Rock River Falls Forest Waterfall (fall)

@snaphappymichigan

Michigan

•

Chatham

This lovely waterfall cascades between rocky cliffs as it makes its way down to a swirling whirlpool filled with natural bubbles. It's a tough place to get to, but it's worth the view — especially in autumn when the vibrant leaves bask in the late-afternoon sunlight.

Plan

Overview

Skill level

Difficult

Accessbility

Public Location

Hours

Anytime

Fee

Free

Pack

Wide-angle lens (29mm)
Tripod
Circular polarizer
10-stop ND filter
Mid-rise waterproof or muck boots
Offline GPS

How to get there

N46° 24' 46.1988"W86° 58' 40.2996"

This image was taken at the base of the Rock River Falls — just north of Chatham after a very bumpy, slow ride down forest roads, with an additional mile of hiking down an unmaintained, but relatively easy to follow trail. I recommend not using the directions provided by your phone. It may take you to the wrong side of the river with no trail to follow in. Instead, follow these directions: - Head north out of Chatham on County Road H-01 (or Rock River Road) for about 3.3 miles - Turn left onto Johnson Lake Tower Road (FR 2276) - Follow FR 2276 for about 3.7 miles - Take a left at the fork in the road onto FR 2293 - After about 0.7 miles, you'll come upon a small parking area on the left side of the road, as well as some large logs and boulders - Park your car and then a small wilderness marker will identify the trail head - After hiking through the falls for a mile, you'll come upon this view