Agate Falls
Agate Falls is considered by many to be one of Michigan’s most picturesque waterfalls. Cascading down shelves of terraced sandstone, the interweaving drops form a drop almost forty feet high. The middle branch of the Ontonagon River creates a wide, striking drop not often seen in the Upper Peninsula, only six miles downriver from the equally impressive Bond Falls.
The main feature in a designated state scenic site, this waterfall offers many amenities that more remote locations do not. A roadside park, the Joseph Oravec, on M-28 has park benches and rest rooms as well as a path leading under the highway to a viewing platform. A railroad trestle, now used as a seasonal ATV trail, can also provide bird’s eye views of the waterfall below.
Directions
Park at the Joseph Oravec rest stop on the south side of M-28 a few miles east of Bruce Crossing. Several sidewalks lead west to the river. Follow them, turning downstream towards and under the highway’s bridge. A small footpath heads up to the right once you’re under the highway that will take you to the railroad trestle and an overhead view. Otherwise, continue on the main path to the viewing platform.
The adventurous may want to tackle the steep hillside to get closer views. Cut off the path before reaching the viewing platform and continue downstream. A few footpaths lead down but none are consistent. A bend downstream past the waterfall offer excellent direct views of the falls and some paths lead up the side, offering the chance to walk right on the rock levels of the falls themselves.
Photographs
Visits
Seen in March, June and September.
Neither one of us wanted to play the tourist's role and head up to the gift shop, with our clothes marked up with grime and wet from the morning's hikes. We simply followed the trail past the shop to the viewing platform and peered down at the impressive drop. I didn't feel like leaving without a few decent pictures so I headed down the hillside, only going halfway down for a quick sideways photo.
Again, the main access was closed for winter, so I just parked on the shoulder. The path past the old gift shop was packed hard by previous visitors and stopped at the viewing platform perched high above the drop. I was tempted to clamber down the steep riverbank here to get a better vantage, which was a steep, snowy slide that would have hurt a lot.
All three of us got out at the roadside park and walked down the pathway, under the highway, to the viewing platform high above the drop. Katie and Logan opted to stay on the platform while I ventured down the steep hillside for better pictures, a decision she regretted after viewing my photos later. Agate Falls is a huge waterfall, by far the largest one we had seen today.
Comments
6 comments
I was just there on Saturday!
Very jealous! A little birdie told me that you where at Tioga Falls recently as well ;)
I went and saw this falls last fall,,,stayed for 2 hrs just walking up stream and taking photos,,,absolutely lovely
That sounds fantastic. That river is very lovely.
This is a great falls, but the viewing platform is on top, where the view is not so impressive. The state should build some stairs and a platform down at the level of the river, where you get a better view. You can hike down a narrow, uneven trail to get to the river level. It's worth it.
Spent the day prowling around down below with 7 friends, a bit slick, cleats were a plus, absolutely gorgeous
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