or the TripAdvisor site for reviews.

Oswald Bear Ranch

Many people mentioned visiting the Oswald Bear Ranch on the way to or from the Falls. It is a local bear rescure and looks really neat.

Early Morning Hike To The Falls

I read somewhere the recommendation to take an early morning walk to the falls to see the soft light illuminating them. It sounded like a nice idea but in the end I needed my sleep.

Whitefish Point

Whitefish Point is about a half hour drive northeast of Tahquamenon Falls and marks the eastern end of the notorious 80-mile stretch of northern shoreline from the point on west to Munising, known as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast. There is a lighthouse with amazing views (that little kids cannot go up, I read), a shipwreck museum, tons of Michigan history, a beautiful rock beach, and a bird observatory. All the reviews say it’s worth the drive to see it, but it’s not really on the way to anywhere so we did not stop. Click here for more info. If you do go this way, I read a suggestion to stop in Paradise at Brown Fisheries Fish House for fresh fish caught within hours of being on your plate! It’s about 15 minutes from Tahquamenon so you could just go there for dinner!

Soo Locks

The Soo Locks at Sault Ste. Marie is a canal with gates at each end used to raise and lower boats the 21 foot difference between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, bypassing the rapids of the river and allowing freighters over 1,000 feet long to pass all the way from Minnesota to the Atlantic Ocean. Also called the “Linchpin of the Great Lakes”, the locks pass about 10,000 ships per year, even though it’s closed January through March due to ice. It is a famous piece of engineering whose start dates back to the mid-1800s. Founded in 1668, Sault Ste. Marie itself is the oldest city in Michigan and third oldest in America! Also, you can see Canada from there!

We had originally planned on Day 2 driving the 1 hr 15 min to the Soo Locks in the morning, see the ships, have lunch there, let the kids take car naps on the way back, and see the other falls in the afternoon. However, once we set up camp we didn’t feel like uprooting the van to drive there and back, and wanted to spend all day at the falls. However, if you are more mobile and have kids that love ships, this is a must-see! Awesome Mitten has a really good post about their adventure there.

To make sure you see a freighter while you’re there, here are some resources:

  • Soo Locks Visitors Center (SLCV) – call 906-202-1333 for an estimated freighter schedule for boats that are three hours out
  • Soo Locks Boat Schedule Hotline – call 906-253-9290 for estimated vessel arrival times between 9 a.m. -9 p.m.
  • Sault Convention & Visitor’s Bureau – call (906) 632-3366 estimates on when freighters are passing, open 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday-Friday.
  • VesselNerd – reports past boats, use it to figure out what ship you saw, and to predict future ship timing
  • Maintraffic.com – uses satellite trackers to tell you boat locations, they also have an app; for more about using the site see Finding Freighters Sault Ste. Marie
  • VesselTracker.com’s Sault Ste. Marie page – for vessel tracking and info

I had a hard time finding info about visiting Sault Ste. Marie with little kids, but here’s a list of possible activities that I tracked down:

  • Visitors Center & observation deck – learn how the locks work, get an app that tracks when freighters will arrive
  • Shipwreck Historical Society
  • SS Valley Camp – museum in a boat and aquarium
  • Antlers Restaurant – over 200 animal mounts
  • Downtown shopping
  • Boardwalk – in city’s downtown, observation, views
  • Mill Market – farmers market near the boardwalk
  • Rotary Park – watching fishing, freighters coming in, playground
  • Bellevue Park – tons of playgrounds and paths and greenhouse
  • Tower of History – view the city, MI, and Ontario

Itinerary

Here’s what we did, in case you want the short version:

  • Day 5
    • (We woke up on Mackinac Island)
    • 8 breakfast at coffee shop
    • 9 Ferry from Mackinac Island to St. Ignace
    • 10 Groceries in St. Ignace on the way out
    • 11 Drive to the Trolley Train (1 hr)
    • 12 eat lunch in the van when we got there
    • 1215-230 Trolley ride
    • 230 drive 1 hr to Tahquamenon Falls, stop for gas, kids take naps in the can
    • Upper Falls
    • Nature Trail
    • Set up camp at Tahquamenon Campground, Lower Portage
  • Day 6
    • Breakfast at campsite and playground
    • Lower Falls, rowboat adventure, riverwalk, island trail
    • Lunch and nap at camp
    • Afternoon – boardwalk and trail hike at Lower Falls
    • Dinner at campsite
    • Stay overnight at Tahquamenon Campground again

Conclusion

Overall we loved Tahquamenon Falls, especially the Lower Falls for wading and short hikes with little kids. The rowboat and river wading were so much fun! We loved that the campgrounds were right by the Lower Falls (not a short drive away like other parks). The only thing I didn’t like was how confusing the maps were about where food, the camp store, grocery, and resources were – so just make sure to do your research ahead of time if you think you’ll need to stop for something. I hope you visit Tahquamenon Falls, it was definitely worth our time!

If you want some more ideas about taking kids to Tahquamenon Falls, check out these blog posts I found:

The next day we continued on to Grand Marais, the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and Munising!

For the next post in this series, click here: Munising and the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore with Little Kids.

For the previous post in this series, click here: One Day on Mackinac Island with Little Kids.