Tahquamenon Falls
Encyclopedia
The Tahquamenon Falls are two different waterfall
s on the Tahquamenon River
. Both sets are located near Lake Superior
in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan
. The water is notably brown in color from the tannins leached from the cedar swamp
s which the river drains. This phenomenon is responsible for the alternative local name 'Root Beer Falls'.
The upper falls are more than 200 feet (60 m) across and with a drop of approximately 48 feet (14 m) During the late spring runoff, the river drains as much as 50000 gallons (189,270.6 l) of water per second, making the upper falls the third most voluminous vertical waterfall east of the Mississippi River
, after Niagara Falls
and Cohoes Falls
, both in New York State. There is no jumping off the falls.
The lower falls, located four miles (6.5 km) downstream, are a series of five smaller falls cascading around an island which can be reached by rowboat. A hiking trail runs between the falls along the riverside, and visitors often play in the lower falls during the summer heat.
The falls are within Tahquamenon Falls State Park
, between Newberry, Michigan
, and Paradise, Michigan
. They are a popular tourist destination in the Upper Peninsula during all seasons. Snowmobile trails lead almost to the falls, and walkways are kept clear for most of the winter.
The Tahquamenon is noted as being the land of Longfellow's
The Song of Hiawatha
- "by the rushing Tahquamenaw" where Hiawatha built his canoe. "Tahquamenon Falls" is also a song from Sufjan Stevens's
album Michigan
.
While the name Tahquamenon is now primarily associated with the falls, it appears to have originally designated an island in Whitefish Bay
: Tahquamenon Island. The first written record of the name appears as "Outakouaminan" in a 1671 French map.http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/edopps/TFSPname.pdf
The upper falls are located at 46°34′29"N 85°15′23"W and the lower falls are at 46°36′12"N 85°12′25"W
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s on the Tahquamenon River
Tahquamenon River
The Tahquamenon River is a long blackwater river in the U.S. state of Michigan that flows in a generally eastward direction through the eastern end of the Upper Peninsula. It drains approximately of the Upper Peninsula, including large sections of Luce County and Chippewa County...
. Both sets are located near Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
in the eastern Upper Peninsula of Michigan
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is the northern of the two major land masses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan. It is commonly referred to as the Upper Peninsula, the U.P., or Upper Michigan. It is also known as the land "above the Bridge" linking the two peninsulas. The peninsula is bounded...
. The water is notably brown in color from the tannins leached from the cedar swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
s which the river drains. This phenomenon is responsible for the alternative local name 'Root Beer Falls'.
The upper falls are more than 200 feet (60 m) across and with a drop of approximately 48 feet (14 m) During the late spring runoff, the river drains as much as 50000 gallons (189,270.6 l) of water per second, making the upper falls the third most voluminous vertical waterfall east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, after Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls, located on the Niagara River draining Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, is the collective name for the Horseshoe Falls and the adjacent American Falls along with the comparatively small Bridal Veil Falls, which combined form the highest flow rate of any waterfalls in the world and has...
and Cohoes Falls
Cohoes Falls
Cohoes Falls is a waterfall on the Mohawk River shared by the city of Cohoes and the town of Waterford, New York, United States. Discovered by the indigenous Mohawk tribe, the falls were originally called Ga-ha-oose, which is believed to mean "The Place of the Falling Canoe." Cohoes historian...
, both in New York State. There is no jumping off the falls.
The falls are within Tahquamenon Falls State Park
Tahquamenon Falls State Park
The Tahquamenon Falls State Park is a 46,179-acre state park in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the second largest of Michigan's state parks. Bordering on Lake Superior, most of the park is located within Whitefish Township in Chippewa County, with the western section of the park extending...
, between Newberry, Michigan
Newberry, Michigan
Newberry is a village in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Luce County. Located within McMillan Township at its very southern end, it shares some administrative responsibilities with the surrounding township. The population was 2,686 at the 2000 census.The village was named in...
, and Paradise, Michigan
Paradise, Michigan
Paradise is an unincorporated community in Whitefish Township, Chippewa County in the U.S. state of Michigan.Paradise is on the northeastern portion of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, on the western side of Whitefish Bay, Lake Superior, about by road from Sault Ste. Marie and about north of the...
. They are a popular tourist destination in the Upper Peninsula during all seasons. Snowmobile trails lead almost to the falls, and walkways are kept clear for most of the winter.
The Tahquamenon is noted as being the land of Longfellow's
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was an American poet and educator whose works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline...
The Song of Hiawatha
The Song of Hiawatha
The Song of Hiawatha is an 1855 epic poem, in trochaic tetrameter, by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, featuring an Indian hero and loosely based on legends and ethnography of the Ojibwe and other Native American peoples contained in Algic Researches and additional writings of Henry Rowe Schoolcraft...
- "by the rushing Tahquamenaw" where Hiawatha built his canoe. "Tahquamenon Falls" is also a song from Sufjan Stevens's
Sufjan Stevens
Sufjan Stevens is an American singer-songwriter and musician born in Detroit, Michigan. Stevens first began releasing his music on Asthmatic Kitty, a label co-founded with his stepfather, beginning with the 1999 release, A Sun Came...
album Michigan
Michigan (album)
Bonus tracks included on the double-disc vinyl release:#"Marching Band" – 3:41#"Niagara Falls" – 2:22#"Pickerel Lake" – 3:11#"Presidents and Magistrates" – 4:16#"Vito's Ordination Song" – 5:25#"Wolverine" – 2:10...
.
While the name Tahquamenon is now primarily associated with the falls, it appears to have originally designated an island in Whitefish Bay
Whitefish Bay
Whitefish Bay is a large bay on the eastern end of the southern shore of Lake Superior between Michigan and Ontario. It begins in the north and west at Whitefish Point in Michigan, about 10 miles north of Paradise, Michigan and ends at the St. Marys River at Sault Ste. Marie on the southeast...
: Tahquamenon Island. The first written record of the name appears as "Outakouaminan" in a 1671 French map.http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/edopps/TFSPname.pdf
The upper falls are located at 46°34′29"N 85°15′23"W and the lower falls are at 46°36′12"N 85°12′25"W