Tobacco Falls

tiny root beer-colored drops at a townside park

Tobacco Falls sits in a small, lakeshore park just north of Gay, MI. The wide, shallow Tobacco River, after spending most of its length winding around in swamps and beaver ponds, falls over a small series of stepping drops before pouring into Lake Superior. Sand stretches around the mouth of the river, the remains of a dock on one side and a decaying brick chimney hiding in the woods. The park is a great stop but the falls may be a bit difficult to reach, all on the land side of the road.

Directions

Tobacco Falls is less than a mile north of Gay. The roadside park is near the river’s bridge - make sure to check out the shoreline and old dock ruins.

Once you’ve checked out the park there are two ways to the falls. The cement footings under the bridge are wide enough for foot traffic, though there may be cobwebs. Or you can go over the road, as there are paths leading from the road down to the falls. So over or under.

Photographs

Visits

Seen in June.

June 8, 2008 brown, swampy water
Brown, swampy water poured over the small ledges, maybe dropping a foot or two in all. Our first waterfall was not terribly impressive.