Au Train Falls used to be a gamble. Some visits the river was roaring across the rock in big white sheets, and some visits it was a polite trickle, all depending on what the hydroelectric plant upstream was doing that day.
Not anymore. The pipeline to the dam has been cut and the powerhouse doesn't generate power anymore, so the falls are on full blast now. Every time. You know before you even get in the car that it's going to be awesome to see, and that makes it a lot more worth the trip.
The one asterisk left: depending on what's posted at the end of the road, you might not get to it. Stick with me.
Is Au Train Falls Open? Check Access Before You Go
Part of the old route to Au Train Falls crosses land tied to the hydroelectric dam upstream, and access has gotten inconsistent. Older guides tell you to walk past a gate to the lower viewing area. More recent visitor reports describe No Trespassing signs and a closed-off lot.
On my last visit there were private property signs near the end of the dirt road, and people were walking right past them anyway. That doesn't make it legal. Go by what's posted when you pull up, not what an old blog or map says. A trespassing ticket is a lousy souvenir, and there's always another waterfall down the road.
What Au Train Falls Looks Like (When You Can Get to It)
The falls are on the Au Train River in Alger County, about 15 miles from Munising off Power Dam Road. When access is open, this is a quick one: park, walk the old level road, and you're there in about 15 minutes. No hiking boots, no pep talks.
It isn't one big vertical drop. The river fans out across a bunch of broad rock ledges, so you get several small cascades going at once. With the river running at full strength now, it's genuinely beautiful: wide sheets of whitewater fanning out across the rock. Here's why it used to be hit or miss.
Why Au Train Falls Runs Full Blast Now
For years, the water going over Au Train Falls wasn't just whatever fell from the sky. Part of the river was diverted through a pipeline to the hydroelectric plant upstream, the one behind the dam that created the Cleveland Cliffs Basin. So a big rain didn't guarantee a big waterfall, and a dry week didn't guarantee a dud. I've shown up to almost nothing and I've shown up to a lot of water, and the forecast didn't call either one. Neither did I.
That's over. The pipeline to the dam is cut, and the powerhouse doesn't generate power anymore. The federal hydropower license for the Au Train project was terminated at the end of December 2025, and the State of Michigan is now overseeing the dam's decommissioning. With nothing pulling water away from the falls, the whole river goes over the rock now, and it's a completely different, much better waterfall for it.
The dam was originally built by the Cleveland Cliffs Iron Company to power regional industry, and you'll still see the old pipes and the brick powerhouse along the river. It's a weird thing to find next to a waterfall that otherwise looks totally natural, but it's part of the charm. You get a waterfall and a chunk of U.P. industrial history in the same five minutes.
Getting There, Parking, and What It Costs
When it's open, Au Train Falls is a quick, cheap stop. Here's the practical stuff:
- Getting there: The traditional access is Power Dam Road off M-94, about 15 miles from Munising. Confirm current legal access before you drive out.
- Cost: Free. No admission fee.
- The walk: Historically about 15 minutes or less one way on a level dirt and gravel road, with no boardwalk or paved path. Plan on 30 minutes to an hour for the whole visit.
Nearby Waterfalls If the Gate Is Closed
This stretch of the U.P. is loaded with easy waterfall stops, which is handy on days when the road to Au Train is posted closed. Scott Falls is visible right from the highway near Au Train. Wagner Falls, closer to Munising, has a short trail to its own viewing area. And Laughing Whitefish Falls is the better pick if you want a slightly longer family hike with a real payoff. Gate closed? You've still got a day.
Is Au Train Falls Worth It With Kids?
If legal access is open, absolutely. It's an easy, low-commitment stop that slots into a bigger day around Munising and Pictured Rocks, and the old powerhouse and pipes give kids something to look at besides water. It's not the tallest waterfall in the Upper Peninsula, but now that the river runs at full strength, you're not rolling the dice on whether there'll be anything to see. You know going in it's going to be good.
If it's posted closed, don't push it. Turn the car around and go see one of the others. Michigan isn't exactly short on waterfalls.
