Right now
Right now as of Oct 28, 2026
- Status The NPS page (last updated Aug 19, 2026) says the trail is closed until further notice.
Status note (Oct 28, 2026): Closed. The NPS page (last updated Aug 19, 2026) says the trail is closed until further notice. About 75 ft of paved trail washed out on April 28, 2025. NPS awarded a $2.8 million rebuild contract on Sept 3, 2026, and expects the work to finish by the end of 2027, weather permitting. The visitor center is not affected. What the status labels mean
Munising Falls is a 50-foot waterfall in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, but you cannot walk to it right now. The trail has been closed since a washout on April 28, 2025. NPS awarded a rebuild contract on Sept 3, 2026, and expects the work to finish by the end of 2027. The visitor center beside the trailhead is not affected.
About Munising Falls
Munising Creek drops 50 feet over a sandstone cliff here, according to the National Park Service. In normal years, a paved 800-foot trail climbs a shaded canyon along the creek to the base of the falls.
The trail starts at the Munising Falls Visitor Center, which NPS places in Munising city limits. NPS notes that the road and parking lot are plowed in winter.
In winter the falls freeze into a column of ice, Wikipedia notes. Wikipedia also says climbing the frozen falls is prohibited, but we did not find that rule on an NPS page.
Why the trail closed
The trail closed after heavy rain and snowmelt on April 28, 2025. About 75 feet of the paved path washed out, NPS said, leaving no safe way to view the falls. The park closed the trail until further notice.
NPS says the washout meant the loss of waterfall access. It lists no other viewpoint of the falls during the closure.
Getting there and parking
Munising Falls is reached from the Munising Falls Visitor Center lot in Munising, but the trail to the falls has been closed since April 28, 2025.
Munising Falls Visitor Center
Park at the Munising Falls Visitor Center. NPS places it in Munising city limits, where Washington Street becomes Sand Point Road, near Munising Memorial Hospital. The lot has spaces for cars and for buses and RVs.
NPS says access to the visitor center will not be affected by the trail work. Contractor staging of materials may limit parking, though, so allow extra time.
NPS lists no current visitor center hours online. Call Pictured Rocks at 906-387-3700 before you go. The visitor center is one of the places to buy passes, and it has an automated fee machine.
Entrance fees
Pictured Rocks charges an entrance fee. For 2026, NPS lists $25 per private vehicle for 7 days, $20 per motorcycle, and $15 per person arriving on foot, by bike or by boat. A Pictured Rocks annual pass is $45.
NPS says passes cover all areas of the lakeshore. Its fees page does not address whether you need one just to stop at Munising Falls or the visitor center. We could not confirm that either way, so ask staff when you arrive.
Bring a card. NPS does not take cash; you pay at visitor centers, contact stations or fee machines, or online at Recreation.gov. Visitors under 16 don't need a pass, and America the Beautiful passes are accepted.
NPS lists 2026 fee-free days for U.S. citizens and residents. The last one of the year is Nov 11.
Map and nearby falls
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The trail (closed until the rebuild)
Right now: the trail is closed until further notice. Do not enter the closed trail to reach the falls. The NPS Munising Falls page, last updated Aug 19, 2026, still showed the closure.
In normal years: the paved trail runs 800 feet one way, about 0.3 miles round trip, up the canyon to the base of the falls. Two sets of stairs lead to more viewing platforms.
NPS says the trail is slightly uphill, and wheelchair users may reach the main viewing platform depending on their ability. That is not possible while the trail is closed. Once it reopens, NPS allows leashed pets on the trail and platforms.
The rebuild: on Sept 3, 2026, NPS awarded a $2.8 million contract to McKenzie Construction and Site Development, LLC. The 12-month project is expected to finish by the end of 2027, weather permitting.
The plans include a new fully accessible trail to the lower overlook, built to Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) standards. Three elevated boardwalks will replace three wooden bridges, and a failing wood crib wall will be replaced.
We could not confirm whether construction starts in fall 2026 or in 2027. NPS gives only the 12-month length and the end-of-2027 target.
When to visit
Munising Falls stays closed for now: NPS expects the trail rebuild to finish by the end of 2027, weather permitting, and has posted no reopening date.
Reopening timeline
NPS awarded the rebuild contract on September 3, 2026, and expects the work to finish by the end of 2027, weather permitting. It has not posted a reopening date or a construction start date.
If seeing the falls is the goal, expect the trail to stay closed until the work is done. Check the Pictured Rocks news releases for updates.
Seasons at the site
In normal years NPS keeps the road and lot plowed, so the site can be reached in every season. NPS says a flush toilet at the visitor center is open year-round, while drinking water is seasonal.
