If you want an easy family waterfall hike in the Upper Peninsula, put Laughing Whitefish Falls on the list. And before you get your hopes up: no, we have never seen an actual laughing whitefish. I checked. My kids checked. Nobody has ever seen one. I'm starting to think it's a metaphor.
What you do get is one of the more unusual-looking waterfalls in Michigan, a short walk through beech and maple forest, and, if you're feeling ambitious, 137 stairs between you and the best view. Both of my kids have hiked this one. It's long enough to feel like an adventure and short enough that nobody's asking "are we there yet" on a loop.
Is Laughing Whitefish Falls Worth Visiting?
Definitely. Instead of one big vertical drop, the water spreads out and slides down a long stretch of layered sandstone. It looks nothing like most Michigan waterfalls, which is one of my favorite things about this part of the state: you can see five waterfalls in a day and no two look alike. Laughing Whitefish is a good example.
Where It Is, Parking, and the Recreation Passport
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park is in northwestern Alger County, about 20 miles southeast of Marquette. It's tucked back far enough that it feels a lot more remote than it is. The last stretch of road turns to dirt, and the DNR notes it can get muddy, so don't panic when the pavement ends. You're not lost. Probably.
- Parking: A trailhead lot at Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park, at the end of a seasonal dirt access road that can get muddy.
- Cost: A Michigan Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry.
- Trash: There are no trash cans on site, so pack out whatever you bring in.
Is the Trail Good for Kids?
Yes, in our experience. My kids never had trouble with it. It's a natural dirt path through the woods, about half a mile each way, so little legs aren't marching forever before something happens. The waterfall at the end makes the walk worth it.
Just know that getting to the lower viewing platforms means an actual staircase, not a couple of steps.
How Many Stairs Are at Laughing Whitefish Falls?
Here's where it gets interesting. There are three viewing platforms:
- Top platform: zero stairs. You can see the falls without climbing anything.
- Middle platform: 20 stairs down.
- Lowest platform: 137 stairs down from the top. Every one of them has to be climbed again on the way back up. Gravity is undefeated.
If your crew can handle it, go all the way down at least once. Each level gives you a genuinely different view of the cascade. If stairs aren't happening today, the top platform is still a good payoff, and there's zero shame in calling it there.
For what it's worth, my kids handled the climb back up way better than they ever handled the old staircase at Upper Tahquamenon Falls. Maybe it's because that one was so steep and so congested. Here, they didn't even seem to notice the climb, and nobody complained.
What to Bring
Comfortable walking shoes, water, bug spray, and a camera. It's Upper Peninsula woods in summer, so the bug spray is not a suggestion. If it's rained recently, wear shoes that can handle mud, because both the access road and the trail get slick. There are no trash cans on site, so whatever comes in with you goes back out with you. Yes, including the juice box.
More Waterfalls Near Laughing Whitefish
This part of the U.P. is made for a multi-waterfall day. Toward Munising, Au Train Falls is worth a look when access is open. The other direction, Houghton Douglass Falls, Michigan's tallest waterfall, is a longer haul into the Keweenaw: roughly 115 miles and about two hours up through Marquette and US-41. Give that one its own day instead of cramming it in.
Should It Be on Your Michigan Waterfall List?
I think so. The hike is short enough for kids, the waterfall's big enough to justify the walk, there are three ways to look at it, and it doesn't look like anything else in the Upper Peninsula. Both my kids actually enjoyed this one, and there's a real difference between a waterfall the adults think is nice and one the whole family wants to come back to. Laughing Whitefish clears both bars. The kids will survive the half-mile walk. Whether you survive the 137 stairs is between you and your knees.
