Bridal Veil Falls is a 140-foot seasonal waterfall in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Alger County, Michigan, where a stream leaps off the sandstone cliffs about half a mile northeast of Miners Beach and runs down the rock face into Lake Superior. The cascade is best seen from the water.
The falls
The water spills over a hard, vertical sandstone cap, then slides down softer sandstone that slopes at about 45 degrees to the lake. Rock at the lip consists of dolomitic sandstone of the Au Train Formation. The falls drop 140 feet in a single descent. Snowmelt and spring rain feed the flow, which often shrinks to a trickle in dry summers.
Getting there
The falls cannot be seen from the cliff top or from the North Country Trail. On land, two distant viewpoints offer views: the lower Miners Castle overlook and the west end of Miners Beach. Miners Castle is reached from Munising by driving H-58 east about five miles, then six miles north on Miners Castle Road. The upper paths there are paved and accessible; the lower overlook is reached by a steeper trail with stairs. The closest view is from Lake Superior, on concession boat cruises that run along the cliffs from mid-May to mid-October.
Pictured Rocks charges $25 per vehicle for seven days, $20 per motorcycle and $15 per person aged 16 and older arriving on foot, by bike or by boat; the park's annual pass is $45 and federal passes are accepted. Boat tour tickets are sold separately.
When to go
Spring gives the fullest flow, while snowmelt and rain are still feeding the stream; by midsummer in a dry year there may be little to see. Late-afternoon and early-evening light brings out the colors of the cliffs best.
On site
Leashed pets are allowed on the paved trails and overlooks at Miners Castle. Park safety regulations discourage taking recreational kayaks onto Lake Superior along the cliffs, and jumping from heights greater than 15 feet is prohibited in the lakeshore.
History and name
The name refers to the veil-like appearance of the water against the cliff face.
Nearby
Miners Beach Falls, on Elliot Creek, and Potato Patch Falls are each about 0.8 mile away. Little Miners Falls is about 2 miles away and Mosquito Falls about 2.2 miles. Munising is about 9 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.