Canyon Falls is a 15-foot waterfall on the Sturgeon River in Baraga County, Michigan, where the river pours over dark rock into a narrow gorge a short walk from a roadside park on US 41. The gorge is billed as the "Grand Canyon of the UP."
The falls
Lidar data indicates a single drop of about 15 feet, still unconfirmed on the ground, while an older description puts the descent at nearly 30 feet down a chute of smooth black rock into a box canyon. On the way in, the path passes a series of rapids and smaller falls before reaching the main drop. Another recorded name is Bacco Falls.
Getting there
The trail starts at Canyon Falls Roadside Park on US 41, about nine miles south of L'Anse. The main falls are about 0.5 mile from the parking area. The trail continues along the gorge: the full Canyon Gorge out-and-back is 3.9 miles with 229 feet of gain, rated moderate, over rocks, roots and uneven boardwalks. Fees, hours and dog rules aren't documented.
When to go
May through November is the recommended season, and the route is largely shaded. The falls can be visited year-round.
On site
Cliff jumping into the Sturgeon River here has proved deadly. On July 5, 2019, a 24-year-old Michigan Tech graduate student jumped from a cliff into the river several times, was pulled downstream by the current and drowned; his body was recovered the next day. Officials pointed to the unpredictable current, high water, jumps from the cliffs and slips on wet rock. Stay out of the river and off the cliff edges, especially when the water is high.
Nearby
Several falls lie along the same stretch: Middle Canyon Falls is about 0.2 mile away, Lower Canyon Falls about 0.3 mile and Upper Falls, also on the Sturgeon, about 0.6 mile. Plumbago Falls is about 2.6 miles away.
Distances are straight-line.