Photo Credits (5)
Trail Type
Out And Back
About Upper Falls
This Upper Falls is on the Gratiot River in Keweenaw County, north of Ahmeek, at the upper end of the river's falls, an area also known as Conglomerate Falls or Upper Gratiot River Falls. The river slides and tumbles for several hundred yards over conglomerate rock below a red stone bluff, with no single defined drop. The land is part of the Gratiot River Recreation Area held by the nonprofit Keweenaw Natural Areas and is open to the public.
The Setting
Upper Falls sits at 679 feet in the foothills of Michigan. The falls drop 50 feet.
Height: 50 feet
Nearby Falls Worth Visiting
Houghton Falls, the tallest waterfall in Michigan at 110 feet, lies 8.6 miles to the south. Also nearby: Eagle River Falls (40 ft, 8.7 mi) and Jacobs Falls (20 ft, 11.5 mi).
Trail & Hike Details
Trail Description
From the parking area at the end of the Farmer's Block two-track, a trail leads to the river high above the water. Guides follow the bank upstream until the path fades, then walk the riverbed back down to the red bluff. Distance is not published.
What to Expect
The falls drop 50 feet.
Accessibility
Not accessible; access is by unimproved trail and riverbed.
Frequently Asked Questions
🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Upper Falls?
❌ Dogs are not allowed
Keweenaw Natural Areas does not publish a dog rule for this land.
Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?
🆖 No fees required
🏊 Is There Swimming at Upper Falls?
❌ Swimming is not allowed
When to Visit
Late spring and early summer for higher flow; summer brings heavy mosquitoes.
Seasonal Access
The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter.
Safety Information
Rock in the riverbed is slick, and there is a deep pool below the red bluff. Stay off snow-covered ice over the river in winter.
Know when to go.
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Is Upper Falls Frozen?
Updated about 8 hours agoNot frozen highs above freezing lately
Upper Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 49°F to 35°F.
- Days below freezing
- 0 of the last 14
- Current cold streak
- 0 days
- Freezing days ahead
- 0 of the next 7
- Flow
- no gauge
Winter safety. Frozen falls are the one waterfall trip with a documented injury pattern: falling ice, and ice-glazed rock and trail. Wear microspikes, keep well back from the base and from overhangs, and never walk out on ice over moving water.
Estimate from Open-Meteo daily temperatures at the falls, the LiDAR-measured facing direction, and the nearest stream gauge. It is a likelihood, not a report from the trail. See every frozen waterfall in Michigan.
Weather Forecast
The Terrain, Seen by LiDAR
Aircraft-mounted lasers measured this ground to within inches. Trees and buildings are digitally stripped away, leaving the bare shape of the land the water has carved.
Here the descent is spread out: 1-meter lidar measures about 26 feet of drop through Upper Falls, stretched along the creek rather than stacked in one wall. The full 50 feet the falls are listed at is spread over a longer run than this window: along the whole mile-long profile the ground drops about 147 feet. The brink sits at about 695 feet above sea level.
The ground changes about 35 feet in the 500 feet above the falls and 12 feet in the 500 feet below. The falls face west and glow in afternoon and evening light.
Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.
- Ground elevation
- 695 feet
- Measured by 1-meter lidar
- Drop at the falls
- About 26 feet
- Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
- Faces
- West
- Glows in afternoon and evening light.
A slice through the lidar ground surface, from above the falls to downstream (heading west).
Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.
Location & Access
Getting There
From northbound US-41, bear left just before Ahmeek at the sign for Five Mile Point and follow Five Mile Point Road through town. Stay on Five Mile Point Road about 2.1 miles past the Ahmeek cemetery, turn left on Farmer's Block, and continue straight on the narrow two-track to its end.
Get Directions on Google MapsParking
Small informal parking area at the end of the Farmer's Block two-track; the track is narrow and rough.
Elevation
679 feet above sea level
Coordinates
47.331389° N, -88.437222° W
Visitor Tips & Gear
Expect mosquitoes and tag alder thickets in summer. Gratiot River Falls, about 0.6 miles downstream, and the river mouth on Lake Superior are reached from Bumbletown Road.
Where to Stay
AmericInn by Wyndham Calumet
Magnuson Copper Crown
Daniell Manor
Quality Inn & Suites Houghton Downtown
Browse vacation cabins and private rentals nearby
Unique outdoor stays — tents, yurts, and treehouses
Rent a campervan or RV for your waterfall road trip
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Additional Information
Nearby Attractions
Gratiot River Falls and the Gratiot River mouth on Lake Superior are downstream in the same recreation area; Gratiot River County Park is on the lakeshore.
Wildlife
The park is home to a variety of wildlife, including deer, black bears, and numerous bird species.
Nearby Waterfalls
Other waterfalls named Upper Falls
25 other waterfalls share this name across the U.S.
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