Eagle River Falls | Michigan

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At Eagle River Falls, the Eagle River drops about 60 feet over a basalt cliff. It’s the last significant drop before the river flows into Lake Superior,

The waterfall is a popular roadside stop — it’s located right next to M-26 as you’re entering Eagle River, Michigan. Leave your car in the small parking area and walk out across the 53-foot gorge for a panoramic view of the falls.

Geology of Eagle River Falls

Eagle River Falls flows over an exposed section of the Portage Lake Volcanics — a layer of basalt formed by an ancient lava flow. At the bottom of the waterfall, you can see the point where the rock shifts from dark grey to a reddish hue. This is the beginning of the Copper Harbor Conglomerate, a rock layer made of sediment that was deposited into the Midcontinent Rift millions of years ago.1

If you’re visiting the waterfall during the summer, look out for the two potholes just left of the center. Geologists believe these rounded depressions may have been created by the swirling melt waters of retreating glaciers.2

Lake Shore Drive Bridge over the Eagle River

As you look over Eagle River Falls, take a moment to examine the bridge you’re standing on: the Lake Shore Drive Bridge. It’s one of the few surviving Warren deck truss bridges in Michigan — the deck sits on top of steel-riveted trusses shaped like equilateral triangles.3 The steel lattice rails, which were replaced in 2019, are a replica of the original design.

This historic bridge was built in 1915 by the Wisconsin Bridge & Iron Company of Milwaukee. Although it’s pedestrian-only today, it was the primary vehicle crossing until 1990, when the Eagle River timber bridge opened. After you check out the waterfall, go to the opposite side of the pedestrian bridge for a spectacular view of the massive timber arches.

Eagle River Falls and the Lake Superior Safety Fuse Co.

When the water level is low, look closely at the top of Eagle River Falls. There, you can see the remains of a historic timber dam. (Visible at 0:11 in the video above)

The dam is a remnant of Eagle River’s boomtown days. In the 1860s, the Lake Superior Safety Fuse Company built a dam on the river to power its facility; the company made blasting fuses for local mining companies. Check out the marker commemorating one of the original founders, Joseph Blight, on a small hill above the parking area.

Sadly, the marker doesn’t mention the invaluable contributions of Blight’s wife, Mary Ann Terrill. As a young woman, Terrill worked at the Bickford-Smith Safety Fuse Company in Camborne, England. She used her extensive knowledge of fuses to advise her husband and his business partners on the design of their fuse-making machine.4

How to get to Eagle River Falls

Eagle River Falls is located in the village of Eagle River in Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula. It’s about 28 miles north of Houghton and 16.5 miles north of Calumet.

Directions to Eagle River Falls

  1. From Calumet, head north on US-41
  2. After 14 miles, turn left onto M-26
  3. Drive 2.2 miles; you’ll cross the Eagle River timber bridge
  4. Turn left on 4th Street immediately after you cross the bridge

The parking area for the waterfall is on the right. If it’s full, you can park at the Eagle River Museum across the street.

What’s Nearby

For such a tiny community, Eagle River has plenty to do. Enjoy dinner at Fitzgerald’s Restaurant, explore the museum, and pick up dessert from the monks at the Jampot. If you’re heading north, stop at Jacob’s Falls; on your way back to US-41, stop off at Ten Foot Falls. Both are two of the easiest Keweenaw waterfalls to reach — they’re right next to M-26.

Sources

1. “The Midcontinent Rift.” Keweenaw National Historic Park, National Park Service. Accessed 18 June 2023.

2. “Potholes.” Keweenaw Geoheritage, Michigan Tech Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences. Accessed 18 June 2023.

3. “Truss Bridges.” North Carolina Department of Transportation. Accessed 18 June 2023.

4. Daily Mining Gazette [Houghton, Michigan], 14 March 1953.