waterfalls – Kline Road Trips

The crossing from Madeline Island to the mainland was beautiful this time. Calm waters, warm but not hot, and a gentle breeze. Jeff and I went to the top deck to enjoy the view.

We arrived at Pattison State Park by early afternoon and got all set up quickly. Carson and I went off to explore the park. We went to the nature center which had an explanation of tree rings, and also a great display about the CCC that built a lot of the campground and buildings during the Great Depression. Then we went to find Big Manitou Falls, which is the biggest waterfall in Wisconsin at 165 feet tall. It was very impressive! There was a selfie station at “the best place to take a picture in Wisconsin” (according to the sign), so of course we had to take a selfie. The rest of the hike was beautiful too. It is on the North Country Trail, which we have kind of followed during our entire trip. As we hiked back to our campsite, there were a bunch of wet paint signs on the park benches along the way. Of course the first thing one wants to do when one sees that sign is touch the wet paint! Carson learned that it was indeed wet, so he had to wash his hands in the lake, LOL

Highlights for today were the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum and Tahquamenon Falls. Jeff’s must see stop on our roadtrip was the museum and it did not disappoint. We listened to “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” on the way to give the boys some context. The museum was a lot more than I thought it would be. One main museum-y building with displays and info on some of the main shipwrecks around there. It is known as the Graveyard of the Great Lakes because so many ships sunk around there. Bad storms that come up quickly, busy shipping lanes, and underwater shoals caused a lot of the sinkings.

Other buildings there focused on the lighthouse keepers and their families. The Whitefish Point Light Station was the first lighthouse on the Great Lakes and was so important to saving lives. The building attached to the light station set up in different time periods as if the families were living there. There were 2 light keepers and their families so the house is kind of a duplex with a connected hallway to get to the light station. It sounds like a monotonous and very isolating job.

There was also a very interesting building that housed a life rescue boat. I never knew that there were self bailing boats. Cool! The men who worked the shipwrecks sailed out in some of the worst weather-cold, gale force winds- in order to save people.

Once we finished the museum, we went to Tahquamenon Falls. First we stopped at the Lower Falls. They have a paved path to follow that takes you to great viewing spots of the falls which is split in half by an island. Lots of people were there swimming and climbing around on the rocks. Then we went on to the Upper Falls a few miles down the road. That It was much easier to get a photo without people at this area. The falls has a 50 foot drop and is 200 feet across. The water is a brownish color because of of the tannins in the swampy areas near the source of the river, caused by the trees. All natural, not polluted. Hurray!

Another 1.5 hours in the truck and we got to our campground in Musining. Normally we camp in state parks but this is owned by the town. Lots of highway noise and we are on the driveway to go in and out, but the site is level and gives a good view of the sky and water.