Sable Falls
Sable Falls is an easily accessible waterfall on the far east side of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, just west of Grand Marais. We sort of stumbled upon Sable Falls while leaving the beach in Grand Marais to head to our campsite at Hurricane River, and we were quite happy to have stopped. From the parking lot, it’s a short descent via wooden stairs to the waterfall, which tumbles some 70+ feet in total over its many different drops and cascades. The wooden stairs don’t stop at the falls, continuing on to follow the Sable Creek, descending further and further towards Lake Superior. The wooden path eventually gives way to dirt, and you will find yourself on a beach. The speed of the creek slows dramatically from the rapids of the falls to dump into Lake Superior. If you look to the west, you will see the beginnings of Pictured Rocks cliffs, and to the east, you will see Grand Marais’ famous Agate Beach. My favorite way to see the falls is to park at the beach in Grand Marais and meander down the agate, unakite, and quartz-abundant beach until you reach Sable Creek. Turn left and follow the trail inward until you reach the wooden path I described above to see the falls, then descend and return down the beach towards your car in Grand Marais. In total, the trip will cost you a little over 3 miles of walking and offers a little bit of everything. If you just want to drive to the falls, take H-58 out of Grand Marais, and the parking lot will be on your right.
