Michigan’s tallest waterfall is in the Upper Peninsula’s Keweenaw Peninsula and stands around 110 feet tall.
Michigan is known for its natural beauty, and one of my very favorite Michigan memories has been visiting various waterfalls through the state. We’ve visited some around the Pictured Rocks area and, of course, the famous Tahquamenon Falls.
Tahquamenon holds the title of being Michigan’s largest waterfall in sheer volume and width, churning through 50,000 gallons of water per second. However, there is a Michigan waterfall that steals the crown as the tallest fall in the state: Houghton-Douglass Falls in the Keweenaw Peninsula in the U.P. In the spring, the falls opened to visitors, and the managing director of Visit Keweenaw, Jesse Wiederhold, describes the area as one of Michigan’s “must-see” sights.
The Houghton-Douglass Falls underwent renovations in 2025 to make the area more accessible for visitors. Some of the updates included an improved parking area, a bridge, and a vault toilet. Visitors are always welcome to the falls, but if you have never been, here are a few tips (and a few fun facts!) about the falls.
1. The hike to reach the falls is actually very easy
Although the Houghton-Douglass Falls stand as Michigan’s tallest waterfall, the hike to reach them is designated as one of the state’s easiest. Sometimes, waterfall hikes can be tricky, with steep elevation, thick vegetation, and twists and turns, but fortunately for visitors, Houghton-Douglass is considered one of the most accessible.
The round-trip hike to and from the falls is only around a half mile, so you can easily pack in a day of fun around Keweenaw even after visiting the falls. “Visitors should know this site has been graveled and packed on the trail to get you over Hammel Creek, which feeds Houghton-Douglass Falls,” explains Wiederhold. “This is a .5-mile out-and-back hike, making it one of the shortest hikes to a waterfall with the highest reward. The visit to the falls takes around 15-20 minutes if you keep a good pace. The community has looked forward to this project for a long time.”
“[The falls] deliver that big Keweenaw feeling without needing an all-day hike,” adds Visit Keweenaw Executive Director Brad Barnett. “
2. You will get a cell phone signal
Yes, we’re all about being one with nature in Michigan, but if someone other than nature is calling, you should be able to get a cell signal near the falls, says Wiederhold. The updates to the area around the falls include newly acquired cell phone coverage.
3. The falls come close to Niagara Falls
If you’re wondering how the Michigan falls compare to some other nearby giants, they aren’t too far off—the American and Niagara Falls are between 110 and 188 feet, placing the Houghton-Douglass Falls somewhere right in the middle. That’s still impressive!
4. Spring is the ideal time to visit the falls
We are full advocates for visiting the falls year-round, but Visit Keweenaw recommends planning a trip during the spring, if you can. The warming post-winter weather brings melting snow and runoff that results in a strong and vibrant flow to the surrounding creek and on to the falls.
The falls are also beautiful to visit during, well, the fall, when Michigan’s foliage never fails to put on a vibrant display. During the summer months, the falls are still on display, but the water volume can be lower, resulting in a slower cascade.
5. There are no guardrails
The hike and path to the falls are pretty family-friendly due to the ease of the hike, but there are no guardrails or viewing platforms close to the falls, so caution is advised, especially near the edges. All visitors are instructed to stick to the clearly marked paths and viewing areas and avoid the cliff edges. Climbing on wet and/or loose rock is also prohibited.
“The most important thing to remember is to stay away from the ledge and visit this site responsibly,” Wiederhold notes. “Do not go down into the gorge, as this is not how you visit the falls. Phase I construction by the DNR is complete, which added signage, a parking lot and a new trail halfway, but Phase II in 2027 includes the construction of a safety barrier.”
6. There is a viewing platform over the creek
While the area near the falls is considered rugged and undeveloped, there is a scenic viewing area on a pedestrian bridge over the Hammel Creek. Currently, you can walk to the bridge from the parking lot and view the falls from there. Progressing past the bridge is considered unsafe.
However, there are plans to add a hiking trail straight to the falls from the bridge, so stay tuned for that update.
7. More construction is coming to the falls
The updates to the area around the falls were designed to make it more accessible, and the state is not done yet. 2027 plans for the area include the aforementioned trail straight from the Hammell Creek pedestrian bridge all the way to the falls, accessible observation platforms, a memorial honoring the state’s veterans, and safety barriers.
8. You should not attempt to take in the falls from the bottom
It might make for a cool picture, but visitors are also advised not to try to see the falls from the bottom of the water. There is no trail to the bottom, so it is not considered safe to hike to the bottom of the falls. You may hear stories from hikers or visitors about a rope that leads to the bottom of the falls, but be advised that the roped area is not state-owned land. Instead, plan on following the official hiking trail to the top of the falls.
9. There are four ‘names’ for the falls
According to Visit Keweenaw, the official name of the waterfall is Houghton-Douglass Falls. However, some people use nicknames for the falls, including Douglass Houghton Falls, the Douglas Houghton Falls, or simply Houghton Falls. True Michianders know the difference though, so if you want to be official, be sure to use the correct name!
10. The official name matters
The reason locals and officials are so adamant that we call the falls by the correct name is that the waterfall is named after Douglass Houghton, Michigan’s first state geologist. Houghton was also a physician and heavily involved in politics, academics, and government. He even served as the mayor of Detroit.
Houghton first discovered copper in the Keweenaw Peninsula and wrote early reports on the copper reserves, carefully warning that additional research should be done before extracting the copper. Those warnings were not as successful as he may have hoped, as the copper mining rush almost immediately began. Houghton successfully lobbied Congress for federal funding to continue mineral exploration in the Upper Peninsula, but drowned while on a survey in Lake Superior in 1845.
Houghton’s cousin, Columbus C. Douglas, dedicated himself to further studies to continue Houghton’s work after his death, so the falls are also named after him.
11. You can visit the falls with a “passport”
All you need to visit Houghton-Douglass Falls is a Michigan Recreation Passport, but you can also download the digital Keweenaw’s Waterfall Passport as a fun way to collect your waterfall visits through Copper County. Once you visit them all, you earn a physical, iron-on Waterfall Wanderer patch to show off your adventures. (The app will also walk you through where to pick up the patch once you’ve earned it.)
12. The falls are made from lava
What makes up the falls? The rocks are actually ancient lava. As part of the Portage Lake Lava Volcanics, the ancient lava formed as long as 1.094 billion years ago! Marveling at the waterfall also means gazing back into Michigan’s state history.
