The Magical Waterfall
Many photographers are now refusing to geotag their landscape photographs. That has it downside, of course, but this photo shows why they have made that choice.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Michigan's upper peninsula is not convenient to get to. Most visitors have driven at least 4-5 hours out of their way to get here. The park has two main parking lots about 4-5 miles apart for the upper falls and the lower falls. The volume of water flowing over the upper falls is said to be second only to Niagara Falls of all waterfalls east of the Mississippi and the visitor is able to view it right at the brink. But now there has been a game changer at the lower group of falls (just one of those falls is shown here).
In the past, at the lower falls, visitors were required to row a boat out to the island shown here in the middle of the Tahquamenon River. Too much work for most visitors. A couple of years ago the park service constructed a footbridge over the river to the island. Now any of us can walk down a boardwalk trail for about 1/2 mile to the bridge and walk over to the island (this photograph was taken from one of the observation decks along the boardwalk to the bridge). Once on the island, the visitor has access to about 4 or 5 separate small falls that are collectively called the "lower falls". And believe me when I say they are magical. The loop trail around the perimeter of the island is about 1/4 mile long and is awesome because now you can see all these individual lower falls up close, instead of from a distance. But this photo shows a problem that is developing. The island, the falls, and the river are being overrun by all of us visitors, who are showing little respect for the terrain . . . and this is just at one section of the trail around the island, at one moment in time, as observed from the boardwalk.
Tahquamenon Fall State Park is not a secret location, so now when photographers find a special lesser-known spot, some are declining to geotag to avoid the sort of result shown here.
Being with a number of family members, I did not bring my camera because I did not want to slow our group down. But I did have my trusty cellphone and couldn't resist this one. If you visit during the summer, get here early in the morning for your best chance of enjoying the true magic.
The Magical Waterfall
Many photographers are now refusing to geotag their landscape photographs. That has it downside, of course, but this photo shows why they have made that choice.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park in Michigan's upper peninsula is not convenient to get to. Most visitors have driven at least 4-5 hours out of their way to get here. The park has two main parking lots about 4-5 miles apart for the upper falls and the lower falls. The volume of water flowing over the upper falls is said to be second only to Niagara Falls of all waterfalls east of the Mississippi and the visitor is able to view it right at the brink. But now there has been a game changer at the lower group of falls (just one of those falls is shown here).
In the past, at the lower falls, visitors were required to row a boat out to the island shown here in the middle of the Tahquamenon River. Too much work for most visitors. A couple of years ago the park service constructed a footbridge over the river to the island. Now any of us can walk down a boardwalk trail for about 1/2 mile to the bridge and walk over to the island (this photograph was taken from one of the observation decks along the boardwalk to the bridge). Once on the island, the visitor has access to about 4 or 5 separate small falls that are collectively called the "lower falls". And believe me when I say they are magical. The loop trail around the perimeter of the island is about 1/4 mile long and is awesome because now you can see all these individual lower falls up close, instead of from a distance. But this photo shows a problem that is developing. The island, the falls, and the river are being overrun by all of us visitors, who are showing little respect for the terrain . . . and this is just at one section of the trail around the island, at one moment in time, as observed from the boardwalk.
Tahquamenon Fall State Park is not a secret location, so now when photographers find a special lesser-known spot, some are declining to geotag to avoid the sort of result shown here.
Being with a number of family members, I did not bring my camera because I did not want to slow our group down. But I did have my trusty cellphone and couldn't resist this one. If you visit during the summer, get here early in the morning for your best chance of enjoying the true magic.