Park conditions
Plan your visit to Tahquamenon Falls State Park with local weather, UV, bug pressure, air quality (including Canadian wildfire smoke context), Lake Superior waves and water levels, trail closures, USFS-scale fire danger, and burn-ban information.
Current conditions
Tahquamenon Falls State Park
43°F
Partly cloudy
Feels like 33°F
- Wind
- 14 mph
- Humidity
- 71%
- Precip (now)
- 0.00 in
Air quality & health guidance
US AQI for the park area. Guidance follows EPA/AirNow categories for sensitive groups — informational only, not medical advice.
Air quality is generally good for outdoor activities. During wildfire-smoke season, sensitive groups (young children, pregnant people, older adults (65+), and anyone with heart or lung disease) still benefit from checking AQI before long hikes.
Wildfire smoke from Canada
Seasonal haze can reach Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on northerly winds.
Canadian wildfires can send fine particle pollution (PM2.5) and smoke into the UP — including Tahquamenon Falls — even when the local forecast looks sunny. Hazy skies and elevated air quality index (AQI) readings are common signs.
Before long hikes or a shuttle day with young children, pregnant travelers, or older adults, check the air quality guidance on this page and consider shorter outdoor time when AQI is elevated. Tap corridor map markers for local AQI at trailheads and access points.
7-day forecast
Tahquamenon Falls area — Eastern time
Fri, Oct 16
Rain
46° / 34°
100% precip
UV max 1.1 — LowBugs: NoneSat, Oct 17
Partly cloudy
47° / 34°
2% precip
UV max 3.6 — ModerateBugs: NoneSun, Oct 18
Partly cloudy
57° / 41°
2% precip
UV max 3.3 — ModerateBugs: NoneMon, Oct 19
Partly cloudy
63° / 44°
0% precip
UV max 3.5 — ModerateBugs: NoneTue, Oct 20
Clear
60° / 44°
0% precip
UV max 3.5 — ModerateBugs: NoneWed, Oct 21
Partly cloudy
62° / 44°
2% precip
UV max 3.2 — ModerateBugs: NoneThu, Oct 22
Drizzle
58° / 47°
7% precip
UV max 1.1 — LowBugs: None
Fire danger, burn bans & park alerts
Staff-maintained USFS-scale fire danger and Michigan DNR burn status. Data updated 2026-08-04. Always verify with official sources before campfires or open burning.
Fire danger: Moderate
USFS / NFDRS scale (Low · Moderate · High · Very High · Extreme) — Eastern Upper Peninsula / Tahquamenon corridor
USFS-style fire danger for the eastern UP / Tahquamenon corridor. Always verify with Michigan DNR Fire Alert and your campground before any campfire or open flame.
Fire danger updated 2026-08-04
Michigan DNR Fire Alert →No burn ban reported
No burn ban reported for this area. Check Michigan DNR before any open burning or campfire.
Burn status updated 2026-08-04
Michigan DNR burn permits →Official park page: Tahquamenon Falls State Park (Michigan DNR)
Lake & water conditions
NOAA buoy observations, Great Lakes water levels (lake gauges — not ocean tides), USGS river stage for the Tahquamenon, and nearshore wave/swell model at NCT corridor harbors and river mouths. Buoys are often recovered in winter; wave fields may read unavailable offshore even when the harbor model has data.
Harbors, ports & river mouths
Whitefish Point marina / shipwreck museum
Eastern UP · Whitefish / Tahquamenon
Shuttle stop — Lake Superior marina and lighthouse point.
- Waves (model)
- 6.4 ft · 5.6 s · NNW
- Swell
- 0.9 ft · 6.8 s · WNW
- Lake level (nearest gauge)
- 602.149 ft IGLD · falling (-0.151 ft / 3h)
- Nearest buoy
- East Superior buoy · wind 26.8 mph
Mouth of the Two Hearted River
Eastern UP · Whitefish / Tahquamenon
NCT / campground river mouth. No active USGS gauge — lake waves from model + East Superior buoy.
- Waves (model)
- 7.1 ft · 6 s · NNW
- Swell
- 1.6 ft · 6.7 s · WNW
- Lake level (nearest gauge)
- 602.149 ft IGLD · falling (-0.151 ft / 3h)
- Nearest buoy
- East Superior buoy · wind 26.8 mph
Tahquamenon Rivermouth / bay
Eastern UP · Whitefish / Tahquamenon
State park Rivermouth campground and boat launch — river gauge + Whitefish Bay lake level.
