Tahquamenon, Michigan, US

Upper Falls to Lower Falls (4.1 miles)

Tahquamenon Falls

Tahquamenon Falls
Photo by Sujit Kumar taken 10/06/07 @ 520 cfs

Gauge Information

Name	Range	Difficulty	Updated	Level
TAHQUAMENON RIVER NEAR PARADISE, MI
usgs-04045500	500 - 2000 cfs	IV-V	01h43m	419 cfs (rc= -0.2 )
	Probably too low for adequate depth to not 'grunge out' at lip of drops. (We can use more input on recommended flows here. Add a comment or report.) Gauge (790 sq.mi. drainage) is less than a mile upstream of listed put-in, thus very accurately indicates actual flow in this reach.

River Description

Billed as "the second largest falls east of the Mississippi" (behind Niagara, of course), and "third most voluminous vertical waterfall east of the Mississippi River, after Niagara Falls and Cohoes Falls, both in New York State", Tahquamenon Falls State Park hosts two areas of falls in what is otherwise a flatwater river. This seldom gets run because it lies 'in the middle of nowhere' (no other good whitewater rivers known within 80 miles).

Upper Falls is a wide, sheer-vertical drop (in the neighborhood of 50 feet tall and 200 feet wide) which may have been run by 'big cajones' boaters. (Most mere-mortal boaters will be content to enjoy the view of this impressive falls, and will boat only the lower falls.)

Lower Falls occurs 3.6 flatwater miles downstream.  You can put-in below the Upper Falls and paddle down to the Lower or just park-and-play at the Lower.  An island splits the river at the Lower, so routes are possible on both sides.  Behind the Lower parking lot picnic area, there are stairs down to the river.  Put in, paddle over to the island, and hike your boat to the top of the island.

Just upstream of the island there is a river wide, shallow ledge that does have a few small play waves on river left. This is also the deepest water to run the ledge if you paddle to shore and portage 50' to get above the ledge.

River-right around the island are two ledge drops of about 6 to 8 feet which land hard on bedrock, one right after the other.  Flows will need to be somewhere in excess of 1000 cfs to provide enough cushion to launch and land a good 'boof'.

River-left around the island also has two ledge drops of about 6 to 8, but they are seperated by about 200 feet. The first is a 6' river wide ledge that can be run in more than one place. The best run is probably on the right side where the ledge comes to a slight point.  If you go off the point, you end up far enough out from the hole that you don't get sucked back in.  This is a nice boof drop, though at lower levels the water above the drop can be shallow.

The second ledge is more fun. You run to the left of the second small island by the falls viewing platform. You can also run the second ledge to the right of the small island, but it is shallow. To the left of the small island, the river narrows and there is kind-of-a-tongue on the right. No boof is needed here as the water just washes you through.  Below this ledge there are some shallows that you have to pick and bump through, but then paddle over to the row boat landing on the island and do it all again.

This reach is usually runnable from May 1 thru about mid-July. Be warned though, that the bugs are vicious from about mid-May to mid-June. The park is pretty empty at this time of year because of the mosquitos and black flies. Wear full gear with gloves. You'll be sorry if you wear shorts!  The water is up other times of the year, though frozen in winter.

 
Note: The listed coordinates (Lat/Lng) for the put-in above Upper Falls is intentionally incorrect. It reflects the parking area for the Upper Falls (rather than the actual put-in location), so that the automatic mapping features (shuttle route) work correctly. Follow signage and paths from the parking to the falls.