Munising Falls sits inside the city limits of Munising, in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. The National Park Service treats it as the short, year-round waterfall walk near the visitor center. 1

What to see

The park places the trail where Washington Street becomes Sand Point Road, across from Munising Memorial Hospital. A paved 800-foot path follows Munising Creek up a shaded canyon to the base of the falls. The water drops 50 feet over a sandstone cliff. Two sets of stairs lead to platforms for other views. The park asks you to watch for ferns, wildflowers and an occasional mink. 1

Stay on the paved trail. Walking into or behind the falls is prohibited. Leashed pets are allowed on the trail and at the viewing platforms. 1

The park's other named falls — Miners, Sable, Chapel, Bridalveil — belong on the Pictured Rocks trip guide. Nearby, outside the lakeshore, the park points people to Wagner Falls Scenic Site, a Michigan DNR site. 1

Best seasons

The park says Munising Falls is the only waterfall here that is easy to reach all year, because the road and parking lot are plowed. It calls the frozen fall particularly stunning. 1 Sand Point Road is the lakeshore road the park keeps open in winter; the ice curtains along those inland cliffs are the other winter walk we write about on Winter. 2 Trail status changes after storms. The park posts closures on the waterfalls page and the current-conditions page. 14

How to get there

The park asks drivers to route to the Munising Falls Visitor Center, 1505 Sand Point Road, Munising, Michigan, 49862, not to a generic lakeshore search. 3 Michigan highways M-28 and M-94 lead to Munising. 3

Tips

  • This is the short walk. If you want Miners Falls or Sable Falls, those are separate lots and separate stairs. 1
  • In winter, pair the frozen fall with the ice along Sand Point Road. They are not the same place as the Eben Ice Caves. 2
  • The Pictured Rocks ornament and coaster set are the pieces we print of this lakeshore.

Safety

Uneven footing, ice on the stairs and a closed trail after a storm are the hazards the park names. This page does not report today's ice or whether the canyon walk is open. Check the NPS waterfalls page and the current conditions page before you go. 14