- Waves (model)
- 5.8 ft · 5.4 s · NNW
- Swell
- 0.5 ft · 6.6 s · WNW
- Lake level (nearest gauge)
- 602.149 ft IGLD · falling (-0.151 ft / 3h)
- Nearest buoy
- East Superior buoy · wind 26.8 mph
Grand Marais harbor
Eastern UP · Whitefish / Tahquamenon
Harbor town east of Pictured Rocks — NCT / Woodland Park gateway.
- Waves (model)
- 7.9 ft · 6.3 s · NNW
- Swell
- 1.1 ft · 7.1 s · WNW
- Lake level (nearest gauge)
- 602.149 ft IGLD · falling (-0.151 ft / 3h)
- Nearest buoy
- East Superior buoy · wind 26.8 mph
Munising Bay / Pictured Rocks gateway
Central UP · Marquette / Pictured Rocks
Munising municipal harbor approaches (meet outside NL lots).
- Waves (model)
- 7.7 ft · 6.4 s · N
- Swell
- 1.2 ft · 6.5 s · NE
- Lake level (nearest gauge)
- 602.011 ft IGLD · falling (-0.164 ft / 3h)
- Nearest buoy
- East Superior buoy · wind 26.8 mph
Marquette harbor
Central UP · Marquette / Pictured Rocks
Largest central UP port — lake level + Stannard Rock wind.
- Waves (model)
- 8.5 ft · 6.4 s · N
- Swell
- 2 ft · 6.5 s · NE
- Lake level (nearest gauge)
- 602.011 ft IGLD · falling (-0.164 ft / 3h)
- Nearest buoy
- Stannard Rock · wind 36.9 mph
Keweenaw Waterway (North Entry)
Western UP · Keweenaw / Duluth
Houghton / Hancock waterway entrance for western UP NCT.
- Waves (model)
- 5.2 ft · 5.5 s · N
- Swell
- 3.5 ft · 5.4 s · NNE
- Lake level (nearest gauge)
- 602.054 ft IGLD · rising (+0.197 ft / 3h)
- Nearest buoy
- North Entry buoy (Keweenaw) · wind 11.2 mph · water 53°F
Sault Ste. Marie / St. Marys River
Eastern UP · Whitefish / Tahquamenon
Soo locks and St. Marys River — eastern UP / Canada border approaches.
- Waves (model)
- —
- Swell
- —
- Lake level (nearest gauge)
- 602.149 ft IGLD · falling (-0.151 ft / 3h)
- Nearest buoy
- Little Rapids (St. Marys River) · wind 20.8 mph · water 56°F
Rivers
TAHQUAMENON RIVER NEAR PARADISE, MI
USGS 04045500
USGS streamflow and stage above the falls / Rivermouth corridor.
- Stage
- 3.65 ft
- Flow
- 418 cfs
Oct 16, 4:45 PM
MINERS RIVER NR MUNISING, MI
USGS 04044755
Pictured Rocks area river gauge — Munising gateway context.
- Stage
- 1.64 ft
- Flow
- -999999 cfs
Oct 16, 4:15 PM
Two Hearted River
No active USGS gauge
NOAA buoys & platforms
| Station | Waves | Period | Swell | Wind | Water | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
East Superior buoy 45004 · Eastern UP · Whitefish / Tahquamenon | 10.2 ft | 8 s | 0.7 ft / 11.4 s | 26.8 mph NNW | — | Oct 16, 4:50 PM |
Stannard Rock STDM4 · Central UP · Marquette / Pictured Rocks | — | — | — | 36.9 mph | — | Oct 16, 4:50 PM |
Mid Superior buoy 45001 · Central UP · Marquette / Pictured Rocks | 6.9 ft | 6 s | 0 ft | 24.6 mph NNW | 48°F | Oct 16, 4:50 PM |
North Entry buoy (Keweenaw) 45023 · Western UP · Keweenaw / Duluth | 0.7 ft | — | — | 11.2 mph S | 53°F | Stale · Oct 15, 8:40 AM |
South Entry buoy (Keweenaw) 45025 · Western UP · Keweenaw / Duluth | 0.3 ft | — | — | 6.7 mph WNW | 55°F | Stale · Oct 14, 1:00 PM |
West Superior buoy 45006 · Western UP · Keweenaw / Duluth | 4.9 ft | 6 s | 0 ft | 15.7 mph NNW | 49°F | Oct 16, 4:50 PM |
Marquette C.G. MCGM4 · Central UP · Marquette / Pictured Rocks | — | — | — | 15 mph NNW | — | Oct 16, 4:30 PM |
Little Rapids (St. Marys River) LTRM4 · Eastern UP · Whitefish / Tahquamenon | — | — | — | 20.8 mph N | 56°F | Oct 16, 4:30 PM |
Rock Cut (St. Marys River) RCKM4 · Eastern UP · Whitefish / Tahquamenon | — | — | — | 17.2 mph NNW | 54°F | Oct 16, 4:30 PM |
Mackinaw City MACM4 · Straits of Mackinac | — | — | — | 28.9 mph N | 54°F | Oct 16, 4:30 PM |
Duluth DULM5 · Western UP · Keweenaw / Duluth | — | — | — | 9.2 mph NNE | 58°F | Oct 16, 4:30 PM |
Lake Superior water levels (NOAA tide gauges)
Lake Superior does not have ocean-style astronomical tides. These NOAA CO-OPS gauges report International Great Lakes Datum (IGLD) water level and short-term seiche trend.
