Manganese Falls
Manganese Falls is one of the last waterfalls on the tip of the Keweenaw and sits right outside of Copper Harbor. Lake Manganese drains down to Lake Fanny Hooe, a quick 100 foot drop, down a steep gorge that hides most of the waterfall behind steep rock walls and fallen boulders. A small viewing platform allows visitors a partial view straight at the crest and down the gorge.
Directions
Turn south on 2nd/Manganese Street, right next to the Pines Resort in Copper Harbor, and drive .7 miles to the wide shoulder and park. The path to the viewing platform should be visible from the road. To get a closer view follow the trails downstream and slowly climb down the gorge to a wooden bridge over the creek. Follow the creek and gorge back upstream to the falls.
Photographs
Visits
Seen in April and July.
- snow and ice masking what was safe to walk on
The waterfall is nestled in a deep gorge with two overlooks giving limited views down. There is no good angle to see the actual waterfall, just the crest and gorge below. So I decided to take a more ambitious route, following the creek up inside the gorge; the sides were conglomerate rock, slick and treacherous, and we crept on all fours along the cold waters and eventually made it to a partial view of the waterfall. I couldn't walk up the other side of the creek, as the eastern bank was an actual overhang for most of the length, and the waterfall itself pours down from one side.
There was a wooden viewing platform that let you look down into the gorge, to the crest of the waterfalls, and I wasn't content with the limited view. Alone I headed downstream along some trails to a lower bridge over the creek and followed the creek back upstream. Here I was also disappointed, as the narrow gorge and boulders blocked the view as well. Manganese Falls is a tall, pretty waterfall, it's just hard to see.
Comments
3 comments
Have heard tell of two significant falls upstream from here, any knowledge of them?
Ah, no, but I'd love to know more! There's not a lot of elevation change between the lake and the road, so I'm curious if there along that leg (and much smaller than this one) or beyond the lake, which would be a real adventure to explore.
Just saw these falls last July when staying in Copper Harbor -- easy to get to the overlook from the road, but we didn't hike down because we had our bikes. The actual falls are way more impressive than the pictures can express. Worth the trip!
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