Canyon Falls, near Alberta, MI, is often referred to as the Grand Canyon of the U.P. It's located on the Sturgeon River in Baraga County, near a roadside park on U.S. 41, just south of L'Anse. Karen Karl took the hike in to stop the rushing waters long enough for us to get a look at them. If you want to view the canyon portion of the river, it's a bit treacherous as the trail has been shortened from what it used to be. But, for the more adventurous it's worth the trip. There used to be a Forest Management Tour, maintained by Michigan Tech, the Extension Service and the Dept. of Transportation. It's been awhile since I've hiked in there, so I'm relying on others to chime in if they know anything about it's present existence...

Beautiful picture Mary. You must be staying up all night to get this on so early on Friday. It is 12:50 a.m. here in AZ.

What a great picture. Another new background.
Thanks for all your efforts.

It is 4 AM in Detroit and I am off to the airport to pickup a plane from GA and I am still second. You folks are a dedicated crowd. If I can not be first at 4AM, I can guarantee you I will never be first. It just doesn't get much earlier than this for me. Take care all.....

Just stay up longer, flying troll.;)
Perhaps the imagination of cool spray on your face will help -although I assume any current UP spray to be chilly rather than cool.
Sigh ... beats computer-sessions on Geographical Information Systems not by far, but by further ...

Last time I was at Canyon Falls was in August of 2001 on the return trip from dropping my son off at Tech for his 1st year there. There was barely a trickle of water then. We were able to stand out on the rock shelf as the water was so shallow and narrow. So today's photo is ecouraging for our State's greatest natural resource. Water

Our first visit to Canyon Falls was also a result of dropping off our son at Tech in August of 2000. In an hour we are departing for the beautiful Copper Country again, this time for his graduation. It's somewhat bittersweet that this is the last trip that we can use his attendance as a reason to visit the Keweenaw - not that one needs any reason beyond what nature provides.

Steve - not the first, but thats ok.
Have a great weekend! 3:00 is pushing it a bit too early.

I last visited Canyon Falls in June, 2002 on the way up for my annual Isle Royale trip. It was a very scenic hike but you need to wear mosquito repellent if you want to spend any amount of time there. On that June day, the skeeters were unusually intense and I was too lazy to go back to the car to get my Deet, a mistake I won't make again. However, the sound and power of the rushing water is incredible and is worth seeing.

Good morning! I have friends looking to come up to the UP around May 17th -- any ideas of what will be open then? Would appreciate everyone's help! Thanks

I've been to Canyon Falls many times and have never seen any bugs, so either I was lucky or you were unlucky. The trail is good and there are boardwalks over the muddy areas. I've always seen a good amount of water, too. Autumn is beautiful there, especially when the temperature is cool! It would be a nice spot for a picnic, or just sandwiches from Subway!

Great shot Karen! I can feel the power in that photograph! Definitely a contrast with the lazier nature of the river in late summer.

Awesome picture Karen! Thanks for sharing it.

We drove by the roadside park where this falls is located two weeks ago. I'm kicking myself for not taking the time, as you did, to walk back in the woods to see this beautiful spot!

Great pic, makes me homesick.....not a lot of trees or water here in the Dakotas :(

WOW! It sure looks worth the hike to see it. Great picture!

I guess they wouldn't let me build a little house somewhere right next to the water, eh?

Steve the flying troll: are you a pilot??
My hubby look flying lessons one time several years ago, still has his little black charting book. He was in North Dakota, there wasn't anything else to do;> Love today's pic.
Hi to dah sistahs and Betty

Congratulations, L & V. College graduation is a proud time for parents. I loved it and remember well that bittersweet last trip to my children's respective colleges.

I have an interesting story about Canyon Falls. In April of 1994, my dog went over the waterfall. We stopped at the rest area, and decided to hike out on the trail. The dog stopped for a drink of water, and went too far into the water. She was sept away by the current and went over the waterfall. It was a miracle that she survived. We ended up having to go to the otherside of the river and hike down and pull her up out of the rocks.

Phillis, There will still be ice on the lakes!

Good Morning! Yeeha for Friday!

The "Buster Brown" truck (UPS) stopped yesterday afternoon with our delivery of pasties from Still Waters! My wife and I each had one for last night's supper. (old farm boy, I still call it supper) On half of mine, I had butter and on the other half, Toivo and Eino's pasty sauce. (trysumadisonyerpasty eh!) Great meal!

The first time I visited Canyon Falls was about 45 years ago. There was a two track down to the river and a small turnaround with a picnic table or two. The hike to the falls was nothing like today. No board walks, no marked trails. It took quite some time to get to the falls, but the walk was still worth it. For those of you that enjoy the Sturgeon River and would like another great hike, try the Sturgeon River Gorge northe of Sidnaw. The trail head is about 7or8 miles north of the Sturgeon River Campground.

Around 1995 my friend Justin and myself adopted the highway which ran through this great area. Every time we had to clean the highway we would take a well deserved break and visit the falls and explore down river.

What a great picture. I have friends who are hiking the Appalachian trail and are doing it in part as a fundraiser for Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly (the Hancock office) so that they will have resources to take the elderly, yes even those in wheelchairs to see the falls. The website for their journey is http://homepage.mac.com/paterson/at04.html What a great cause, everyone old and young alike should have the opportunity to see the beauty of the Copper Country

It's amazing to see the difference in quantity of water between the spring and the fall. It's also hard to believe those are the same falls myself and countless other Tech students jump off in the fall. Good thing we don't do it in the spring. But that isn't because the water is too cold...

