I recently made yet another visit to Tahquamenon Falls, one of my favorite natural attractions in our great Upper Peninsula. I have many great memories of this location, as I had the good fortune of working several summers at the Upper Tahquamenon Falls souvenir store while in high school in Newberry.

Here are a few impressive fun facts about the Upper Tahquamenon Falls. Tahquamenon Falls is an official Michigan State Park and it contains approximately 50,000 acres stretching over a range of about 13 miles. The vast majority of these 50,000 acres are made up of undeveloped woodland without roads, buildings, or power lines. Of course, the centerpiece of the park, and the very reason for its existence, is the Tahquamenon River with both the Upper and Lower Tahquamenon Waterfalls.

Be aware the Upper Tahquamenon Falls is one the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. Check out these following very impressive facts about both the Upper and Lower Tahquamenon Falls. The large Upper Tahquamenon Falls has a drop of about 50 feet and is more than 200 feet across. According the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR), there is a maximum flow of more than 50,000 gallons of water every second cascading over these falls. If you are on the viewing deck next the Upper Falls, you will be very impressed with the monumental flow of water right before your eyes! The natural amber color of the water is caused by tannins from the cedar, spruce, and hemlock trees close to the river. Tannin is a natural brown substance found in the bark of trees.

Four miles downstream is the Lower Tahquamenon Falls. This is also a very impressive natural attraction. These Lower Falls are made up of a series of five smaller falls cascading around an island. This series of five waterfalls is also very impressive, and they also remind us of the great natural resources we have been blessed with in our beautiful scenic Upper Peninsula. The north side of the island in the center of these five Lower Falls can be partially viewed from the river bank. What I always find to be fun and very scenic is to take the short rowboat ride out to the island. The small island in the center of the five Lower Falls can be reached by rowboat rented from a park concession. The island walk affords a close view of all five of these Lower Tahquamenon Falls.

This magnificent Tahquamenon River has its origin rising from the water springs located north of the community of McMillan. The river drains the watershed of an area of about 800 square miles. The Tahquamenon River then flows northeast as it meanders nearly 100 miles before emptying into Whitefish Bay, near Paradise, on Lake Superior. I also encourage folks to go visit Tahquamenon Falls in the fall and in the winter for a different very impressive seasonal look at this great natural U.P. attraction.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Jim Surrell is the author of “The ABC’s For Success In All We Do” and the “SOS (Stop Only Sugar) Diet” books. He has his practice at the Digestive Health Clinic at U.P. Health System-Marquette. Requests for health topics for this column are encouraged. Contact Dr. Surrell by email at sosdietdoc@gmail.com.