Waterfalls Tag | Jacob Emerick's Blog

Katie and I at Mulligan

It's no secret - I really like Mulligan Plains. This remote section of Marquette County is off the beaten path and contains many hiking adventures, including waterfalls, cliffs, and lakes. So when Katie and I headed up north on a cool fall day before hunting season I made it a point to take her to Mulligan and show her one of my favorite Upper Peninsula destinations.

Even though we slept in at the Ishpeming hotel quite a bit, we managed to make it to the creek before noon. The easiest place to visit at Mulligan are the falls north of Silver Lake Basin, so we took the county roads up along the western edge of the plains and parked at the foot bridge over Mulligan Creek. Faith and I had visited this area a year ago and had taken a convoluted route to the falls that involved crossing the creek over a beaver dam and bushwhacking through some terribly thick pine trees. A four-wheeler had given us this route before, but I didn't want to follow it today.

Katie and I crossed the narrow, shaky bridge over the creek and headed up the narrow two-track. Instead of cutting across the creek, like I did last time, we cut off the trail (which bends northwards) and continued along the side of the creek. The trees weren't thick on this side of the creek, but we did have to go up...

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• mulligan plains
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• katie

The Last Waterfall Hike

My last hike for the waterfall project was on April 29, 2009. For the last two months I had been on a crazy schedule re-visiting all of the waterfalls I found last summer and collecting accurate coordinates with a new GPS unit as well as finding new falls within my radius to add to my site. Since I was leaving for Wisconsin the very next day, I decided to make this adventure legendary and visit Mulligan Falls.

Mulligan Falls is located northeast of the Silver Lake Basin outside of the remote Mulligan Plains. There are no trails or roads within a mile of the lowermost waterfall, which Faith and I had found last October. I had heard rumors of upper waterfalls, so I set an ambitious route that would take me several miles upstream. The area around Mulligan Creek is cluttered, rocky, and swampy, so I planned on the hike taking several hours.

I left early in the morning and made it to Ishpeming around 7:30 in the morning. After stopping for gas and some snacks, I headed north along Teal Lake Road, driving over the Dead River bridge...

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• mulligan plains
• waterfalls
• bushwhack

Salmon Trout River

With most of the Salmon Trout River's main branch located in the fabled Huron Mountain Club property, it is hard to visit or enjoy. It has a small watershed and low average water flow, but the location and rugged terrain make this river an amazing and rustic destination for the adventurous hikers.

The Salmon Trout River has two main branches, the East and West Branch. Together, these rivers drain the northern reaches of the Yellow Dog Plains, even sharing some watershed area with the southern Yellow Dog River near Eagle Rock. They, along with Cedar Creek, have hollowed a deep gorge that forms a valley between the Yellow Dog Plains plateau and the Huron Mountains. The upper reaches of the river are easily visited,...

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• waterfalls
• huron mountains
• yellow dog plains
• river system

Ontonagon River

As the largest river in the Houghton area and a distinctive brown hue, the Ontonagon River is a well known river. Many of its branches are simply named as sub names under Ontonagon - West Branch Ontonagon, Middle Branch Ontonagon, etc. With its huge watershed, the Ontonagon is the primary drainage for most of Ontonagon and parts of Houghton County.

Starting from the southeast, the East Branch Ontonagon River starts from a series of marshes and lakes in northern Iron County. This river slowly winds north over some small rapids, including the Sparrow Rapids Campground. A few of its notable tributaries include Jumbo River, which has two popular waterfalls (Jumbo and Duppy),...

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• river system
• ottawa national forest

Yellow Dog River

The Yellow Dog River has recently gained media attention as one of the two waterways endangered by the proposed Eagle Project sulfide mine. This mine would be located on the Yellow Dog Plains near the headwaters of the Salmon Trout River and Yellow Dog River, potentially threatening two pristine rivers of the Huron Mountain area. The river was well known before the proposed mine, though, as it has ample recreational potentials along its length.

Starting with two main branches in the McCormick Tract, southwest of the Yellow Dog Plains, the river begins as a series of lakes and swamps that once hosted the famous island fortress of the Bentleys and McCormicks. Because of these swamps, the river has a yellow/brown color during spring melt or heavy...

