Manganese Falls

Manganese Falls is a steep cascade falling into a narrow gorge. The gorge is so narrow that it is actually hard to see the falls. There is a well marked overlook for the falls, but trees mostly obscure the falls. The overlook is perched on top of a sheer cliff, so do not even think about climbing over the fences for a better view. It is easy to get to the top of the falls and you can look down the gorge. Even better views of parts of the falls can be had from the far side of the gorge. A large stretch of the main drop is visible. Getting a shot of the base of the falls would be very difficult. First there is a large pool at the base of the falls surrounded by steep walls, with apparently no dry places to stand. Second getting down there would be very difficult and dangerous. Manganese Falls is located along Manganese Road just south of Copper Harbor. The road is paved, but steep in places. The falls are less than a mile from town. If you want to get to the other side of the falls, you could probably cross the creek above the falls. Another alternative is to head down the road towards town a bit. There is a two track that descends steeply down into the gorge to a bridge over the creek. A steep trail can be found on the far side of the creek that leads up to the top of the falls. There is a small dam just upstream of the bridge, and several drops between the main falls and the dam. Getting a good view of any of them would be challenging. Manganese Creek has a very small watershed, and is usually bone dry in the summer. There had been some heavy rains the week before my visit, so luckily the water was flowing. Like most of the falls in the Keewenaw, Manganese Falls is best seen during the spring thaw.