Policies & information

Operating schedule

Posted schedules at the park and on this website match our operating calendar. In-park hours start at 12 PM (noon)–6 PM most of the season and 12 PM–8:30 PM (or sunset) in peak summer. In-season shuttle runs Memorial Day weekend through the second weekend in October. Online reservations open March 1; call-to-confirm from April 15; soft weekends from May 1; main season from the Friday before Memorial Day weekend. Off-season and early-season trips may be arranged by phone.

Book online between Upper Falls, Lower Falls, and Rivermouth Campground. NCT and off-park legs book on their pages with instant fare estimates.

Same-day, midday, or other exceptions by phone: North Country Trail and custom destinations when online windows do not apply. On-call destinations: North Country Trail at County Road 500. Call (906) 291-3422.

Pickup times & Hike & Ride schedule · Rates & posted park info

Reservations & timing

Online in-park reservations are valid any shuttle that day in your booked direction — Upper Falls, Lower Falls, Rivermouth, and campground stops. Posted lot hours start at 12 PM (noon); boarding is first come, first served. Be at your pickup stop a few minutes before departure. Lot signage shows typical departure times for reference. Season hours and on-call days are posted on this site and at park kiosks when in season.

Rates

One-way between Upper Falls, Lower Falls, and Rivermouth Campground: $25 first person, $7 each additional person, $5 per non-service animal when pet transport is permitted (service animals at no charge). Same-day Upper ↔ Lower round trip: $40 first person, +$12 each additional, +$8 per pet (whole trip). On-call or same-day exceptions (e.g. North Country Trail outside online windows): call (906) 291-3422. NCT fares and booking: /north-country-trail. Off-park trips (Shipwreck Museum, Wheelhouse, custom addresses): instant quote on /off-park, or call (906) 291-3422 for same-day help. In-park shuttles between Upper Falls, Lower Falls, and Rivermouth Campground remain our daily priority. North Country Trail and other off-park trips fit around falls service. Off-park trips with no park stop: morning starts are route-limited so the van is back at the falls by 12 PM Eastern, or from 7 PM Eastern — plus the advance notice above. Midday windows require a phone call.

Recreation Passport

A valid Recreation Passport is required on all vehicles entering Tahquamenon Falls State Park. Passports may be purchased upon arrival.

Passengers riding our licensed shuttle do not need a separate passport for that shuttle leg. If you drive your own vehicle into the park, you need a passport or day pass at the entrance.

Michigan DNR Recreation Passport

Weather & cancellations

Shuttle service may be delayed or cancelled due to weather or park conditions. The Michigan DNR is not responsible for weather-related delays or cancellations.

Shuttle services (2026)

We are not offering car spotting in the 2026 season. Shuttles between Upper Falls, Lower Falls, and Rivermouth Campground are our priority. Call us if you have questions about a future season.

Shuttle map

When a driver is on duty during park hours and their phone has GPS and signal, we show the van’s approximate location. Coverage in the park is spotty — if the map is empty, use posted lot times or call us. We do not track your personal device.

Open the shuttle map during your visit or scan the QR on lot signage. Location appears only inside Tahquamenon Falls State Park when a driver phone is sharing GPS. If the map is empty, call (906) 291-3422.

Sustainability impact estimates

The home and book pages show people served (sum of party sizes on completed shuttle fares), estimated private vehicle trips avoided, car miles removed between Upper and Lower Falls, passenger miles saved, and greenhouse gases avoided (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O, and CO₂e in kilograms) based on completed shuttle fares recorded in our payment system since January 2025.

• Afternoon and evening (12 PM+): completed fares are grouped by posted Upper/Lower pickup departure times on our lot signage timetable (40-minute cycle). The first paying group on each departure is net-neutral; each additional group on that same shuttle counts as one avoided private car.
• Morning (before 12 PM): fares at the same pickup use rolling 5-minute windows (each transaction within 5 minutes of the previous on the same day). Same first-group-neutral rule applies.
• Car miles removed sums avoided private-vehicle distance on the Upper–Lower corridor (one car-mile per avoided trip × typical stop-pair distance). Passenger miles saved multiplies that distance by passengers beyond the first paying group on each shuttle load.
• When a booking is linked to the fare, we use your party size and stops; other sales use the standard tiered fare to estimate party size and a typical Upper–Lower distance.
• Emission factors follow EPA passenger-car averages per passenger-mile; CO₂e combines CO₂, methane, and nitrous oxide using standard warming potentials.
• These are planning estimates for guests and DNR stewardship messaging — not a formal emissions inventory and not shuttle bus tailpipe emissions.

