An autumn waterfall trip

Autumn is in full swing in the Upper Peninsula! I had a little fall FOMO recently… thinking I hadn’t gotten out to do much sight seeing just due to a busy schedule and trying to balance other goals like… saving money, cooking at home, running, etc. Life is all a balance! But I took a vacation day recently and prioritized getting out for the day to a couple of autumn waterfalls. Just driving around in the UP right now is magical, but stopping to get out of your car, and taking a short walk through the woods to a destination, is really where it’s at! I had to get a few waterfall shots for a video collaboration I’m working on… so I headed out to Laughing Whitefish Falls and Tahquamenon Falls (and was tricked into seeing a lighthouse too, of course!) Read on for my quick autumn trip!

Laughing Whitefish Falls

Laughing Whitefish Falls is a great waterfall to visit in any season. In the winter, the road is seasonal/unplowed, so you might have to trek in a little farther (maybe even with snowshoes), but when there’s no snow, you can drive right up into a small parking lot with a restroom and a trailhead marker. It’s a very short walk (about half mile hike, one mile round-trip) through the old-growth white pine and hemlock trees until you hit the observation decks. The upper observation deck doesn’t have stairs, but there’s a wooden staircase you can walk down that’ll lead you to view the falls from the bottom. It’s one of the most accessible and tallest waterfalls in Michigan! And this one is especially unique as it cascades down a very picturesque gorge.

Crisp Point Lighthouse

I’ve been to Crisp Point two times before… but never while I’ve lived in the Upper Peninsula! I was on my way from Laughing Whitefish Falls to Tahquamenon Falls… and was driving along, had a little time to kill, so I thought maybe I’d pop up to Whitefish point, but then I saw a sign for Crisp Point Lighthouse… and was like, ooh! It says “14 miles this way” and I was like… that’s not bad at all! But it’s actually more like 18 miles, and it’s a definite 45-minute each way on a very bumpy, windy, dirt road. I was getting a little panicked halfway through, thinking maybe I should turn around, storm clouds were looming, I didn’t want to get stuck on this road in the mud, but I kept pushing along, and got to the lighthouse. But honestly I didn’t stay too long, was a little scared (I mean it is spooky season!) and so I snapped some photos and got back on the road. But this is a beautiful lighthouse, very remote, the road really isn’t that bad, my hatchback made it very easily, but it’s just definitely a bit time consuming to get to. Definitely worth a trip. Maybe… with a buddy. 😆

Tahquamenon Falls

My final scenic stop on this trip was to Tahquamenon Falls! I only popped over here once when I first moved up here, but haven’t been back since… and definitely not in peak fall color. So I was excited to come back! Tahquamenon Falls is very accessible… definitely a tourist destination with ample parking, restrooms, easy-marked trails, and even a brewery, food and ice-cream on sight. (Some of it closed right now due to national break.) But this waterfall spans over 200 feet in width, and drops nearly 50 feet. The rich amber hue is from the natural tannins in the water from the surrounding cedar swamps. In autumn, you just have the most vibrant hues from the foliage, and in winter, the falls become an icy wonderland. I honestly want to come back in winter soon! But yeah, it’s magical. If you’ve never been, you must go. It’s definitely a top five “must-visit” in the Upper Peninsula.

Thanks for reading along! Hopefully this sparked a trip… or even just inspired you to get out and check out the fall foliage where you are! Or just participate in a fun seasonal activity. Getting out into nature is so healing! xo