32 Tahquamenon Falls State Park 
wildlife viewing |
directions and facility information
Tahquamenon Falls is the second largest state park
in Michigan, covering more than 38,000 acres. Most
of the park is undeveloped with few public roads and
little vehicular access. Two natural waterfalls on
the Tahquamenon River give this park its name. The
Upper Falls is one of the largest waterfalls east
of the Mississippi River. It has a drop of over 50
feet and width of some 200 feet. It is one of the
best-known nature attractions in the Upper Peninsula.
The Park is mostly forested except for the more open
leatherleaf bogs or marshlands. Because these lands
have been managed as a park for many years, timber
is largely mature or old growth. Forests are a rich
mixture of essentially all cover types found in northern
Michigan, from northern hardwoods (yellow birch, hard
maple, basswood, some beech and oak) to red pine,
white pine and hemlock, to aspen, birch, soft maple,
and lowland hardwoods. Extensive acreages are also
composed of lowland conifers such as black spruce,
tamarack and white cedar. The North Country Hiking
Trail traverses the park and provides a look at the
wilderness interior of this scenic site. The park
has three campgrounds: modern, semi-modern, and rustic. A restaurant
and food concessions plus a nature-based store are
open seasonally at the Upper Falls, the most visited
area of the park.
 Wildlife
Viewing
This entire park provides unique and wonderful wildlife
viewing opportunities. The Clark Lake area offers
three pristine lakes that make a beautiful wilderness
canoe float. Contact the park office for access information.
The park is home to several northern bird species
including the gray jay, boreal chickadee, and black-backed
woodpecker. It also is one of the states best known
breeding sites for the palm warbler and one of the
only known breeding sites for the rusty blackbird.
Both the Upper and Lower Falls are easily accessible.
For the more adventurous, a four-mile hiking trail
runs along the river between the two falls. This trail
features an old-growth American beech-sugar maple
community, groves of virgin northern hemlock, and
miles of wild, scenic river. While hiking the trail,
watch and listen for species associated with this
unique combination of habitats. The black-throated
green warbler, wood thrush, osprey, river otter, and
several species of ferns and wild orchids are just
a few examples. The area near the mouth of the Tahquamenon
River has a linear marsh running inland along the
wide serpentine river corridor. This sheltered habitat
and the bay near the river mouth are used by waterfowl
during migration, especially April and May. Gulls
and terns that work the Lake Superior shallows and
nest in the area are found her throughout the ice-free
months. Moose and bears and river otters are seen
occasionally along the river corridor. Whitefish Point,
a premier site for viewing migrating waterfowl, raptors
and songbirds, is near the park just north of Paradise,
and is a must-see in spring and fall.
DEER FLIES, BLACK FLIES, AND MOSQUITOES CAN
BE VERY NUMEROUS IN MAY AND JUNE, SO COME PREPARED.
|
>Watchable
Wildlife