Text messages (SMS)

Hunter Transportation LLC collects your mobile phone number when you submit a shuttle reservation at huntertransportation.net/book. We use your number only for transactional messages about that reservation, including confirmation details, payment status, one-time cancellation verification codes, cancellation/refund results, and — when applicable — morning-route schedule updates. SMS consent is optional and is not a condition of booking — you may reserve by phone without providing a mobile number, and cancellation verification falls back to the booking email when SMS is unavailable. We do not share, sell, or provide your mobile phone number or messaging consent data to third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes. No mobile information will be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing/promotional purposes. Information sharing to subcontractors in support services, such as customer service, is permitted. All other use case categories exclude text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties. Message frequency varies with booking and cancellation activity. Message and data rates may apply. Reply STOP to cancel text messages from us. Reply HELP for help. For support, call (906) 291-3422 or email info@huntertransportation.net.

Full privacy policy →

Terms of use

By checking the SMS consent box on the booking form and providing a mobile phone number, you consent to receive transactional SMS from Hunter Transportation LLC about your booking, including confirmations, payment status, one-time cancellation verification codes, cancellation/refund results, and — when applicable — morning-route schedule updates. Messages are sent from (906) 936-7567 and frequency varies. You are not required to consent to SMS as a condition of purchasing shuttle service; you may contact us by phone, and verification may use your booking email when SMS is unavailable. Service is subject to our posted operating schedule, park rules, and Michigan DNR concession requirements. Fares, cancellations, and payment methods are on this website. See our Privacy Policy for how we handle mobile numbers.

Full terms of use →

Payments

Three ways to pay. When you book: at checkout, pay online with Visa/MasterCard (+$2 processing fee). Venmo, Apple Pay, or Google Pay appear when shown on your device (Venmo fee included so we net the posted fare; Apple/Google use the same +$2 card fee). After you book: use your HT confirmation code at huntertransportation.net/pay (or the link in your confirmation email) for the same online options before you reach the park. At the shuttle: cash, Visa, or MasterCard when you board — no online processing fee. Save your confirmation page or email — your HT code works offline where cell service is limited. We text payment updates when carrier messaging delivers.

Early season and off-season: some dates are reserve-online / call-to-confirm or request-only — card checkout may open later for those bookings. See FAQ: online vs on-call and the booking calendar for the mode on your date. During contracted online days, you can pay at book, later with your HT code, or at the shuttle as described above.

You may change your reservation date or time at no charge from your confirmation page until your pickup hour begins (Eastern time). If you already paid online, your payment stays the same — we do not charge again for a schedule change.

Guest cancellations & refunds

You may securely cancel from Manage reservation until 24 hours before your scheduled service. We send a one-time verification code to the mobile number on the reservation, with email fallback when text messaging is unavailable. We also ask why you are cancelling (helps us improve the service). Unpaid and pay-at-shuttle reservations are cancelled without a charge. Eligible paid online reservations receive a full refund.

Refunds usually appear within 4–14 business days, depending on your bank. Inside 24 hours, for partial refunds, service disputes, weather closures, or if the online process does not work, call or text (906) 291-3422 or email info@huntertransportation.net. Manager review may be required.

Pets & service animals

Pets are prohibited in state park buildings and facilities operated by the concession, except service animals as defined under 28 CFR 36.104. Service animals are welcome at no additional charge. Non-service animals permitted on the shuttle, when offered, are $5 each, subject to park rules and DNR approval.

Infants

Infants 24 months or less ride free with a paying adult when secured in a guest-provided child restraint that meets Michigan law. Infants still count toward shuttle capacity. Hunter Transportation does not provide car seats.

Enter total party size and infant count when booking online. See rates.

Shuttle & facilities

Smoking is prohibited in state park buildings and in concession shuttle vehicles and facilities operated by Hunter Transportation.

Non-discrimination

Hunter Transportation does not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight, marital status, or disability unrelated to job requirements. No one is denied access to shuttle service on these grounds.