The Upper Peninsula’s Baraga County is home to dozens of waterfalls, most of which can be visited without too much work. Quartzite Falls is one of a handful of waterfalls on the Slate River, and a short walk leads visitors to a scenic drop over a slate ledge framed by cedar trees. This is one of our favorite waterfalls in the area and we recently had a chance to visit it again when we made a trip to the U.P. in June. Today we’ll share some pictures and a video and let you know how you can visit Quartzite Falls.

The path to Quartzite Falls begins from a parking area on a dirt road, shortly after you cross a wooden bridge. This is one of two waterfalls that can be explored from this parking area (stay tuned for our coverage of Black Slate Falls to learn more). The path is well-worn and easy to follow as it runs parallel with the river. You’ll be able to hear the falls and as you walk keep an eye on the riverbed for quartz veins like the one shown above.

Your first views of the falls will come from the side, but you will want to continue on to the pool below the falls for better views. The water gets deeper here after the falls and this looks like a perfect spot to do some swimming!

After the pool the water levels are usually low enough to allow visitors to wade across the river. Crossing the river here and following the opposite bank back up to the falls provides (in my opinion) the best views. Given the somewhat remote location, there’s a decent chance you could have this waterfall to yourself for a bit. In our handful of visits here we’ve only seen a few other people.

Above is a short video of Quartzite Falls from June of 2024.

To get to Quartzite Falls, head east on Main St. from downtown L’Anse. Follow Main St. through town and stay on this road as it becomes Skanee Rd. After more than 10 miles, turn right (south) on Arvon Rd. (if you cross the Slate River you’ve gone too far). Follow Arvon Rd. for around three miles, then take a left on an unmarked dirt road. You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the old wooden bridge, and after crossing the bridge you can park on either side of the road and walk to the falls. (see map below).