Root Beer Falls on Planter Creek, Wakefield
Few Michigan waterfalls are as easy to visit as Root Beer Falls in Wakefield. This small waterfall can be viewed from the side of the road, and getting a closer view only requires a walk of a few hundred yards. If you’re in the area to see other waterfalls or headed up to the western end of the Porcupine Mountains this is a waterfall you won’t want to miss (as the video above shows).
Planter Creek flows under M-28 a few blocks from Sunday Lake. Shortly after passing under the highway it cascades over a small rock ridge, forming a waterfall in a beautiful forested setting. The sudden drop of around six feet that forms this waterfall is a stark contrast to the otherwise quiet setting here as the creek winds its way through the woods.
To get to Root Beer Falls, head north on M-28 for about a mile after its intersection with US-2. Pass Thomaston Rd. (CR-519) that heads to Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park and take a left on the next road, Wertanen Rd. Head down this dirt road for a few hundred yards and watch for Root Beer Falls to appear through the trees on the left side of the road. Park and find a safe route to the creek, being mindful that this area has been used as a dumping ground for old trash including sharp objects and glass.
Be sure to check out Peter Wolf Toth’s wood carving Nee-Gaw-Nee-Gaw-Bow in Wakefield on Sunday Lake. The waterfalls on the Presque Isle River in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (Manabezho Falls, Manido Falls, Nawadha Falls) are only 18 miles north on CR-519. Our “10 Upper Peninsula Waterfalls That Can Be Viewed From Your Car” post has a handful of other options for easy waterfall viewing.
