Big Manitou Falls - Pattison State Park

Pattison State Park is located on state route 35 about 13 miles south of downtown Superior, Wisconsin. The 1436 acre park includes picnic areas, a swimming beach, campground, and several miles of trails. It also features 165' high Big Manitou Falls, the highest waterfall in Wisconsin. The waterfall is on the Black River as it flows north to the Nemadji River and then into Lake Superior.

Martin Pattison thwarted a plan to dam the Black River and submerge Big Manitou Falls by secretly buying a total of 660 acres along the river in 1917. The following year, he donated the land to the state for preservation. The state created the park in 1920, but it wasn't developed until the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) established a camp at the park in 1935. The CCC developed the trails, the road underpass, the swimming beach, and most of the other facilities in the park.

The Black River passes over iron-bearing rock on its way to the falls. Enough iron leaches out of the rock and into the river to cause the water to have a dark reddish tint. We visited in early August 2017.

Park office

A small part of the picnic area

Shelter can be reserved for group functions

More of the picnic area

Paved path toward Big Manitou Falls

Benches for viewing Interfalls Lake

Tunnel entrance

Tunnel under WI 35

Looking back at the tunnel

Black River at the brink of the falls

Last drop above the main falls

Pavement ends and stairs begin

First viewing site

Partial view from the first site

Gravel and timber step path to second viewing site

Approaching the second viewing site

View downstream

Iron deposits on the rock face of opposite wall of the gorge

Big Manitou Falls

Base of the falls

Closer view of the base of the falls

View down the gorge

Back at the tunnel, turn right...

...to view the pedestrian bridge over the Black River

Arch bridge over the river

Spillway maintains level of Interfalls Lake

Bridge from the other side of the river

Last drop above the falls from the opposite side

Top of the falls

Obstructed view of the falls from the opposite side

Entry to Wisconsin State Parks requires an entrance fee. Vehicles with Wisconsin plates may enter for $8 per day or $28 per calendar year. Out-of-state vehicles are assessed a fee of $11 per day or $38 per calendar year.

The Pattison State Park website is http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/parks/name/pattison/.