Are there fees or permits required for Wylie Falls?

No, there are no fees required to visit Wylie Falls.

Is swimming allowed at Wylie Falls?

No, swimming is not allowed at Wylie Falls.

Nearby gauge (Salmon Trout River) · 5 ft³/s · Lower than usual

Wylie Falls

Q: Are dogs allowed at Wylie Falls?

No, dogs are not allowed at Wylie Falls. No dog rules are published for this unsigned site.

Michigan

By Armen Suny · Last verified Oct 2026

LiDAR & 3D terrain

Also For 1 other waterfall also named Wylie Falls, see below

Before you go

No trail: access requires fording the Yellow Dog River, and cabins along the north bank are private property.

Photo Credits (1)

NOAA Office for Coastal Management / The USDA-FSA Aerial Photography Field office (crediting while reuse is desired as Courtesy Attribution) Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

About Wylie Falls

Wylie Falls, also called Wylie Dam Falls, is a low rapids on the Yellow Dog River in Marquette County, west of Big Bay. It marks the site of a long-gone logging dam, and only short earthen banks and a rocky rapids roughly a foot high remain. There is no trail, and reaching it means fording the river.

Nearby Falls Worth Visiting

Mulligan Falls (40 ft) lies 2.9 miles to the southeast.

Mulligan Falls

Trail & Hike Details

Trail Description

There is no trail. One guide's route parks at the end of a sandy two-track by the Yellow Dog River near a USGS gauge, fords the river, then follows a side road west along the south bank for about a mile before dropping back to the river and walking upstream.

What to Expect

A small rocky rapids where the river leaves upstream swamps, not a true waterfall. It is of interest mainly as a historic logging-dam site.

Accessibility

The trail is not wheelchair accessible due to uneven terrain and lack of infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions

🐶 Are Dogs Allowed at Wylie Falls?

❌ Dogs are not allowed
No dog rules are published for this unsigned site.

Are There Any Fees or Permits Required?

🆖 No fees required

🏊 Is There Swimming at Wylie Falls?

❌ Swimming is not allowed

When to Visit

spring summer fall

Spring and early summer are ideal times to visit, as the water flow is typically stronger due to snowmelt and rainfall.

Seasonal Access

The best time to visit is Spring, Summer, and Fall. Winter access may be limited.

Safety Information

Water temperature is currently 42°F — cold enough to cause numbness quickly. Avoid prolonged water contact and use caution near the falls.

Reaching the falls requires wading across the Yellow Dog River; do not ford at high water. Cell service is limited.

Current Water Conditions

Updated about 2 hours ago Barely Flowing

These readings come from the USGS gauge on Salmon Trout River, 4.5 miles away, not on Wylie Falls's own stream. Use them as a sign of whether the area is running wet or dry.

5 ft³/s

Current discharge — how much water is flowing

Lower than usual for this time of year

Very Low Low Normal High Very High

4 5 8 10

Based on 21 years of record

0.36 ft

Water depth at gauge

42°F

Very cold

Expect numbness within minutes

7-Day Discharge Trend

What does this mean for your visit?

Flow is lower than usual for this time of year. Water temperature is very cold at 42 degrees F, expect numbness within minutes.

About This Gauge

SALMON TROUT RIVER NEAR BIG BAY, MI

USGS 04043238

4.5 miles from waterfall

Drainage: 7 sq mi

Altitude: 1,101 ft

7-Day Flow Outlook

Based on the USGS gauge SALMON TROUT RIVER NEAR BIG BAY, MI (7 km away).

High confidence

Barely Flowing right now

5 cfs

→ Holding steady

Today

Barely Flowing

5 cfs

3/10

Tomorrow

Low

6 cfs

4/10

Fri

Low

6 cfs

4/10

Sat

Low

5 cfs

4/10

Sun

Barely Flowing

5 cfs

5/10

Mon

Barely Flowing

4 cfs

5/10

Tue

Barely Flowing

4 cfs

5/10

Best window: Sun — barely flowing flow, partly sunny (trip score 5/10).

Best time of year: this gauge typically runs highest from mid March to late May, peaking in April.

How we calculate this

This is a transparent outlook, not a precise forecast. We take the waterfall's current flow strength (how it ranks against its historical normal for today, from the nearest USGS stream gauge), carry that ranking forward along the gauge's seasonal curve, and nudge it for forecast rain. Confidence is highest for the next day or two and falls further out. Always check official conditions and your own judgment before visiting — high flows can be dangerous.

Know when to go.

Get a free email alert when waterfalls near Big Bay hit peak flow. We only send when conditions are worth the trip — no weekly newsletters, no spam.

Is Wylie Falls Frozen?

Updated about 9 hours ago

Not frozen highs above freezing lately

Wylie Falls is not frozen right now; highs have been above freezing. Yesterday ran 52°F to 36°F.

Days below freezing: 0 of the last 14
Current cold streak: 0 days
Freezing days ahead: 0 of the next 7
Flow: 5 ft³/s

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.

The bare-earth surface loses about 22 feet through the falls, but gradually, the profile of a cascade rather than a plunge. The ground at the falls is roughly 1,408 feet above sea level.

The ground changes about 22 feet in the 500 feet above the falls and 12 feet in the 500 feet below. The falls face northwest and glow in afternoon and evening light.

Aerial photo of the same ground around Wylie Falls near Big Bay, Michigan, for comparison with the lidar view

LiDAR bare-earth terrain around Wylie Falls near Big Bay, Michigan, showing about 22 feet of drop, a long cascade, facing northwest

Aerial LiDAR bare earth

Drag to compare. The dot marks the waterfall. The frame is about a mile across.

Ground elevation: 1,408 feet; Measured by 1-meter lidar
Drop at the falls: About 22 feet; Change in ground height within ~250 feet of the falls
Faces: Northwest; Glows in afternoon and evening light.

Ground profile through the falls

A slice through the lidar ground surface, from above the falls to downstream (heading northwest).

Elevation data: USGS 3D Elevation Program. Aerial imagery: USGS The National Map. Public domain.

Location & Access

Getting There

From County Road 510, head west on County Road AAA (Triple A) about 6.7 miles, just past the turnoff for Pinnacle Falls, then turn left on the next main two-track and follow the sandy road down to the Yellow Dog River near a USGS gauging station.

Get Directions on Google Maps