Some information about Tahquamenon Falls:
-Location- 15 miles from Paradise. Ok, I know that sounds WAY too good to be true. Paradise is a small town in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
-Pronunciation- The easiest way is to think of phenomenon.
-The Upper and the Lower- There are two sets of falls. The Upper Falls are the more famous and larger of the two. The Lower Falls is a series of 5 small waterfalls that flow around a small island.
-Facts- The Upper Falls are the third tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi River and the second in water volume. The falls drop 50 feet and are 200 feet across. At its maximum more than 50,000 gallons of water per second flow over the falls (http://www.exploringthenorth.com/tahqua/tahqua.html).
-Visiting- Camping is available at the Lower Falls through the DNR( state agency that deals with Michigan's 'natural resources'). There are also many hotels and motels in the area. Both the Upper and Lower Falls have gift shops and concession stands. The Upper Falls also has a great restaurant. Also, boats are available to rent at the Lower Falls.
-Local Animals- The most commom wild animals, aside from the unusually wild tourists, are squirrels and chipmunks. These two especially have adapted to humans and look forward to the free food they bring. Asorted birds, insects, etc. are also common. Deer are also common, and should be looked for at dusk on the roads, as to not hit them. A lucky visitor may see a bear or moose.
-Local Plants- This area has a lot of swamps and wetlands. These areas have cedar and tamarack trees. The acid that is leeched from these trees roots, gives the falls their rootbeer color. Away from the water, both hardwoods and softwoods are common. The park is home to a lot of beautiful flowers. The DNR office has handouts to help you identify them. Please remeber:
Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing by footprints.
-Other- Both parks are maintained by the DNR. They were previously under private ownership, but the land was donated to the state so that the public could enjoy the falls.