Silver Falls – Baraga County, Michigan

Baraga County in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is home to more than a handful of waterfalls, and Silver Falls near Skanee is one of the easiest to get to. A short dirt road leads to a small parking area, and you will be able to hear the falls once you exit your vehicle. A walk of a few hundred feet brings you to the upper drop, as the river becomes constrained and suddenly narrows to squeeze between rock walls.

The lower drop is the more stunning of the two sections, as the river drops about 15 feet before widening again below the falls. There’s lots of room to explore on the rocks around the falls, and in four visits here we’ve only had other visitors there once. If you’re looking for a scenic waterfall and a little bit of solitude, this is a great place to visit.

As you head back to the main dirt road, if you take a left at the fork and head towards the river there is a set of small rapids upstream of the falls. The river is very calm and sandy here, making it a popular swimming spot in warmer months.

The area is a great one for wildlife too, as moose have been spotted near Skanee quite frequently, and smaller mammals are attracted to the river and surrounding area for food sources. When we visited in 2013, this baby turtle was hanging out on the rocks near the lower falls.

Directions: From L’Anse head northeast on Main St./Skanee Rd. for about 6 miles. Turn right onto Falls Rd., which will have a MI DNR access sign and is marked for Silver Falls. Follow this road a little over a half mile to its end and parking. Check out the video below