Potawatomi Falls
Black River National Scenic Byway, Michigan · 844 ft
The Black River spreads 30 feet wide over a conglomerate shelf and drops into a hemlock-shaded chute, with maple leaves collecting in the pools below. Five waterfalls sit within four miles of byway, so one stop rarely ends the day.
Typical peak
Sep 26 – Oct 4
Long range. Treat as a planning estimate only.
Best light
Best under flat overcast
Crowds
moderate
Fills up mid-morning. Arriving for first light is usually enough.
Getting there
Follow County Road 513 north from US-2 in Bessemer about 13 miles to the signed Potawatomi Falls lot, then take the boardwalk 300 yards to the viewing decks.
What turns here
- sugar maple
- yellow birch
- eastern hemlock
Color progression
Typical peak Sep 30Typical color progression for Potawatomi Falls. No change from Aug 23 to Sep 9. First color from Sep 9 to Sep 18. Approaching peak from Sep 18 to Sep 26. Peak from Sep 26 to Oct 4. Past peak from Oct 4 to Oct 14. Bare from Oct 14 to Oct 28.
Color starts around Sep 9.
Light at peak
Potawatomi Falls on September 30, the day it typically peaks. Knowing when color arrives is one thing. Knowing where the sun will be is another.
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| First light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 6:27 AM |
| Sunrise Rises E · 93° | 6:57 AM |
| Morning golden hour ends 40 min of low, warm light | 7:37 AM |
| Solar noon Highest sun, flattest light | 12:50 PM |
| Evening golden hour starts 40 min before sunset | 6:02 PM |
| Sunset Sets W · 267° | 6:42 PM |
| Last light (blue hour) Sun 6° below horizon | 7:13 PM |
Times in America/Menominee · day length 11h 46m · computed from NOAA solar equations
Which way to point the camera
Sun rises E, sets W.
Aim within 45° of those and the canopy glows translucent. Turn your back to them for flat, accurate color.
Location pages name the light directly.
Shooting conditions
Glassy water, wind blur, and what the cloud will do to your light.
Recent reports
What people actually saw here. Been recently? Add yours.