Quartzite Falls near L'Anse. Amanda Schreiber
Among the many things to do in the U.P. is go waterfall hunting. L'Anse is one great spot to try, according to blog Things To Do In The U.P. If you're a photography buff, finding these even in the winter might be worth the trip.
Editor's Note: This post originally appeared on Things to Do in the U.P. and can be found complete here, with additional photos.
L'Anse is not really a destination for most travelers (I don't know why, it's a cute little picturesque town!). It is usually simply a town on the way to the Porcupine Mountains or to the Keweenaw. But if you have the time, I really suggest taking some time to explore the outdoors surrounding this lake town. Get out, go waterfalling!
Silver Falls
Silver Falls is a group of waterfalls along the Silver River about five or six miles outside of L'Anse. Really easy to find and a beautiful place to take a walk. I visited all of these waterfalls during the fall and oh dang! The colors were beautiful.
To find this waterfall, turn on Main St. in L'Anse and follow it out of town as it turns into Skanee Rd. Drive on this road for a few minutes through the country until you come to a gravel road on your right labeled Silver Falls Rd. I believe it is about a 7 mile drive. Once you turn on Silver Falls Rd, it's about a quarter mile of a dirt road before you come to a parking area labeled "Silver Falls" and an outhouse. Park here and follow the trail!
The trail leads you past a couple of drops along the river, but for the best views go out and climb the rocks bordering the river. The trail itself is probably about half a mile long, all right on the shore of the river.
Black Slate Falls
Head over to Black Slate Falls & Quartzite Falls. Just a few miles farther down Skanee Road (if you drive over Slate River then you have gone too far) and up another few miles on Arvon Road (3.3 miles to be exact) are two more waterfalls that are worth the drive.
When you reach that 3-mile mark on Arvon, look out for a road to the left. It was marked with a sign that said "Waterfalls." Follow this road across a bridge and park anywhere to your right in the clearing. You'll see two trails, one leading upstream to Black Slate Falls and one leading downstream to Quartzite Falls.
It doesn't matter which one you visit first, they are both beautiful!
Black Slate Falls has many drops, none very large but all very peaceful and serene. I was out here by myself and it was so calm and such a nice place to relax. Nice place to see some wildlife as well!
Quartzite Falls
Quartzite Falls is a single waterfall, not a huge drop either, but I think it is a very unique waterfall. It has a few steps in the descent and then just drops off into a deep pool. There is evidence of campfires and camping, I would not mind doing either of those at this location! Possibly good fishing as well in this pool.
Bottom Line: L'Anse is a little-explored area; which means that the tourists just have not discovered it yet! Which is awesome news for you. Go out and explore these waterfalls next time you pass through the area.
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