Big Manitou Falls

About Big Manitou Falls

Big Manitou Falls is on the Black River in Pattison State Park, south of Superior in Douglas County. The Wisconsin DNR says the falls are "165 feet high."

The DNR calls them "the highest waterfalls in Wisconsin." It also ranks Big Manitou as the "fourth highest waterfall east of the Rocky Mountains."

Little Manitou Falls

The park has a second, smaller falls. The DNR main page says "Twin Little Manitou Falls" is "31 feet high." Its hiking page says the river drops 31 feet there.

Little Manitou Falls sits farther south in the park, per the USGS place-name points. By our math, the two falls are about 1 mile apart in a straight line.

A Travel Wisconsin article dated March 23, 2018 also gives Big Manitou "an impressive 165 feet of vertical height." That article is more than eight years old, so we lean on the DNR figure.

Park history

In 1917, Martin Pattison secretly bought 660 acres, per the DNR history page. His goal was to block a power dam that would have destroyed Big Manitou Falls.

The state dedicated the park as its "sixth state park" on Jan. 20, 1920, the DNR says. Civilian Conservation Corps Company 3663 arrived on July 25, 1935.

The DNR says those crews arrived at the Little Manitou Falls picnic area. It also notes that the Ojibwa heard "the voice of the Great Spirit, Gitchi Monido" in the falls.

About our map pin

Our map pin is the U.S. Geological Survey place-name point for Big Manitou Falls (feature ID 1561749), in Douglas County. It sits at 46.536060, -92.121311.

The DNR info page puts the park itself at 46.5371, -92.1192. Little Manitou Falls has its own USGS point at 46.522171, -92.126034.

For more falls in the region, see Amnicon Falls east of Superior and Gooseberry Falls on Minnesota's North Shore.

Getting there and parking

The Wisconsin DNR lists the park at 6294 S State Rd 35, Superior, WI 54880. The falls overlooks trail starts at the main picnic area, per the DNR hiking page.

The DNR gives no parking details beyond the main picnic area. From there, the trail passes through a pedestrian tunnel under Highway 35 to reach both sides of the river.

Fees

"A vehicle admission sticker is required," the DNR says. The sticker must be attached to the inside driver's side of the windshield. Rates took effect Aug. 19, 2025.

• Wisconsin plates: $13 a day or $28 for 12 months.
• Wisconsin residents 65 and older: $3 a day or $13 for 12 months.
• Out-of-state plates: $16 a day or $50 for 12 months.

The DNR lists $15.50 a year for an extra household vehicle with Wisconsin plates, or $32.50 out of state. A bus pays $16 a day with Wisconsin plates or $30 out of state. We found no hourly pass.

Hours

The DNR says the park is open "year-round from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m."

Contact

The DNR lists the park phone as 715-399-3111. Its call center is 1-888-936-7463, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Map and nearby falls

Pattison State Park trails to Big and Little Manitou Falls

The Big Manitou Falls Overlooks trail is the main way to see the big falls. "This trail is 0.5 miles long," the DNR says.

It starts at the main picnic area and passes through a pedestrian tunnel under Highway 35. The DNR says it gives views from both sides of the river. A self-guided geology booklet is available.

The DNR says "both Little Manitou Falls and Big Manitou Falls offer accessible overlooks." It does not mention stairs. The 2018 Travel Wisconsin article also describes a wheelchair-accessible half-mile trail from the main picnic area.

Big Manitou Falls River Trail

This 0.5-mile route is a "moderately steep wooded trail" down to the river, per the DNR. It reaches the river 0.25 mile below the falls.

The DNR says the Douglas Fault is visible along this trail. It gives no official difficulty rating for any of the falls trails.

Little Manitou Falls Trail

This trail "continues from Beaver Trail south along the Black River," the DNR says. It gives no length for it. Beaver Trail itself is a 2-mile route around Interfalls Lake.

For more Wisconsin falls, see Copper Falls near Mellen and Willow Falls near Hudson.

Dogs

Wisconsin state park rules say "pets must be on a physical leash no longer than 8 feet at all times." Pets are barred from buildings, observation towers and groomed ski trails.

They are also kept off beaches and picnic areas, except areas set aside for pets. The DNR lists small pet picnic areas at Big Falls and Little Falls, plus one by the main picnic area.

When to visit

No official source we read names a best month for the falls. The DNR says the park is open year-round, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The 2027 dam work

A DNR conditions notice, updated Aug. 7, 2026, says "Reconstruction of the Black River dam on Interfalls Lake will begin in early 2027."

The same notice warns that "waterfall flow on Big Manitou Falls may be affected." If you plan a 2027 trip, call 715-399-3111 to ask about flow before you go.

Winter

The DNR lists 5.5 miles of classic ski trails "when snow conditions permit," on red, blue and orange loops. It says the blue loop passes near Little Manitou Falls.

The DNR also mentions informal trails for snowshoeing. It says nothing about whether the falls overlooks are cleared in winter.

Camping and status checks

A second notice, also updated Aug. 7, 2026, says a new toilet and shower building is under construction through 2027. The DNR says the campground stays open during the work.

On Nov 13, 2026, the DNR conditions page listed no trail, stair or overlook closures. Check that page or call the park before you go.

Safety and swimming

Photos

Big Manitou Falls FAQ

Nearby waterfalls

• 
  Amnicon Falls12 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen
• 
  Gooseberry Falls52 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen
• 
  High Falls71 mi straight-line, by our mathPartly open

  63FT
• 
  Copper Falls71 mi straight-line, by our mathOpen

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