Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is one of the Upper Peninsula’s top destinations, and each year hundreds of thousands visit to see the colorful sandstone cliffs, hike the miles of trails, relax at the beaches, learn about history, and see waterfalls. One of the waterfalls at this park is Mosquito Falls, a beautiful set of drops on the Mosquito River that can be reached after a moderately challenging hike of just over a mile. We recently had a chance to visit this waterfall again and today we will be sharing our experience on the hike and some photos and video from Mosquito Falls!

The hike to get to Mosquito Falls begins in a parking lot that also provides access to Chapel Falls, Chapel Rock, several backcountry campgrounds, and the rest of the Lakeshore Trail (directions to parking lot are at the bottom of this post). This parking lot fills up fast during the summer, so we advise getting here earlier in the day so you don’t have to park farther away. Signs are clearly posted at the trailhead, look for the one that lists Mosquito Falls and two campgrounds. Lace up your boots, pack a water or two, grab the bug spray and hit the trail!

The hike starts off on a wide and mostly flat trail through the woods. We saw lots of birds, chipmunks, and squirrels during our hike, as well as a lot of plants and flowers.

There are a few times when you will need to pay attention to trail signs and make sure you are headed to the falls and not the campground. At the intersection above, stay to the left. It was at this point that the trail became very muddy during our visit. As the name of the falls implies, with any kind of recent rainfall this can also be a very bug-filled trip.

A hike of just over a mile may not sound that daunting, but what this hike makes up for in length it adds in difficulty thanks to the uneven terrain, multiple uphill climbs, and more. It definitely felt like a longer hike than a mile, but press on as this scenic waterfall is worth the journey!

You first reach the lower falls, which drop off a ledge and form a curtain of water a little more than five feet tall. While you can get a decent view of this waterfall from up above, getting in any closer is either difficult or dangerous. I managed to find a narrow trail and made it a little closer to the edge to take the photo seen above. Use caution if you decide to approach this drop as it is a long journey back to the parking lot (and to Munising) for help.

Above this drop the river is quite scenic as it makes its way between the trail and a higher sandstone wall on the opposite bank. Next up is a set of small cascades between the two main drops of Mosquito Falls:

A short walk from here brings you to the upper Mosquito Falls, a scenic drop of about five feet. This is the most approachable spot of the area, and you can walk up to the side of the falls without much difficulty.

After a somewhat demanding hike this is a great spot to sit and soak in the beauty of the wilderness here at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore before you begin your hike back to the parking lot or decide to continue on to Mosquito Beach. Here’s a short video of Mosquito Falls:

There may be other waterfalls in this national park that are taller but this one holds a special place due to its more remote location and the journey to get to it. Check back soon as we will be featuring our hike to Chapel Falls in the next few weeks.