While camping at Union Bay Campground in Porcupine Wilderness State Park, we took a day trip to enjoy the waterfalls at the Presque Isle section of the park.
If you are camping at Union Bay, then allow 45 minutes to an hour just to drive to that side of the park.
Several Choices
You have several choices to see the waterfalls:
- Drive to the various viewpoints and take short walks to each platform.
- Hike the 1.1 miles on the West River Trail, stopping at the viewpoints as you go. You will have to walk the 1.1 miles back.
- Hike around the East River Trail, cross the road, and come back on the West River Trail. This trail is approximately 2.5 miles.
- Start with the extra loop by the suspension bridge that goes by Lake Superior, travel the East River Trail, and return on the West River Trail. We chose to take this 3.0-mile trail when we visited the area.
The Loop
After crossing the boardwalk, we took the loop to view Lake Superior. This section of the hike is more exposed to the wind.
East Trail
We chose to begin on the East Trail rather than the West Trail because a large group ahead of us took the West Trail, and we preferred to walk by ourselves. The East Trail is more difficult than the West Trail with many more tree roots. However, I loved the different views of the waterfalls on this trail.
West Trail
After you cross the road, you will be on the West River Trail. This trail has many more stairs and boardwalks than the other side.
Summary
We took so many wonderful hikes on our trip to the Upper Peninsula, and this one ranked high on our list. If you are in the area, and you don’t have the time or energy to hike the whole trail, at least take time to walk to the platforms and enjoy the waterfalls.