Upper Falls

Amnicon Falls #2, Wisconsin

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

I am a bit surprised I haven’t already posted about this waterfall along the Amnicon River in Amnicon Falls State Park. I think it may be due to the way I named it on my photo site. It’s a smaller waterfall, but I’ll still mention it nonetheless.

Amnicon Falls State Park is one of those locations that is just plain enjoyable to explore. You’ll find a surprising number of waterfalls in the park: Upper Falls, Lower Falls, Amnicon Falls #1 and #3, Snake Pit Falls, and Now and Then Falls. You’ll find these along different trails. Amnicon Falls #2 is just another of the falls you’ll find!  And while you’re in the area, also check out Pattison State Park, where you’ll find Big Manitou Falls and Little Manitou Falls.

Directions:

  1. From Duluth/Superior, head east on US-2.
  2. Just after the intersection of US-2 with WI-53, you’ll notice a sign indicating that Amnicon Falls State Park is coming very soon.
  3. At the sign indicating the park, turn left onto County Road U.
  4. After a very short distance on County Road U, you will find the entrance for the state park. Stop and purchase a day pass if you need one. The ranger at the visitor’s center was extremely helpful at directing me to the falls and telling me how to get to Pattison State Park.
  5. Right near the visitor center, you can head right down a rather narrow park road to the end of the road, where you’ll find a parking area just a few feet from the river. Head upstream to find the unnamed falls.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy, more for the confusing loop of trails than anything else)
Length of Hike: 0.5 miles or so (can be longer)
Height: 6′

Amnicon Falls #2 in May 2010

Where in the World is Amnicon Falls #2?

Advertisement

Upper Falls, Wisconsin

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

I’ve always wished people could become a little bit more creative when naming waterfalls. Upper Falls does clearly describe that is a waterfall further upstream along the Amnicon River, but it’s just not that exciting from a naming perspective! Even “Upper Amnicon Falls” would provide more information about where it’s located, and it could probably be referred to that way! There is the equally as exciting Lower Falls, which is actually pretty cool (as is Upper Falls). If you’re in the same park, there are two falls that were better named, Snake Pit Falls and Now and Then Falls. And then there are other drops that I don’t know if they really have a name, so I’ve called them #1, #2, and #3.

I mention these to indicate what you really get when you visit Amnicon Falls State Park is at least 7 waterfalls! Upper Falls is pretty neat, but you have to take all of them together to appreciate them. It’s a very nice park, and if I had family there, I would totally be taking them there all of the time. It’s really fun to explore all of the trails to find even more falls, even though they aren’t particularly tall. (Upper Falls maybe clocks in at 15′ or so…) And if this doesn’t excite you, don’t forget Big Manitou and Little Manitou Falls aren’t that far away (in Pattison State Park). (Big Manitou clocks in at 165′ tall.)

Directions:

  1. From Duluth/Superior, head east on US-2.
  2. Just after the intersection of US-2 with WI-53, you’ll notice a sign indicating that Amnicon Falls State Park is coming very soon.
  3. At the sign indicating the park, turn left onto County Road U.
  4. After a very short distance on County Road U, you will find the entrance for the state park. Stop and purchase a day pass if you need one. The ranger at the visitor’s center was extremely helpful at directing me to the falls and telling me how to get to Pattison State Park.
  5. Right near the visitor center, you can head right down a rather narrow park road to the end. You’ll see Lower Falls, and then you can head upstream to see Upper Falls.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 15′
Length of Hike: negligible

Upper Falls in May 2010

Where in the World is Upper Falls?

Snake Pit Falls, Wisconsin

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

Northern Wisconsin has a number of great waterfalls, and if you’re looking to see a whole bunch in a single hike, then head to Amnicon Falls State Park (which is not that far from Pattison State Park, which contains Big and Little Manitou Falls). Inside Amnicon Falls State Park, there are the not-so-creatively named Upper and Lower Falls, along with other falls along the river (#1 and #3 have been posted). The waterfall with the coolest name, by far, is Snake Pit Falls, and it is a really beautiful waterfall also.

While it does require a little bit of exploring the loop trail, Snake Pit Falls is clearly marked with a sign. It’s hard to say how tall this portion of the falls is. After searching around on the internet, I later discovered there is another drop a few feet after the one shown below. I may have photographed the lower drop during the exploration, but I didn’t seem to notice both drops at the same time. The total drop is somewhere around 20′. I found this particular drop to be very scenic. Each of the drops along the Amnicon River seems to have its own distinct features. It doesn’t look like a series of continuous rapids that blend together over time. I’m guessing the falls flow year-round, except in extremely dry conditions. It had literally just snowed minutes before, lending a certain chilly but appropriate ambiance to the falls.

Directions:

  1. From Duluth/Superior, head east on US-2.
  2. Just after the intersection of US-2 with WI-53, you’ll notice a sign indicating that Amnicon Falls State Park is coming very soon.
  3. At the sign indicating the park, turn left onto County Road U.
  4. After a very short distance on County Road U, you will find the entrance for the state park. Stop and purchase a day pass if you need one. The ranger at the visitor’s center was extremely helpful at directing me to the falls and telling me how to get to Pattison State Park.
  5. Right near the visitor center, you can head right down a rather narrow park road to the end of the road, where you’ll find a parking area just a few feet from the start of the loop trail.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 20′
Length of Hike: 0.2 miles round-trip

Snake Pit Falls in May 2010

Where in the World is Snake Pit Falls?

