Gorge Falls

Gorge Falls is one of five waterfalls on the Black River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. All five of these waterfalls are within the Black River Harbor Recreation Area in the Ottawa National Forest north of Bessemer. A map of the Black River Harbor Recreation Area can be found here. The North Country Trail passes by all five waterfalls. Gorge Falls is the third waterfall on the river. The parking area for Gorge Falls is located off the Black River Scenic Byway (CR 513) about 14 miles north of Bessemer. Look for the Potawatomi/Gorge Falls entrance sign. The parking lot for Potawatomi Falls is adjacent to the lot for Gorge Falls. A vault toilet is located near this lot.

From the parking lot it is a 400-foot walk to Gorge Falls. There is a set of stairs that lead to the viewing platform for this stunning waterfall. Gorge falls gets its name from the narrow gorge on this portion of the Black River. Gorge Falls has a 24-foot drop. After viewing Gorge Falls, visitors can follow the North Country Trail upstream to Potawatomi Falls and then back to the parking lot to create a loop.