Winter is when the falls turn to ice, according to Wikipedia. That draw returns only once the trail reopens.
We could not find an official best month for flow or any crowd figures for this site.
Other Upper Peninsula falls have their own seasons. Tahquamenon Falls to the east is listed as open year-round. At Bond Falls in the western UP, DNR vehicle access usually ends in mid-October, though the trail stays open on foot. Check each page before you drive.
| Height | 50 ftNote: drops over a sandstone cliff, per NPS |
|---|---|
| Trail | CLOSED since April 28, 2025. In normal years, a paved 800-ft trail (about 0.3 mi round trip) to the base, with two sets of stairs to more platforms |
| Difficulty | Easy |
| Entry fee | Pictured Rocks entrance pass (NPS, 2026): $25 per private vehicle for 7 days, $20 per motorcycle, $15 per person on foot, bike or boat, $45 annual park pass. Whether a pass is needed just for Munising Falls is unconfirmed |
| Permit / reservation | Pictured Rocks entrance pass covers all areas of the lakeshore; we could not confirm whether one is needed just for Munising Falls |
| Parking | Visitor center lot; may be limited by construction |
| Dogs | Leashed pets allowed on the trail and viewing platforms when open (NPS) |
| Swimming | No: NPS says walking into or behind the falls is prohibited |
| Wheelchair / stroller | Not while the trail is closed. Normally NPS says wheelchairs may reach the main viewing platform, depending on ability; the rebuild adds a fully accessible trail to the lower overlook |
| Walk behind the falls | No |
| Restrooms | Flush toilet open year-round; drinking water seasonal (NPS) |
| Managed by | National Park Service, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore |
Safety and swimming
Respect the closure. NPS closed the trail because the washout left no safe access to view the falls. Do not enter the closed trail, even if the path beyond looks passable.
When the trail reopens, NPS rules still apply. NPS says walking into or behind the falls is prohibited.
Wikipedia says climbing the frozen falls is prohibited; we did not find that rule on an NPS page, but don't climb the ice. In winter, expect ice on stairs and platforms, and consider traction devices.
Conditions change: confirm the trail status with Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore before you go.
For general tips, see our waterfall safety page.
Where to stay near Munising Falls
Compare hotels, cabins and rentals close to the falls around Munising.
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Photos
Munising Falls FAQ
Is Munising Falls open?
No. NPS says the trail is closed until further notice (page updated Aug 19, 2026). NPS awarded a rebuild contract on Sept 3, 2026, and expects the work to finish by the end of 2027. The visitor center is not affected.
Why is Munising Falls closed?
Heavy rain and snowmelt on April 28, 2025, washed out about 75 feet of the paved trail, and NPS closed it until further notice. On Sept 3, 2026, NPS awarded a $2.8 million rebuild contract. It expects the work to finish by the end of 2027, weather permitting.
When will Munising Falls reopen?
NPS has not given a reopening date. It describes a 12-month project expected to finish by the end of 2027, weather permitting. We could not confirm whether work begins in 2026 or 2027, and NPS lists no other viewpoint during the closure.
How tall is Munising Falls?
NPS says the falls drop 50 feet over a sandstone cliff.
How long is the Munising Falls trail?
In normal years it is a paved 800-foot walk to the base, about 0.3 miles round trip. Two sets of stairs lead to extra viewing platforms. The trail is closed for now.
Can you walk behind Munising Falls?
No. NPS says walking into or behind the falls is prohibited.
Do you need a pass for Munising Falls?
Pictured Rocks charges $25 per vehicle for 7 days in 2026, and NPS says passes cover all areas of the lakeshore. The fees page does not say whether a pass is required just for Munising Falls, so ask at the visitor center.
Are dogs allowed at Munising Falls?
When the trail is open, NPS allows leashed pets on the trail and viewing platforms.
Nearby waterfalls
More waterfalls to explore
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Sources
- NPS: Munising Falls (updated Aug 19, 2026)
- NPS news release: Munising Falls Trail closure (Apr 29, 2025)
- NPS news release: Munising Falls Trail contract awarded (Sept 3, 2026)
- NPS: Pictured Rocks waterfalls
- NPS: Pictured Rocks fees & passes (updated Sept 12, 2026)
- NPS: Pictured Rocks visitor centers (phone; hours not listed, read Oct 28, 2026)
- Recreation.gov: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore pass
- Wikipedia: Munising Falls
- OpenStreetMap: Munising Falls map location
Last verified Oct 28, 2026 by The Waterfall Guide editorial team. Conditions change: confirm with National Park Service, Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore before you go. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.