September 6 at Tahquamenon Falls

Monday (continued):  It isn't a long drive from White Fish Bay to Tahquamenon Falls--perhaps 40 minutes or so. We hadn't eaten lunch because there really isn't any lunch to be had while walking the beach ... so we were pretty hungry. We asked at the gift shop if they could recommend a restaurant between the bay and the falls. Three different people said we MUST eat at the brewery located at the entrance to the upper falls--they assured us it would be worth the wait. They were correct! Since it was about 1:30 in the afternoon when we arrived at the falls, there wasn't much of a line and we got a table in just 15 minutes! David ordered beer-battered shrimp, and I ordered the beer-battered fish and chips. I even treated myself to a Pepsi! Mmmm. Seriously! David shared some shrimp with me, and I gave him some of my fish. I haven't tasted better shrimp anywhere--and they were HUGE! The fish was wonderful too. [Note to self: beer-battered anything really really REALLY affects my digestive system. But even that horrid side-effect was WORTH it!]

Since we had already walked extensively (about 8 miles--the bridge walk and the beach), we decided to just see the upper falls and NOT the lower ones. The pathways are well marked and not rocky or difficult at all ...

All along the way to the summit, there are little lookouts where we stopped to take photos ...

The woods here are SO lovely and lush ...

I had forgotten about the STAIRS ... I think there were 94 winding stairs that brought us to the summit ...

Once we finished with photos at the summit, we saw signs directing us to the BASE of the falls--only 119 stairs and we could get more pictures! The thing is, it was NOT 119 stairs--it was actually 148 (we counted!). Perhaps the signage was counting 119 to the bottom of the gorge, discounting that this was NOT where you could get a good picture! In order to actually SEE the best, there were up and down stairs winding through the woods and THEN the best view was available. 

I have NO idea who was in this canoe ... but I very badly wanted to be one of them!

When all was said and done, we did a LOT of groaning on those steps going back up! When David checked the gauge on his phone, it said we walked an equivalent of ten miles that day. I believe it! 

What a beautiful place this is! Someday, I would like to spend several days in the upper penninsula and visit many of the beautiful waterfalls, as well as to see a few more lighthouses. Perhaps an early October visit!