Michigan's Underrated National Forest Hidden In The Upper Peninsula Is A Wonderland Of Waterfalls And Trails

Michigan's Upper Peninsula (aka the U.P.) is a more remote region of the state, and while the U.P. might not have buzzy metro areas like Detroit or Grand Rapids, it's a nature lover's dream. This peninsula features all sorts of natural wonders like Tahquamenon Falls State Park with its "root beer" waterfall, but that isn't the only place where you'll find waterfalls. Also hidden within the U.P. is the Ottawa National Forest, an underrated wonderland of spectacular waterfalls and trails.

The Ottawa National Forest is in the western region of the U.P., near the border with Wisconsin, and it extends all the way up to Lake Superior. Though this forest is open year-round, your best bet is to go between late spring and early fall for waterfall sightseeing and hiking on the trails. Plus, the forest may close in the event of extreme weather, which you're more likely to encounter during winter due to Michigan's heavy snowfall and cold temperatures.

The Ottawa National Forest is home to 18 named waterfalls. Among the most-visited ones according to AllTrails are the easy 2.9-mile hike to O Kun de Kun Falls via North Country Trail; the moderate-difficulty 2.5-mile trek from Great Conglomerate Falls to Gorge Falls,  which also includes Potawatomi Falls; and the 0.5-mile Potawatomi Falls and Gorge Falls loop trail. Within the park are 196 miles of hiking trails, and in many cases, you'll need to hike to get to where the waterfalls are located.

The trail to O Kun de Kun Falls offers a perfect morning or afternoon hike along bridges, caves, and the picturesque Baltimore River. Not too long and not too short, with very little challenging terrain, it's probably the best hike of the bunch, particularly for newbie hikers. It's situated along the North Country Trail, a massive 4,800-mile trek across eight states in the Northern U.S., from North Dakota to Vermont, and Michigan is home to 1,180 miles of it. Like other mammoth hiking trails in the U.S., like the Pacific Northwest Trail or the Appalachian, it's best taken in chunks or conquered over the course of several months. But since it's less common to thru-hike the whole trail, a segment like the beautiful hike to see the plunging O Kun de Kun Falls should give you a good taste of the longer trail.

Follow signs for the falls when you leave the parking lot, or else you might head in the wrong direction. You'll first come upon Peanut Butter Falls, then you'll find O Kun de Kun less than a mile downstream. While the Baltimore is a gorgeous river, hikers don't tend to swim in it. Instead, bring a camera and shoes with good grip, and consider planning to come in the fall to catch sight of the impressive foliage changing colors.

A convenient way to see the Ottawa National Forest is driving along Michigan's Black River Scenic Byway in the Upper Peninsula. This byway takes you near some of the forest's most popular waterfalls, including Conglomerate, Rainbow, Potawatomi, Gorge, and Sandstone. You can take this byway until you hit Lake Superior at the top of the peninsula.

You'll need a car to reach the forest. From the west, the closest major airport is Minneapolis, which is still four hours and 30 minutes away by car. Considering the drive from Detroit on the eastern side is around eight hours, you might be better off flying into Marquette, a small Michigan U.P. city on Lake Superior that's just over an hour away by car.

Before you enter the forest, you can stop at the visitor center in Watersmeet, where you can see educational exhibits about the forest and walk a short nature trail around the property. You may need a permit or pass depending on where and when you're visiting the Ottawa National Forest, which you can check at the visitor center. For example, there's a day fee to enter the Sylvania Wilderness, Black River Harbor, and Lake Ottawa Recreation Area most days between May 15 and September 30.