Hungarian Falls
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. Around six or seven drops in all line 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 reservoir, 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 reservoir. 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.
Photographs
Visits
Seen in January, February, April, June, September and November.
- in full flow
The uppermost waterfall, which usually consists of a few separated plunges over dark volcanic rock, was a solid wall of roaring water. I had guessed that it would be swollen, yet this was incredible. The reservoir's two overflows, the eastern chute that rarely has water in it and the western with its mild trickle, were both gushing, and the railroad ties that usually provide a way across the creek below were completely covered in the rushing water. At the iconic drop, a steep, direct wall of sandstone with a small undercut cave reaching in from the west bank, the fifteen feet of drop made a solid curtain of foaming white water.
- a few dripping, others gurgling under their icy encasing
With the warm temperatures I held a small hope that I'd find some of the drops of Hungarian flowing. They weren't. A few dripped while others gurgled under their icy encasing. There was no visible waterfalls to find today, and we had to be careful near some of them, ice wearing thin around a few open patches of water. Circling around to the side drop I bumped into an obvious dip in the snowy creek that could only be a drop; my suspicion was correct, we found a new waterfall for spring adventures.
- no sounds or signs of flowing water
Yellowed ice poked out at a few spots, showing through the thick white snow, but there were no sounds or signs of flowing water. I diligently marked each waterfall along our hike, noting where the drops of snow gave away their location. Today's cold air mixed with the shining sun to create a thin mist rising up out of the valley, fading the view of Torch Lake in a soft white glow.
5 earlier visits
- everything too choked with snow to view
I did have a goal today. I wanted to check out a side drop that I had spotted on a previous trip here, an unnamed creek that flowed down into the steep downstream gorge, forming an impressively tall waterfall below the lower drop of Hungarian Falls. When we reached it I did find a frozen path of the creek leading down a steep sandstone wall, clearly visible from a spur reaching out into the gorge. Getting a good picture from above the falls was not possible, though. I'm not sure how I'm going to photograph this drop in the spring, being so deeply embedded in the gorge.
- barely a trickle, after a lazy all-day rain
There had been a lazy all-day rain today, which had been enough to dampen the giant sandstone wall of the lower falls. There was barely a trickle flowing down it. Between the small watershed and the upper dam I had yet to see this waterfall, as tall as it is, have more than a trickle flowing down it. On the way up from the lower parking area we passed a massive stone structure reaching out into the green gorge, an older trestle that wasn't renovated into an ATV trail.
- barely flowing despite an all-day rain
Going to the upper falls beyond the reservoir first we were immediately disappointed. Despite the all-day rain and the large amount of water on the ground Dover Creek barely flowed, dampening the moss and trickling over a few channels. Turning downstream we saw even less flow over the lower drops; the wall at the final falls was still impressive, even if the rain wet the waterfall more than the creek.
- no real water flow
I led our group up past the reservoir to the upper falls which, as I expected, had a few narrow streams running down its grooved and worn face but no real water flow. My friends didn't care about the lack of water, though. We all climbed down the bank and hopped around a bit, checking out the different interesting features on the upper falls and stepping over the cluttered lower sections. When we reached the lower drop of Hungarian Falls we all paused, drinking in the view down the long valley to Torch Lake.
- low water
There was an upper drop, fairly tall and sudden, an eight foot drop over volcanic rock; it just didn't have a lot of water flowing. The dam has two outflows, a cement plunge and a cement chute, and the plunge was bone dry today. The last, largest drop poured down the steep sandstone wall, emptying onto huge boulders far below us, with Torch Lake plainly visible in the distance. This was way more than I had expected.
Comments
12 comments
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 missing
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.
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?
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
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!
Ah, good point Mark. Trying to go down in wet conditions, when the falls are actually flowing, is probably pretty tough!
How long of a hike is it to the falls?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Are these falls marked as far as how to get from one drop to another? I don't want to miss anything
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