Heading to the U.P. in search of waterfalls? The hike along the Black River in western Michigan is more than just a stop-the-car-and-hop-out waterfall experience. The trail traces the length of the river on its final stretch of the journey to Lake Superior, through old growth cedar and hemlock, along peaceful beaver ponds, and of course hitting all the highlights of the area’s best waterfalls.
The Michigan segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail is the longest stretch of the NCT, tracing almost 1200 miles across both the Upper and Lower peninsulas. If hiking all 1200 miles across Michigan isn’t on your to-do list, you can still hit some amazing highlights by section hiking.
The very west end of the U.P. is home to dozens of waterfalls that drain the Yoop’s rivers and streams into Lake Superior. On the segment of the North Country Trail that follows the Black River to Lake Superior, hikers are rewarded with five waterfalls plus a gorge all in one hike!
The NCT hike through the Ottawa National Forest from Algonquin Falls to Black River Harbor gives you a lot of bang for your buck with some gorgeous northwoods scenery and highlights the waterfalls for which the U.P. is famous.
Trail Stats: North Country Trail (Algonquin Falls to Black River Harbor, Michigan)
Trail Distance and Difficulty
The hike from the trailhead by Copper Peak to Black River Harbor along Lake Superior is 6.5 miles one-way.
If you choose to complete this hike as an out-and-back, the total mileage would be 13. If you choose to add on the view of Rainbow Falls from the east side of the river, this would add an additional 1.5 miles to the hike.
The overall hike is not considered difficult, but it does depend on conditions. Certain times of the year can bring a lot of mud in some areas of the trail. Additionally, expect blowdowns you’ll have to navigate around. The trail is mostly dirt, with some small stream crossings and rockier sections. The more popular areas around the big waterfalls have wooden stairs, boardwalks and asphalt.
To hike down toward Lake Superior from Algonquin Falls, you will lose approximately 770 feet.
There is little to no cell service along this stretch of road and trail, so downloading maps ahead of time or having paper maps is helpful.
Trailheads Along the Black River
Depending on which way you want to hike this section of the North Country Trail, there are two options for trailheads.
Algonquin Falls Trailhead
The Algonquin Falls trailhead is located where Copper Peak Road joins Black River Road north of the ski jump. There is a small parking lot big enough for a few cars, plus some signage for the hiking trail.
Click here for Google Maps directions to the Algonquin Falls Trailhead
Black River Harbor Trailhead
Hikers can access the North Country Trail from the north end of Black River Road, which dead-ends at Black River Harbor. The Harbor is part of Ottawa National Forest and lies along Lake Superior. To park here, the Forest Service requires a $5 day use pass payable at a self-service station.
Click here for Google Maps directions to Black River Harbor
If you have an extra vehicle, you could arrange a shuttle and only hike the trail one way. Leave the second vehicle either at Algonquin Falls Trailhead and hike uphill from Black River Harbor, or vice versa. Alternatively, you could turn this hike into an out-and-back of any distance. The full hike is 13 miles roundtrip.
Best time of year to hike in the U.P.
Spring brings the most powerful hydrologic activity to the Black River when the surrounding forests and mountains thaw out. The Black River drains a large watershed of its snowmelt, so mid-April is an amazing time to see the waterfalls near Ironwood absolutely thundering.
Summer is a great time to visit Black River Harbor and do some camping on the shores of Lake Superior. The bugs can be cumbersome in June and July, but wear a headnet and bug jacket and you will be fine.
Fall is a popular time of year to visit the U.P. because the changing colors are stunning. The western U.P. near Ironwood is particularly great for fall color viewing because of the topography in the area. There are so many mountaintops and vantage points for enjoying the changing leaves.
Winter along the Black River is less crowded and extra beautiful. The waterfalls will have some ice on them, adding to the stark color contrast between the tannin-laden Black River and the frozen water rimming the rocks. You will want snow shoes or ice cleats to hike this time of year.
The North Country Trail and Waterfalls
Starting from the Algonquin Falls trailhead off of Copper Peak Road, this segment of the North Country Trail immediately drops down into the trees toward the Black River. From between the trunks of old hemlocks, hikers can catch their first glimpses of the big river down below almost right away. Follow blue blazes to stay on the North Country Trail.