When I was in High School at Hancock, several of my friends would go up the trail to a spot where the water was very deep and take a dive in. Do so with caution, however, as there are only a couple of spots where you can do this, including a 30-40 foot drop!

hey jeff- does your adopt-a-highway sign say "the society of Justin and Jeff"? i always noticed that sign on my way to marquette.

Great pic. Marsha you were very very lucky.

Yes it was the Society of Justin and Jeff!

This is beautiful - I check this site daily and we don't have this beauty in Kansas, however, we have some great things here :-). I can hardly wait til I retire (soon) and we travel this great country on our Goldwing to see all these beautiful sites.

Wow great pic!
What date was this pic taken?

Canyon Falls is one of the best kayak runs in the area, either my favorite or 2nd favorite. Hopefully it'll contain enough water to run it tomorrow!

On a side note check out the following link for a video of Justin going over this water fall and a few other pics:

http://www.americanwhitewater.org/rivers/id/2599/

Thanks for the link, Nate. Those are great shots! I had no idea that people kayaked over the falls.

BIG GUY IN CALUMET
I MADE IT BACK TO WARM VEGAS AFTER FREEZING FOR TWO WEEKS IN CALUMET

Wonderful picture! My daughter took me there in May of '99, just after she graduated. We had the 'jump pact' in effect but I was more reticent than she. She jumped, disappeared under the water and I waited for her to surface. It took a very long time while I became panicky and traumatized for my baby. Just at the critical moment when I thought I would have to save her, she surfaced a long way down stream. I burst into tears.

Moral of the story: If your kid jumps off a cliff do you have to follow? Yes! is the answer!

Good day folks,Just a note to remind those interested, that someone said a week or so ago the The Jampot will be mentioned tomorrow on the cable "Food Network" I think it's on about 2:00 or 2:30 in the afternoon. I'll be watching

I've already got that programmed in my TiVO so I can watch it! Thanks for the reminder!

My husband drove (with a broken foot now in a boot, instead of a cast)the 9 hours to our cottage in Aura this week. Yesterday he went for the long drive to the Jampot, and found it opens today! He said he thinks he'll go back again today! What a person won't do for baked goods!

Totally off the subject but, where was Rachelle's baby last night on the last episode of Friends??

This is completely off subject, but I just thought I'd warn everyone: my computer just came back from the nice folks at Computer Mechanix in South Range (or if you're a real yooper, Sout Range). It had the Beagle worm virus, a nasty, destructive thing which ate everything up on my hard drive, plus sent itself off to almost everyone on my address list, and it came from a friend.

Now, here's the moral of the story- had I had pasty.com as my internet provider, I never would have gotten the virus in the first place, because their firewall wouldn't have let it through. But no, I had to have the 6 months free of earthlink, which ended up costing me about the same in the long run. So, here's my new e-mail address to those of you (like my sistahs and Dave out in firey CA)who know me. Sandstone princess, e-mail me so I can discuss the ticket arrangements for the decommissioning!!! I have to send in my r.s.v.p. a.s.a.p.!!!

Confused,

She left Emma with either her mother or Ross's mother who was going to bring her to Paris after Rachelle got settled. Now they can go get the baby and be a family.

Mary, CA

nice

My dad and his family are from the U.P. (Trout Creek). I, unfortunately, was born and raised in Detroit. I just came across this website while doing a Google search for something entirely unrelated. What a great site--reminds me of the trips we did take back up there when I was growing up, as well making pasties with my grandmother. Thanks for the great site!

Lynn in A2, another event to bring a mother to tears:
watching my daughter bungy jump off a 150 ft bridge
over white water! I didn't follow, but my husband did...

Nate, Great link to those awesome kayak shots! If you want to check out a big contrast in conditions, I have one taken in August in the guest gallery at:

http://pasty.com/pcam/keithinks/scan_021?full=1

To Karen, KS..yes this is a fabulous site. Found it myself last summer. You'd be surprised how o ften you run into someone who's also connected to the UP. The other day in my local "New Arrivels" a bay boy, Madison, from N. J. listed grandparents & greatgrand parents from Laurium and Bootjack besides the local grandma. Then one night at one of my grandsons' induction to Nat'l.Honor Society, there was a nice young couple MTU grads who presented scholarships to a couple students! Of course I had to speak with her. She loves the C.C. too. Small world, hey? Some very interesting conversations sometimes.:) Welcome.

thank you mary drew

there are many sights on this great river -- both
upstream and downstream from canyon falls. granted -- not easily accessible.

Just heard that there is a fire at the Bella Vista ( sp? ) Motel in Copper Harbor. Three departments on scene. Everyone is out of the building though.

camwatcher,

Is it in the office or the motel units?

I don't think the Bella Vista was even open yet. I think they open mid May and the 3 owners do not live there til it opens.

By Cousin Jack on Friday, May 7, 2004 - 11:50 pm:

Here's your real "Grand Canyon" of the U.P. folks:

Any guesses?

...haven't heard from bthecute1 lately. How's the
weather over there, in San Jose, Ca

Just great! It's Warmmmmmmm! Got the fans Onnnnnnnnnnnn! Lovin' it!

Cousin Jack, My guess is Gorge Falls on the Black River.

To Cousin Jack,
I guess the Sturgeon River Gorge...

Phyllis M, IL: Ice is gone from the lakes. A bit of snow can still be found in the shadowed spots along the highway. Trees are starting to get that green look and the Copper Country is ready for visitors.Come on UP!

The Gorge Falls on the Black river it is!