Point Iroquois
9099004
602.149 ft
falling · -0.151 ft / 3h
Closest active NOAA lake-level gauge to Whitefish Bay and Tahquamenon.
Marquette C.G.
9099018
602.011 ft
falling · -0.164 ft / 3h
Marquette harbor lake level for Pictured Rocks / central UP.
Duluth
9099064
602.054 ft
rising · +0.197 ft / 3h
Western Superior lake level (port of Duluth–Superior).
Sources: NOAA NDBC, NOAA CO-OPS, USGS NWIS, Open-Meteo Marine. Updated ~every 30 minutes. Bundle fetched Oct 16, 5:24 PM.
Trail conditions
NCT, Tahquamenon Falls Trail, and other UP hiking trails — last updated 2026-07-07. Tap brown trailheads on the corridor map for live weather at each access point.
Curated by Hunter Transportation. Verify with Michigan DNR, NPS Pictured Rocks, and northcountrytrail.org before hiking.
North Country Trail (NCT)
OpenNo known closures on the UP NCT corridor. Seasonal mud, blowdown, and river crossings are common — check recent hiker reports.
Official sourceTahquamenon Falls Trail
OpenUpper ↔ Lower Falls trail (~4 mi) and in-park loops (Giant Pines, Clark Lake Loop, West Tahqua, Clark Point, Wilderness) — no reported closures. Boardwalks may be icy in early spring.
Official sourceOther UP hiking trails (non-NCT)
CautionPictured Rocks Lakeshore, Porcupine Mountains, Iron Ore Heritage, and Munising area trails may have seasonal closures or construction. Always check official park sources before driving out.
Official source
UP trail map
No mapped trail alerts with coordinates yet. Check the lists below or official DNR/USFS sources.
Map shows curated outages only — not every trail in the Upper Peninsula. Verify with official sources before travel.
Trail outages
Curated closures — not a complete list. Last updated 2026-05-18.
Curated by Hunter Transportation. Verify with Michigan DNR Tahquamenon Falls State Park.
No known trail outages at this time. Check official sources before hiking.
Protect park waters
Help protect Tahquamenon's waters and trails: clean, drain, and dry boats, waders, and gear between waterbodies. Follow Michigan DNR invasive species decontamination guidance before and after your visit.
Conditions are informational only. Weather, UV index (WMO), US AQI, and PM2.5 are from Open-Meteo. Nearshore wave and swell model fields use Open-Meteo Marine. Buoy observations are from NOAA NDBC; Great Lakes water levels from NOAA CO-OPS (IGLD — not ocean tides); river stage/flow from USGS. Air quality health language follows EPA/AirNow categories for sensitive groups (including young children, pregnant people, and older adults) and is not medical advice — see AirNow AQI basics and EPA wildfire smoke FAQs. Bug pressure is estimated from weather and season — not a medical or DNR forecast; bring repellent in peak months. Verify with Michigan DNR, park staff, NWS marine forecasts, and AirNow before travel, especially during smoke or high-seas events. Trail outage lists may not be complete.
Ready to ride?
Checked conditions? Reserve the Falls shuttle online when you’re ready.