Upper Falls, Minnesota

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

Some waterfall names are just not that creative. Upper Falls is one such example, and the name really hides that fact that it’s a really cool waterfall. To add to the naming issues, the waterfall upstream is known as the Devil’s Kettle, and that just has to be one of the best waterfall names.

Both waterfalls are found on the Brule River in Judge C.R. Magney State Park. It’s a really beautiful, enjoyable hike to the falls. (I have to admit there were very few Minnesota North Shore waterfalls I didn’t enjoy.) The Devil’s Kettle gets more attention because the water disappears into a hole, and nobody seems to be able to figure out where it ends up. I personally think, though, that Upper Falls was more interesting. There were numerous trees blocking the view at the Devil’s Kettle, whereas it was a much more open view at Upper Falls. I visited in early May, and the falls were really flowing very well due to the recent snow melt. It was a spectacular time to visit the parks, as they weren’t at their busiest. In the future, I would like to visit the North Shore again in the fall when the trees are changing colors.

Directions:

  1. From MN-61 along the North Shore, you’ll be looking for Judge C.R. Magney State Park.
  2. Once you find the state park, you’ll turn left (if you’re heading north) into an entrance that winds a short ways to a parking area for the falls.
  3. From there, there’s about a 1 mile hike one-way to the two falls.

Accessibility: 6/10 (moderately steep in a few sections and a lot of stairs near the end)
Height: 30′
Length of Hike: 2.2 miles round-trip

Upper Falls in May 2010

Where in the World is Upper Falls?

Amnicon Falls #3, Wisconsin

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

There are at least four named waterfalls in Amnicon Falls State Park, but there are numerous other waterfalls along the various rivers and creeks meandering there. One of those waterfalls is described here. The main set of named waterfalls (including Upper and Lower Falls) is not difficult to visit, but some of the other falls in the park are a little more “hidden.”

By “hidden”, I mean that they may not be marked, and it may take just a little bit of exploring to find them. On the day I visited in May, it was actually snowing and was surprisingly chilly, but I put up with the cold to find these falls. This particular falls might be easier to identify because it appears as if there are the remnants of an old bridge on either side of the falls. I believe the falls are near Snake Pit Falls, so look around there if you are unsure. It’s a really great state park to explore.

Directions:

  1. From Duluth/Superior, head east on US-2.
  2. Just after the intersection of US-2 with WI-53, you’ll notice a sign indicating that Amnicon Falls State Park is coming very soon.
  3. At the sign indicating the park, turn left onto County Road U.
  4. After a very short distance on County Road U, you will find the entrance for the state park. Stop and purchase a day pass if you need one. The ranger at the visitor’s center was extremely helpful at directing me to the falls and telling me how to get to Pattison State Park.
  5. Right near the visitor center, you can head right down a rather narrow park road to the end of the road, where you’ll find a parking area just a few feet from the river. Head upstream to find the unnamed falls.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy, more for the confusing loop of trails than anything else)
Height: 6′
Length of Hike: 0.3 miles round-trip

A waterfall in Amnicon Falls State Park in May 2010

Where in the World is Amnicon Falls #3?

Amnicon Falls #1, Wisconsin

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

All of the different waterfalls in Amnicon Falls State Park are rather complex to explain. For a smaller park, there is a lot of exploring to do. As you circle around, you’ll be surprised at how many falls you can find hidden around unexpected bends. On the Amnicon River, there are a number of named falls, including Upper Falls, Lower Falls, and Snake Pit Falls. Upstream of these falls are many unnamed drops. This falls is one of them.

None of the upstream drops are significantly big, though they are often very photogenic. When I visited in mid-May, it was rather chilly outside, and it was snowing on-and-off. Even though spring had arrived, there wasn’t a significant amount of water flowing in the river. At the right time, the river might be raging.

Directions:

  1. From Duluth/Superior, head east on US-2.
  2. Just after the intersection of US-2 with WI-53, you’ll notice a sign indicating that Amnicon Falls State Park is coming very soon.
  3. At the sign indicating the park, turn left onto County Road U.
  4. After a very short distance on County Road U, you will find the entrance for the state park. Stop and purchase a day pass if you need one. The ranger at the visitor’s center was extremely helpful at directing me to the falls and telling me how to get to Pattison State Park.
  5. Right near the visitor center, you can head right down a rather narrow park road to the end of the road, where you’ll find a parking area just a few feet from the river. Head upstream to find the unnamed falls.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy, more for the confusing loop of trails than anything else)
Height: 6′
Length of Hike: 0.2 miles round-trip

A waterfall on the Amnicon River in May 2010

Where in the World is Amnicon Falls #1?

