Gorge Falls is a 24-foot horsetail waterfall on the Black River in the Ottawa National Forest, Gogebic County, Michigan, about 11 miles north of Bessemer. Here the river narrows sharply and drops into a steep gorge, next to Potawatomi Falls on the Black River Scenic Byway.
The falls
The Black River pinches to about 7 feet across and pours into the gorge, throwing up masses of foam as it hits the rocks below. A single 24-foot drop; lidar data roughly confirms it, showing about 22 feet.
Getting there
Gorge Falls shares a parking area with Potawatomi Falls, just over 12 miles north of US 2 on County Road 513, the Black River Scenic Byway. From the lot a 400-foot trail leads to the falls.
In May 2026 the Ottawa National Forest began rebuilding stairs and viewing platforms at the Black River falls, work expected to last through fall 2027. Gorge Falls was open with some closures when the work started, and further trail closures were planned later in the summer.
When to go
Seasonal flow and the best light for Gorge Falls aren't documented.
On site
Stairways built into the steep slopes lead down to observation platforms, the features that earned the Gorge and Potawatomi trails National Recreation Trail status. The Forest Service's accessible asphalt path and platform at this trailhead serve Potawatomi Falls rather than Gorge Falls.
Nearby
Potawatomi Falls is about 0.2 mile away, Great Conglomerate Falls about 0.6 mile, Sandstone Falls about 0.7 mile and Rainbow Falls, the last falls before Lake Superior, about 1.3 miles.
Distances are straight-line.