The trail follows the Black River north toward Lake Superior for the entirety of the hike. The first part of the hike offers more seclusion, as it is not as popular as the popular waterfalls further north. This means you’ll almost certainly have some expansive cliffside views of the river to yourself for the first couple of miles. In the spring, white trillium flowers, trout lilies and fiddleheads carpet the forest floor.
At just over 2 miles into the hike, the river opens up into a backwater beaver pond. This is the best spot along the trail for wildlife viewing. Beaver ponds provide habitat for waterfowl, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, warblers, wading birds, insects and much more.
Great Conglomerate Falls
At the three mile mark, the trail hits a wooden viewing platform at Great Conglomerate Falls. At Great Conglomerate Falls, the Black River hits a big, red conglomerate rock in the middle of the river and splits in two. The effect is twin waterfalls pouring over either side of the red rock. These falls can also be accessed from Black River Road, just a short hike away.
This section of trail is gorgeous, passing through old cedar and hemlock stands. The hemlock’s tannins give the Black River its dark color, created by organic matter.
Potawatomi and Gorge Falls
At mile 3.5, the trail pops out at the viewing platform for Potawatomi Falls, another one of Ironwood’s most popular waterfalls. In the early spring, this one really gets going, thundering and churning all the snowmelt flushed through the gorge to the biggest of the great lakes. Like Great Conglomerate Falls, Potawatomi and Gorge Falls can be easily accessed from a parking area off Black River Road.
The whole area around both falls have multiple stairways down to viewing platforms so visitors can see the falls from multiple angles. The view of the Gorge, a narrow constriction of the canyon where the river is forced through sheer red walls, is my personal favorite. In the spring when the water is ripping, this is a must-see spot in Michigan’s U.P.
For 2026 and 2027, check in to the US Forest Service website, as the viewing platforms for both waterfalls will be undergoing some construction and maintenance.
Sandstone Falls and Rainbow Falls
While not technically on the North Country Trail, a short 0.4-mile detour will take hikers to Sandstone Falls. This is a pretty cascade that is smaller than the other, more popular waterfalls along the Black River.
The North Country Trail crosses Black River Road and loops through a pretty stretch of forest along Poleface Creek, another stream that feeds Lake Superior’s thirst for snowmelt. The trail then curves back to the east toward Black River Road, and crosses straight back to the Black River. Here, there is a short stairway to a viewing platform overlooking Rainbow Falls.
Rainbow Falls is a dramatic cascade where the Black River drops over a rock wall to finish its journey to Lake Superior. If you choose to hike down across the bridge in Black River Harbor to the other side of the river, there are several options for spots to relax near the waterfall. In the winter, otters and deer use the icy shelves along the still-churning water.
Black River Harbor along Lake Superior
The North Country Trail leads hikers right to Black River Harbor, a popular boat launch area and campground managed by Ottawa National Forest. To cross the Black River here, there is a bridge across the water as the NCT continues on to the east toward the Porcupine Mountains. Keep going, shuttle back or turn around and head back to the Algonquin Falls trailhead.
For a day hike, this turnaround point would be a perfect spot to have lunch along the lakeshore before turning back.
Camping Near the Trail
The best camping near the Algonquin Falls section of the North Country Trail is the campground at Black River Harbor. The campground is managed by the Forest Service, with 39 campsites, vault toilets and pressurized water. Seven of the campsites have views of Lake Superior, so make a reservation at recreation.gov. The Black River Harbor campground is open from May 15-October 15.
For alternative Lake Superior camping not too far away, Little Girls Point further west down the shoreline also has campsites. These campsites must be reserved ahead of time.
Experiencing Northwoods Waterfalls
Due to the topography of the western U.P. and northern Wisconsin, the rivers dropping in elevation toward Lake Superior create plenty of opportunity for experiencing beautiful waterfalls. The area is well known for its waterfalls, and the section of the North Country Trail along the Black River allows hikers to experience the famous falls while also having some solitude among wildlife and old growth forests.
Other great waterfalls in the area include:
Presque Isle River waterfalls (Porcupine Mountains State Park)
Copper Falls State Park, Wisconsin (another North Country Trail adventure!)
Superior Falls (Montreal River)
Gabbro Falls (Black River)
If you can’t get enough of Lake Superior, check out the Meyers Beach sea caves at the Apostle Islands in Wisconsin, just under a two-hour drive from Black River Harbor.
For a three-day Lake Superior island backpacking itinerary in Michigan’s U.P., check out Grand Island near Munising.
