About O Kun De Kun Falls
O Kun De Kun Falls is one of the most scenic waterfalls in Ontonagon County and a favorite for visitors year-round. It's a ledge waterfall with a small cave behind it — when water flow is low, you can carefully get behind the falls, though caution is essential since the rock can be slippery. From the top you can look down into the ravine below, or continue along the North Country Trail to a bridge and a wall of sandstone that leads to an up-close view of the falls, close enough to catch mist during high water.
The creamy, chocolate-colored water comes from an extensive clay plain formed roughly 9,500 years ago during the Valders glaciation. Expect hardwood forest along the way — hemlock, maple, birch, and aspen. The round-trip hike is just shy of 3 miles along the North Country Trail, with boardwalks and bridges installed in fall 2019 that made the route much less muddy, though a few soft spots remain in spring or after rain.
The waterfall is named for Chief O Kun De Kun, a Chippewa chief from Ontonagon County who once owned the Ontonagon Boulder — a famous piece of float copper now held by the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum. Note: this is the second waterfall along the trail; the first is Konteka Falls, sometimes called Upper O Kun De Kun Falls.
Camping & Fishing Nearby
Camping: Camping is available in the Ottawa National Forest. If camping near these falls, stay at least a quarter mile further down the North Country Trail.
Fishing: The Baltimore River isn't especially clear and runs low through much of summer and fall, so fishing reports here are scarce.
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Always have fun, always be safe, and never stop exploring the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
— Yooper Steve, UP Adventure Guide / Photographer / Filmmaker