Moderately difficult trail descending into a scenic gorge with waterfalls along the Sturgeon River.
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Sturgeon Falls is located in the Sturgeon River Gorge Wilderness area within Ottawa National Forest near Sidnaw. The trail descends into a scenic gorge following the river, passing multiple waterfalls along the way.
The U.S. Forest Service rates the trail as moderately difficult, and the gorge setting means the terrain can be steep and requires careful footing. No official height or distance is published on the USFS page, so expectations should be based on the moderate-to-challenging difficulty rating and the gorge experience.
There is no day-use fee. Spring through fall offer the best trail conditions. The wilderness designation means limited infrastructure, so come prepared with water, map, and navigation skills.
Spring through fall when trail conditions are best.
No fee or permit requirement was published on the managing agency's site when we last checked — confirm current conditions before you go, since these change.
The managing agency's page (linked below) has the current trailhead and route details — round-trip distance wasn't published when we checked.
We track 4 waterfalls in Western Upper Peninsula.
fs.usda.gov
USFS Ottawa National Forest recreation-site page ('Sturgeon Falls'), checked 2026-09-04. Page describes a 'moderately difficult trail' winding down into the gorge along the river with waterfalls, but does not publish a numeric height or trail-mileage figure (third-party sources cite ~20-25 ft, not used here). Listed status: 'Site Open'; no closure notice found.
Checked September 2026.