One of Michigan’s true treasures, Tahquamenon Falls, has captivated visitors for generations. Whether visiting to see leaves changing colors, the gushing spring runoff, or witnessing a winter wonderland in January, Tahquamenon is a must-see attraction. The falls are one of the Eastern Upper Peninsula’s most popular destinations with unbeatable sights and sounds. However, do you know how to properly say the name of the Midwest’s largest waterfalls? It is pronounced “Tuh-KWAHM’-in-uhn.” Aside from pronunciation, here are seven things you may not have known about Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

1. It’s Michigan’s 2nd Largest State Park

The Tahquamenon Falls State Park encompasses a total of 46,179 acres of land making it Michigan’s second largest state park. It trails only the robust Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park’s 59,020 acres, but is more than four times as large as the Wolverine State’s third largest state park, Emmet County’s Wilderness State Park. There is so much for everyone to explore while visiting Tahquamenon Falls State Park.

2. Tahquamenon can be enjoyed year-round!

There are no off-seasons for the Tahquamenon Falls State Park. In fact, a lot of adventurers prefer to see this natural wonder in the winter. Grab your jacket, snow pants, and snowshoes and explore the terrain. State park workers even supply a lantern-lit snowshoe path throughout the winter.

3. There Are Actually 2 Waterfalls

The more famous Upper Tahquamenon Falls is 200 feet across with a drop of almost 50 feet. The lower falls are about 4 miles downstream, and are, in fact, a series of five smaller falls around a small island. The Lower Falls can be a hidden gem when it comes to Tahquamenon Falls. Read on to learn how to get an even better view of the Lower Falls.

4. You Can Walk Across the Lower Falls

You may have visited the Upper Falls and the Lower Falls, but did you know you can now walk across the Lower Falls to the islands in the middle of the river? This adventure enables you to hike even closer to the Lower Tahquamenon Falls and will allow you the opportunity to hop in the refreshing water at your leisure. Once you arrive at the island, there is a great trail to hike with plenty of viewing areas. The bridge was installed in 2022.

5. It’s the 2^nd Most Voluminous Waterfall in the Eastern US

In the peak of Spring runoff, the Upper Tahquamenon Falls has over 50,000 gallons of water rushing over the brink per second. This makes it the second most voluminous waterfall east of the Mississippi River in the United States, behind only Niagara Falls! The average flow during the year is closer to 7,000 gallons per second. Now that’s a lot of water.

6. Locals Call it “Root Beer Falls”

Did you know that the locals call Tahquamenon Falls the “Root Beer Falls”? They call it this because of the rich brown color of the waterfall and the white frothy foam as the water crashes down 48 feet, giving it the distinct look of root beer. The dark brown color of the water is nothing to worry about. This color originates from the tannins that leach from the cedar swamp at the start of the  Tahquamenon River.

7. There are plenty of easy options to view the falls

You might not think of walking “down” to a massive waterfall, but at the Upper Tahquamenon Falls, you have to walk down just 94 steps to reach the spectacular view. It is totally worth the steps you’ll have to take back up for the view! But don’t worry, if you don’t feel like walking the steps down to that view, there are plenty of places to get a great view!