Ottawa National Forest
(near Bessemer MI)
Sandstone Falls is fourth of the five waterfalls on the Black River before it empties into Lake Superior. Sandstone Falls looks like a dam with a breach in the center, through which the entire river pours through, then drops 20+ feet into the bottom of the yet deeper gorge. The Black River Gorge is beautiful in its own right, all of which makes the drive up here well worth while.
How to get to Sandstone Falls:
- From US-2 in Bessemer, head north on N. Moore St to St Johns Rd (about 0.7 miles).
- Turn left and go to Black River Rd (about 0.5 miles).
- Turn right on Black River Rd which becomes the Black River Harbor Pkwy (County Rd 513).
- Follow this road, through North Bessemer and Auvinen Corner, past Cooper Peak, Chippewa Falls and Algonquin Falls, to the Rainbow Falls Parking area (on your right across from the Campground) – about 14 miles from Bessemer and about 1.3 miles past the Potawatomi Falls parking lot (also on your right).
- Turn right, park in the paved parking area and follow the trail to Sandstone Falls.
- The trail is an 0.25 mile trail leading from the parking lot, down a series of steep steps, to the falls overlook. Sandstone Falls, Gorge Falls, Potawatomi Falls and Great Conglomerate Falls are all within a few miles of each other along the North Country Scenic trail here. (Gorge Falls and Potawatomi Falls can also be hiked to (upstream 1/2 mile) via this North Country Scenic Trail.).
Sandstone Falls, Gorge Falls, Potawatomi Falls and Great Conglomerate Falls are all within a few miles of each other along the North Country Scenic trail here. A little further upstream (to the south) are Algonquin Falls and Chippewa Falls accessible from a trailhead at the parking area between the two and just north of the Cooper Peak access road. See the excellent map of this area at the Michigan Interactive web site: www.fishweb.com/maps/gogebic/waterfalls/blackrv_parkway/map.html
Gorge Falls and Potawatomi Falls can be reached from Rainbow Falls by going south on the North Country Scenic trail (upstream about 1 mile).
Great Conglomerate Falls can also be reached by going south (upstream about 1.5 miles).
Photos of Sandstone Falls:
For more information about Sandstone Falls:
- Ottawa National Forest
E6248 US 2
Ironwood, MI 49938
906-932-1330
[email protected]
web site: http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/ottawa/
- Ontonagon County Chamber of Commerce
Information Center
Highway MI-64 and River Road
Ontonagon
906-884-4735
[email protected]
See also:
| Hotel and Motel accommodations are available in the following communities: | |
| Baraga Calumet Cedarville Escanaba Hancock Houghton Iron River Ironwood Ishpeming | Mackinaw City Manistique Marquette Menominee Munising Newberry Norway Paradise Sault Ste Marie Wetmore |