Upper Gooseberry Falls, Minnesota

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

Gooseberry Falls State Park is one of the more popular state parks along the North Shore of Minnesota, and you’ll definitely want to stop and take the hike to see the falls. There are 4 great falls in the park, all very photogenic and three that are easy to visit. Only Fifth Falls requires a longer hike to view. I first visited Lower and Middle Falls and then started on the loop trail that led me to Fifth Falls. I was on the north side of the river, and did not see Upper Falls on the hike to Fifth Falls. Hiking along back on the south side of the river afforded a really great view of the falls.

You actually have to be pretty careful when viewing Upper Gooseberry Falls, as I don’t remember there being any guard rails anywhere near the falls.  In one way, that can be nice, as it doesn’t prohibit your view, and yet you still do have to be aware that there is a significant drop to the river below.

Directions:

  1. From MN-61, turn into the entrance for Gooseberry Falls State Park.
  2. Head to the parking area for the visitor’s center, where you will be able to easily access the falls. There does not appear to be a fee to enter this park.
  3. Head west on the south side of the river, pass under the bridge, and you’ll shortly arrive at Upper Falls.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 30′
Length of Hike: 0.5 miles round-trip

Upper Falls in Gooseberry Falls State Park in May 2010

Where in the World is Upper Gooseberry Falls?

Devil’s Kettle, Minnesota

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

The Devil’s Kettle in May 2010

The Devil’s Kettle is probably one of the most widely known waterfalls in Minnesota. It gets much of its popularity due to a piece of the waterfall plunging into the unknown. There is a hole in the rock where the water goes, and I guess nobody seems to be able to figure out where the water ends up.

I have to admit that while the concept is cool, the actual execution isn’t nearly as exciting. When you visit the falls, you can’t really tell that the water is disappearing anywhere. It’s just not that apparent. To me, it would almost be cooler if the water reappeared somewhere, anywhere. The waterfall is still enjoyable, I can’t deny that, but you can’t really get that close to get a better view of the Devil’s Kettle. I found the waterfall downstream, Upper Falls, to be much more intimate.

Directions:

  1. From MN-61 along the North Shore, you’ll be looking for Judge C.R. Magney State Park.
  2. Once you find the state park, you’ll turn left (if you’re heading north) into an entrance that winds a short ways to a parking area for the falls.
  3. From there, there’s about a mile hike one-way to the two falls.

Accessibility: 6/10 (moderately steep in a few sections and a lot of stairs near the end)
Height: 25′
Length of Hike: 2 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Devil’s Kettle?

Upper Falls (Genesee River), New York

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

This the furthest upstream of the three major falls on the Genesee River in Letchworth State Park. It’s not as tall as Middle Falls, though size can sometimes be deceiving.

I really think that the waterfall is very pretty, but it’s actually the things surrounding the falls that interested me, or at least made the waterfall more intriguing. First off, there is a railroad track that crosses rather far above the river. At one point, there was actually a train passing 120 feet or so above the river. You can actually walk to the railroad track, though there’s no way I would get on the track.

Also, while most of the snow had melted by the time we arrived in early May, there was some snow that was left over. It looked very odd near the waterfall, and created this intriguing view that I can’t really describe very well. The snow looked sort of dirty, but it was melting and creating its own little “waterfalls”.

There is another waterfall that is directly to the right of Upper Falls that comes from a stream that flows into the Genesee River. It’s the second portion of Shadow Cascade.

Directions:

  1. I can’t remember which entrance we entered from, but those of off NY-39 are the best choices.
  2. When you enter the park, there will be signs leading to different areas. Find the signs leading to Middle and Upper Falls. I believe you will be heading south as you head toward these falls.
  3. The parking area for the falls is very near the southern entrance to the park. You will know you are in the right place when you see a functioning inn.
  4. From the parking area, you’ll have no difficulty finding Upper Falls.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 71′
Length of Hike: 0.4 miles round-trip

Upper Falls in May 2009

Where in the World is Upper Falls?

Middle Canyon Falls, Michigan

/ waterfallrecord / Leave a comment

There’s not an official name for this watefall, but this waterfall is found between Canyon Falls and Lower Canyon Falls, so I’ve decided to call it Middle Canyon Falls. This waterfall is probably not noticed by many people. I’m thinking most people end up visiting just Canyon Falls, with a few people exploring beyond to find Lower Canyon Falls. On the way to Lower Canyon Falls, you can listen for this smaller waterfall, though it can be easy to miss. I found that it was easier to look for the falls on the return hike when you’re looking more directly at the river. It is also easier to find the best viewpoint for pictures on the way back.

Directions:

  1. If you’re heading north on US-41 toward L’Anse and Baraga, the roadside park leading to Canyon Falls and the others will be on your left.
  2. Pull into the roadside area and park.
  3. The trail to the falls is very clearly labeled.
  4. As you walk along the trail, you’ll first pass some smaller drops, and then you’ll come to Canyon Falls.
  5. It might not appear like you can continue on, but continue on the trail to Middle and Lower Canyon Falls.

Accessibility: 7/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 8′
Length of Hike: 1.6 miles round-trip

Middle Canyon Falls in May 2009

Where in the World is Middle Canyon Falls?