A heavy rain storm has forced the closure of the Munising Falls trail for 2025, as 75 feet of the walkway was damaged in late April. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore shared some photos of the damage to the paved walkway, and posted a map showing that the Munising Falls visitor center will still be open but the trail and all access points to the falls are closed indefinitely. As the Michigan Nature Association continues work at the Twin Falls Preserve, this now makes three Munising waterfall trails that are not available at the current time.

Below we will share some alternative waterfalls in the area to check out, as well as a few of our pictured from visits to Munising Falls.

The Munising Falls waterfall trail is one of the most popular in the park, as it is short, paved, and scenic. Anyone who has visited in recent years may have seen some signs that this trail had seen better days and it just took the right combination of spring melt and heavy rain to finish it off. Munising Falls drops 50 feet here over the edge of a sandstone cliff, before the water flows into a creek that winds its way to Lake Superior. Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore saw record visitor numbers in 2020 and 2021 and still averages more than 900,000 visitors per year. The addition of entrance fees in 2022 has helped raise revenue to keep up with park maintenance and address a backlog of projects, and will hopefully help the rebuild of the Munising Falls trail go smooth and quick.

If you’re looking for other waterfalls to visit in the Munising area, here are a few of our recommendations:

Miners Falls – reached after a hike of .6 miles, Miners Falls is a roaring waterfall with a 50 foot drop. The trail is relatively easy and an observation platform provides views at the end. Future plans here call for rebuilding the overlook and adding access below at river level.

Hurricane River Falls – This small waterfall can be found at the Hurricane River day use area and can be viewed from the footbridge across the river before it empties into Lake Superior.

Mosquito Falls – One of the more challenging waterfall hikes at Pictured Rocks, Mosquito Falls has several drops deep in the woods. A hike of just over a mile gets you to this scenic spot, but several uphill sections and uneven terrain make this a moderately difficult hike depending on conditions.

Chapel Falls – Reached from the same parking area as Mosquito Falls but heading in the opposite direction, Chapel Falls also requires a hike of more than a mile. You can view this 60 foot drop from right next to the brink and then continue on to see it from the other side with a straight-on view.

Sable Falls – Located just west of Grand Marais near the eastern end of the national lakeshore, Sable Falls is a beautiful 75 foot waterfall that gradually falls over sandstone ledges on its way to Lake Superior. This is not a long hike, but it features many stairs.

Alger Falls – Just south of Munising, this small roadside waterfall can be viewed at the junction of M-94 and M-28.

Horseshoe Falls – A privately owned waterfall in Munising, Horseshoe Falls is a scenic 20 foot drop. There is an admission fee to visit this waterfall, which is surrounded by beautiful trails and a trout pond.

Wagner Falls – A Michigan state scenic site just south of Munising on M-94, Wagner Falls has long been a favorite of ours. The trail is short and almost entirely flat, ending at an observation platform with a great view of this 20 foot waterfall in the woods.

Au Train Falls – Head south of Munising on M-94 and travel for 15 mile to get to Au Train Falls, a set of two large drops below a dam. You can get a decent view of the upper section from the parking area, and a short downhill walk leads to a bridge with great views of the lower falls. This waterfall is best viewed after recent rainfall or spring snowmelt and it can be quite unimpressive in the warmer summer months.