Burned Dam (Mex-i-min-e) Falls and Campground – Watersmeet, MI

Tucked away in a serene state forest campground, Burned Dam Falls are located in a quiet and unassuming setting, yet the power of this river and its rich history are easily evident. This was once a very busy logging area, and is still a popular area with fishermen and canoe and kayak enthusiasts. The drop in the river is not much, but as the water slides over and around several rocks it makes a gradual five to eight foot drop before settling down to calm once again:

The name refers to a dam that was once at the site, see the video below for further historical detail. This is a very well maintained state forest campground, located in the Ottawa National Forest. The trip to the campground is not difficult, as only the last mile is a dirt road which leads right into the campground. Looping around in the back of the camping area, you will see the sign – the short trail to the falls is right there. This is a great waterfall to spend some time at and many opportunities for climbing and hopping around on rocks can be had.

Our August 2012 trip found about half of the 10 campsites occupied. That was a second trip for me and both times the water levels have been great for photography. The campground is fee free due to the fact that no services are provided (rustic) – it is true pack in, pack out camping.

Directions: From US-2 in Watersmeet, head north on US-45 for a mile, then take a right onto Old US-2. Follow that for 7 miles to a sign for the campground. Turn left here on FR-4500 and follow the dirt road about a mile into the campground.