Updated July 2026
Gorge Falls (Black River)
Gorge Falls is one of the taller falls on the Black River in Gogebic County, dropping roughly 24-34 feet through a narrow conglomerate gorge. It shares a short stairway-and-platform trail system with neighboring Potawatomi Falls along the Black River National Scenic Byway.
Before you go
Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check USFS (Ottawa National Forest, Black River National Scenic Byway) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gorge Falls (Black River) drops about 34 feet. That makes it the 515th-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 24% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.
The Potawatomi / Gorge Falls Trail reaches it about 0.5 miles (out-and-back), rated easy. The nearest town is Bessemer. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with USFS (Ottawa National Forest, Black River National Scenic Byway) for closures and current conditions.
spring. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.
More Michigan waterfalls
- Agate Falls · 39 ft
- Bond Falls · 50 ft
- Chapel Falls · 60 ft
- Dead River Falls · 90 ft
- Great Conglomerate Falls · 30 ft
- Greenstone Falls
- Hungarian Falls · 50 ft
- Laughing Whitefish Falls · 100 ft
Sources
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