Hungarian Falls on Dover Creek

Tamarack's famous chain of waterfalls

Huge lower falls
  • Sun above the uppermost drop
  • Paths along the basin
  • An impressive mossy wall
  • Looking up at the towering lower drop
  • Cathedrals of ice
  • Snowy chute below the dam
  • Wooden bridge over the old trestle
  • Over full flowing upper drop
  • Falls beyond the foamy reservior
  • Foamy chute emptying the dam
  • Overflow chute to the side
  • Brown curtain plunging down the bowl
  • Tall falls to the side
  • Upper falls on the side
  • Barren valley below
  • Huge lower falls
  • Lower Hungarian Falls and rapids

Extending northwest from Tamarack and creating a huge sandstone gorge, Hungarian Falls is one of the most well-known waterfalls of the Keweenaw for locals and college students alike. There are around six or seven drops in all along the tiny Dover Creek, though most people consider the lowermost drop - a stunning plunge close to a sixty feet high - the primary waterfall. The width and scale of this waterfall is hard to grasp with limited views along the gorge wall and a trickling waterflow for most of the year.

Above the main waterfall there are a variety of drops, from small stairs to other direct plunges over sandstone. Far upstream, past the small reservior, there is a unique waterfall composed of craggy volcanic rocks, the only non-sandstone drop on Dover Creek. This upper drop has good flow for most of the year while the lower drops are best visited during the spring, when the reservoir is overwhelmed by the snowmelt.

Directions

Turn west onto 6th Street (which forks left onto Golf Course Road on its way out of town). The easiest path starts about .5 miles up Golf Course Road at a gated drive. Park here and head to the reservior. The upper falls will be to the right, upstream, while all of the other falls are along the paths to the left. The paths are a bit confusing, weaving and forking around the creek, so just try to keep a close eye on the creek to not miss any of the waterfalls.

Comments (13)

  • Adam Zawisza May 4, '09 I should have gone when you did. I went one week before you and I got stuck in a snow bank. Its nice to see what I was missingAdd to this discussion
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  • Shane Sep 1, '14 Jacob, not sure if you have been back to Hungarian much other than the linked visits above, but if you get a chance this autumn there is plenty of water to give these falls some great flows. Even the adjacent side falls on the unnamed? creek that runs into Dover from the south was running. This usually seasonal falls came as a complete (albeit exciting) surprise to me as we hiked up Dover Creek to get a better look at the lower falls. (Imagine going in to get a great view of a 50 foot waterfall and unexpectedly coming upon one that is probably in the 70+ foot range.) Again, not sure if you already know about this side falls, but feel free to ask for more information/pictures if you want.
    • Jacob Emerick Sep 3, '14 Great to hear that the water is flowing better - usually its a bare trickle at this time of year. Think I found that side falls on a spring hike (that I haven't gotten up on the journal yet), never approached it from the bottom though. That must have been a heck of a view from the bottom! That drop does seem much taller, plus the huge scoop out of the side wall is a nice change from the sheer cliff of the main falls. Where did you head down to the creek - like, how far downstream were you when you first went down the gorge?
    • Shane Sep 3, '14 On the trail that runs along the top of the gorge on the north side between the RR grade and lower falls "overlook," there is a side trail that branches off to go down along the gorge bank, eventually reaching the bottom. Pretty sure the trail down is closer to the RR grade, but not completely sure. Regardless, if you are walking the trail from the RR grade up along the gorge the trail down is pretty hard to miss if looking for it
    • Mark Piotrowski Nov 21, '14 IF conditions are dry, you can actually scramble down and back up the gorge a few hundred yards downstream from the falls. Would not attempt it in wet conditions!
    • Jacob Emerick Nov 27, '14 Ah, good point Mark. Trying to go down in wet conditions, when the falls are actually flowing, is probably pretty tough!
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  • Lindsey Aug 30, '15 How long of a hike is it to the falls?
    • Jacob Emerick Sep 15, '15 Hi Lindsey - it's a very short hike, maybe a mile total if you go to all of the drops. If you're worried about distance you should park at the upper gate, which is .5 miles up Golf Course/6th from M-26. That trail will take you directly to the upper reservoir and falls and you won't have to do a lot of uphill walking.
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  • Elizabeth McBride Jun 24, '16 I haven't been to Hungarian Falls since the summer of 1970! But I am planning to return this summer or fall. I'm no longer young so visiting some of these falls is a challenge. I don't know what it was about Hungarian Falls that made me fall in love with them but I did. There are far more majestic falls in the U.P. but I guess I left my heart here.Add to this discussion
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  • Michelle Brewer Sep 18, '16 The most awesome part of these waterfalls is that you can walk right down into some of the gorges and actually get into the waterfalls, touch the cascading water, even stand in the waterfall! Lots of photo opportunities. Be careful though, I was saddened to see lots of broken glass littering the ground from disrespectful people. This was clearly the best part of our trip to the Houghton/Hancock area.
    • Jacob P Emerick Sep 22, '16 Hi Michelle - can't agree enough about how neat it is that you can walk right up to, into, and under these falls! That's too bad about the broken glass, though. It's not as much fun to play in the falls (or bring your pets/kids) if you're worried about that.
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  • carol vanderveen Oct 12, '16 Are these falls marked as far as how to get from one drop to another? I don't want to miss anything
    • Jacob P Emerick Oct 17, '16 Hi Carol, no, the falls are not marked. There are some very good paths along the river, but there's no clear signs and it is easy to miss out on a drop or two. In fact, the first few times I went I completely missed out on the huge lower drop! I'd recommend looking at the photos and keeping track while you're out there.
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