Ottawa National Forest · Michigan

North Country National Scenic

128 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 60014 · trail class 3 · typical grade 0-5% · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, bike, snowshoe, ski

Begins at the forest's mile 0, 46.6091, -90.0842 - no trailhead mapped Drive to where the trail begins

Conglomerate Waterfalls the Forest Service's write-up

No Fee · season January 1 to December 31

Located just 11 1/2 miles northwest of Bessemer, Mi. these waterfalls can be accessed by a 3/4 mile hiking trail from a paved parking lot. The hiking trail drops steadily as you near the riverbank. At the falls, the river seperates into two sections, falling 40-feet around an island of conglomerate rock, which gives the falls its name. Old growth hemlock and hardwoods add to the natural beauty of the area.

Gorge Falls and Potawatomi Falls can be accessed by hiking the North Country National Scenic Trail from the Congolmerate Falls overlook northward (downstream). It is a moderate hike 1/2 mile in length.

Accessibility <p>The trail to Great Conglomerate Falls is narrow and uneven at times with numerous naturally surfaced steps.</p>

This hike on fs.usda.gov

O Kun de Kun Falls the Forest Service's write-up

No Fee · season January to December

Aspen and mixed hardwoods grace the gently rolling terrain along the forest trail that leads to O Kun de Kun. Keep your eyes open for frogs, squirrels, and dragon flies. Because of its distance, this trail is labeled moderately difficult. Watch for slick spots in the trail after a rain. This trail is one of the most popular on the forest and can get quite busy in the summer.

This hike on fs.usda.gov

Potawatomi and Gorge Waterfalls the Forest Service's write-up

season January 1 to December 31

Located just 12 1/2 miles northwest of Bessemer Mi. there are well marked brief hiking trails that will take you from a double looped paved parking lot to a series of stairways and observation platforms overlooking beautiful Gorge and Potawawatomi Falls. This trail is easy to strenuous (series of steps). We recommend that you take the trail from Potawatomi Falls parking lot, then walk down along the river as you view the scenic river and falls. Gorge Falls is only a short distance north of Potawatomi Falls. An asphalt surface trail connects the parking area at Gorge Falls to the accessible viewing platform overlooking Potawatomi Falls. This provides a unique opportunity to view one of our areas most beautiful waterfalls. Conglomerate Falls can be hiked to by going south (upstream 1/2 mile) via the North Country Trail. Sandstone Falls can also be hiked to by going north (downstream 1/2 mile) via the North Country Trail. Picnic sites and toilets are available near the south end of the Gorge Falls parking lot with easy access. Gorge Falls has a 29 foot width and a 24 foot drop. Potawatomi Falls has a 130 foot width and a 30 foot drop.

Accessibility <p>The trail, vault toilet and viewing platform located near the south end of the Gorge Falls parking lot are fully accessible</p>

This hike on fs.usda.gov

Every trail in Ottawa National Forest

All 3,400 trails in Ottawa National ForestFind a trailForest on fs.usda.gov

About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.