Gorge Falls – Black River Scenic Byway, Gogebic County

Yesterday we profiled Sandstone Falls on the Black River in Gogebic County. There are four other major waterfalls within a few miles of there, and today we will take a look at Gorge Falls. This waterfall is in close proximity to Potawatomi Falls and reached from the same parking lot. Both of these falls are easy to access via short, minimally taxing hikes.

As you can see from the pictures, there is a small upper drop of about five feet before the river constricts and plunges another 20 feet into the gorge below. This waterfall is best viewed from the wooden platform at the end of the trail, as access into the gorge itself is not available or encouraged.

The hike to Gorge Falls is short but scenic, or you can choose to hike to Potawatomi Falls first and then follow the path along the river to Gorge Falls. There are a handful of steps involved in reaching the platform to view this waterfall. The view from the platform looking downriver into the gorge is also quite scenic:

Directions: From the intersection of US-2 and Moore St. in downtown Bessemer, head north on Moore and follow it as it winds and becomes Black River Rd./CR-513. This road will lead to all five of the scenic waterfalls, as well as Copper Peak ski flying hill. The road dead ends at Lake Superior. An alternative route is to take Powderhorn Rd. north from its intersection with US-2, and follow it past the ski resort as it winds its way into the woods (as CR-511) before eventually intersecting with CR-513. Take a left there and head north.

Be prepared for: a path with steps, possible wet terrain and bugs