No, not those Falls!
Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
Since I lived in Michigan for almost thirty years, I knew that Tahquamenon Falls were “up there” but I didn’t know much of anything about them, other than people said they were pretty spectacular. I am here to say that they are, indeed, remarkable.
For one thing, there are two sets of falls – the Upper Falls and the Lower Falls. The Upper Falls has one big drop, and the Lower Falls has five drops that cascade around an island. They have boats available for rent that you can row across a lagoon to the island and then hike around to see all the falls up close and personal. I satisfied myself with a stroll along the top.
Another feature of these waterfalls is that the water is actually brown. The brown color comes from the tannins that leach from the cedars in the swamps surrounding the river.
Furthermore, there are mounds of naturally occurring suds in the river beyond the falls. This happens as a result of the soft water, the aeration caused by the falls and naturally occurring lignin proteins found in decaying organic matter, if I understand correctly. At least, that is what the sign said.
On the day I visited, the river was flowing at 4,751 gallons per second. Just for the sake of comparison, Niagara Falls flow rate is about 150,000 gallons per second. Still, this was pretty impressive for a relatively small river.
The rock that the river flows over is sandstone. There are a couple different types of sandstone, one is harder than the other. At one spot, they point out fossilized ripples from the floor of an ancient ocean that used to be here.
I didn’t actually go down to the edge of the river due to the unwanted attentions of Michigan’s second state bird, the mosquito. If I kept moving, they kind of trailed behind me like a cloud. When I would stop to take a picture, or to admire the view, they would catch up and swarm around me. It was so remarkable that people along the trail told me that they saw it happening. I was dressed in protective clothing and had bug repellant and I don’t think I got one bite while I was at the falls. However, it wasn’t pleasant.
I stopped and spoke with a ranger at the Fact Shack near the Upper Falls. She was displaying a Lamprey Eel that that took from the river at the base of the Lower Falls. It is an invasive species that is native to the Atlantic Ocean. It’s now found in all of the Great Lakes – and the Tahquamenon River. It attaches itself to a host fish with its suction cup mouth until it eventually kills the host fish. This one was posing for its close up. Those teeth look fearsome.
One thing that I appreciated about the trails to the river’s edge, especially around the Upper Falls, was that they told you how far down it was from the trail. Personally, I would appreciate warning signs like this in all areas of life. Who wouldn’t want to know how close to the edge they are?
Those were very interesting falls.
That eel however can stay far away from here.
God bless.
Great post. Great info. I’ve only been “up there” (Marquette) taking my TC training. Didn’t do a geography road trip to the falls though..we should have. I did experience the mosquito swans however.
I’m with you…the number of steps to the brink should be posted in all areas of life, not just a river’s edge. 🙂 That lamprey eel is bizarre! I did not realize they had made their way into Great Lakes area.
Very educational post! That eel looks like a smaller version of the sand worm in the movie, “Dune” – bad!
I am really a bit freaked out that the Lamprey Eel has found itself up a rather smallish rivers with falls in it, no less! I’m not sure I want to go into the water. At least, I won’t be going into Lake Superior. 47º is not my cup of tea!
We should have done a geography road trip. This is a fascinating area. The mining history is so visible. Not much has come to cover it over.
Thanks for the warning! “Dune” is now off the Movies I Will See list.
“Naturally occurring suds.”
That “water” looks like root beer, so I guess it’s “natural” that it should have a foamy head on it.
That said, looks like it was a fun visit!
Hmm… No wonder I wanted a root beer float afterwards!
Thanks for the explanation of the foam — when it occurs around here it often has a thicker orange part on the tops or edges. Always thought it was yucky pollution.
My mom and I are looking forward to when you arrive in the DC area. Have you been here before? Have you got a list of things you want to see?
We have Great Falls and Little Falls on the Potomac. Not sure where the latter is, but Great Falls is worth taking the time to see – from parks on both sides of the river.
With all the rain we’ve had, the falls may be underwater! Still, if the parks aren’t closed, comparing present water levels (awesome) with high water marks from past floods can be mindblowing.
I’m looking forward to visiting you and your mother. I haven’t thought that far ahead. I had high hopes for seeing New England this summer, but it’s starting to look like that will have to wait for another year. Maybe September?
Sounds great – but if you end up getting here in October, your chances of being here for perfect weather go way up. September can have some great days but is often still hot and muggy. There are at least 2 weeks of perfect temps, clear skies, low humidity every October here, making it my favorite month of the year to be out and about.
I am still working on a schedule. I was in DC in July and August one year. That was one hot and sticky summer!
That eel gave me the willies! I got less enthused about going into the water after that. But, at least the Great Lakes are shark-free and unsalted.