Waterfalls Abound at Amnicon Falls State Park

One of my favorite places to see waterfalls in northwest Wisconsin is Amnicon Falls State Park. Located 15 miles east of Superior, Wisconsin, near Lake Superior, it is one of the easiest places to visit waterfalls on the Lake Superior Waterfall Tour.

This is a small park with only 2.4 miles of hiking trails. The best part of the trail, a 1/4 mile easy loop, is right off the parking lot.  This is where you will find four named waterfalls, three smaller unnamed falls, and a historic bridge. None of these waterfalls are very large, but they are all very picturesque.  The park is small enough to see the highlights in under an hour, but if you are a true waterfall lover, bring your lunch; you could easily spend most of the day.

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Upper Amnicon Falls

The road into the park follows the side of the Amnicon River. The Upper Falls can be seen​ right from the parking lot.

The main drop of the Upper Falls is only about 15 feet.  I have never been here in the heat of summer, but I've been told that you can swim in the plunge pool if the water is calm and that it's possible to swim behind this waterfall. 

Upper Amnicon Falls

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Horton Covered Bridge is how you cross the Amnicon River to the island. This bridge provides spectacular views of the Upper Falls from below and the Lower Falls from above.

The Horton Bridge is a historically significant bridge in the state of Wisconsin. Charles Horton, from La Crosse, Wisconsin, is the original patent holder for the bowstring bridge design. There are only five other surviving Horton bridges in the area.

Built around 1899, this bridge is 55 feet long. It was initially a highway bridge crossing the Amnicon River near the park. The bridge was moved to the park in 1930 to preserve it and placed over the Lower Amnicon Falls. It is now only used for foot traffic.  The cover was added in 1939.

Horton Covered Bridge

Lower Falls is one of the more impressive falls in the park. It is more of a slide than a fall; it only drops about 15 feet and is around 30 feet long​.  It's not the height that is important here, but the fantastic circular shape and details of the rock walls on either side of the falls. I also love how the water swirls, following the wall before it follows the river off to the right.

Snake Pit Falls is about a 25-foot drop. It is located on the backside of the island. There is a sign,​ but you will have to explore a bit more to find it. 

Snake Pit Falls

Amnicon River View

​At this unnamed drop, the Amnicon River splits into two flows. The river forks to the right, creating the small island in the center.   

Now and Then Falls

Now and Then Falls, a more seasonal waterfall dries up occasionally.  Start walking toward the bathrooms in the parking lot and turn right, you'll walk straight to this falls. 

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Amnicon Falls State Park - 4279 S County Road U, South Range, WI.

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 About the Photographer

Susan Rissi Tregoning is the 8th photographer in the past 4 generations of professional photographers in her family. After a long career as an art buyer and interior designer, she put her career on hold in 2006 to travel with her husband and his job. In the process, she found her “roots” again,  developing a photography obsession far beyond casual snapshots that  evolved into a desire to capture each and every location and object as “art”. By meshing her two loves, photography and design, she has come full circle. Only now, she is creating art instead of just purchasing it.  ​

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Waterfalls abound at Amnicon Falls State Park near Superior, Wisconsin, USA. A short easy hike with 4 picturesque waterfalls, rapids and a historic bridge. | Susan Rissi Tregoning Photography Blog #Wisconsin