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• waterfalls
• huron mountains
• peshekee highlands
• yellow dog plains
• river system

Sturgeon River

Winding through Baraga and Houghton County, the Sturgeon River is a large, well-known river system. Driving from Marquette to Houghton on US-41 brings drivers over the river twice, first at Canyon River Falls and then at the Sturgeon River Sloughs. These two spots, combined with the Sturgeon River Gorge, are popular hiking and adventuring locations for tourists and locals alike.

One of the most surprising facts about this river is the location of its headwaters near Herman, MI. In fact, the Silver River of Baraga County and Sturgeon River share the same system...

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• nestoria swamp
• baraga plains
• river system
• ottawa national forest

A Few River Gorges

The Western Upper Peninsula has a unique geology compared to the rest of Michigan. Ancient bedrock creates surprisingly tall mountains and highlands that trap lakes, swamps, and wetlands hundreds of feet above Lake Superior. Throughout the geologic history of the area, glacial and volcanic events have both carved deep channels and helped confine the waters, eventually leading to rivers draining the land through gorges and over waterfalls. Here is a short list of the major gorges of the area, at least the ones I've had the opportunity of visiting.

Sturgeon River cuts one of the more well-known gorges of this area through the flat, sandy Baraga Plains southwest of L'Anse. This gorge is heavily forested, and good lookouts over it are hard to find. The two highlights of this area include Silver Mountain, an ancient volcanic plug, and Sturgeon River Falls, both located in the Ottawa National Forest. Most of the gorge is simply a deep river valley (three hundred feet near the falls), though there are a few rock cliffs...

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• huron mountains
• ottawa national forest

Silver River

While many people will claim to know of Silver River it's difficult to know which river they are talking about. After all, there are three Silver Rivers within fifty miles of Houghton, MI; one in the Keweenaw near Eagle Harbor, one near West Branch Sturgeon River near Alston, and the third one in Baraga County. The third one is the largest and, in my opinion, the most impressive in terms of both waterfalls in area.

Silver River, in Baraga County, does not flow by any population centers or industrial sites. It is not dammed along its route, and besides the bridges that span it and a scattering of houses and cabins along its route, is untouched by man. From headwaters in swamps within the Craig Lake State Park, the pristine waters fall eight hundred feet before emptying into Lake...

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• nestoria swamp
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The Mulligan Area

There are several important pieces to the 'Mulligan Area' of Marquette County. Mulligan Plains is a long, narrow valley pointing from the western end of the Dead River north to Pinnacle Falls on the Yellow Dog Plains. Emptying the large and wild Mulligan Swamp into the Dead River is Mulligan Creek. Along the creek is a series of relatively unheard of waterfalls collectively called Mulligan Falls. All of these are wrapped around Silver Lake Basin, the uppermost dammed basin along the Dead River, located on the edge of the Peshekee Highlands.

The Peshekee Highlands are a large, expansive, and rugged plateau just south of the Yellow Dog Plains. The elevation here is surprisingly high, usually around 1600 feet above sea level. Much of the plateau is swampy and sprinkled with lakes; the hard rocky outcroppings make it difficult for the water to drain out regularly. This area also has mineral wealth, with numerous abandoned gold and silver mines throughout the plateau. Almost two-thirds of the highlands are located within the McCormick Tract and Craig Lake state parks, and the remaining portion is too rugged for regular traffic, making it the whole area exceedingly difficult to visit.

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• mulligan plains
• waterfalls
• peshekee highlands
• old growth

Dead River

Falling over eleven hundred feet from the Peshekee Highlands, the Dead River empties into Lake Superior near Marquette. Thanks to this large elevation change and route through the southern reaches of the Huron Mountains, there are many waterfalls and dams along the Dead River. The water takes after the rivers name, having an odd color and poor fishing thanks to the huge basins and dewatered stretches. Also, the Dead River was the scene of a major disaster in 2003 which gave the Upper Peninsula national attention and millions of dollars of damage.

Starting in a circular Dead River Headwater lake, the river starts out a meager creek winding through the swamps and rocky hills south of the expansive Mulligan...

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• waterfalls
• huron mountains
• peshekee highlands
• river system