[//]:# (!pinmapple 46.409022 lat -89.132120 long  d3scr)


<center>![IMG20220621113701.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/Ep3dnUJnjqyZFZU564huK89kYA9DUhqBzm3dFcnuvY4LNAhjTBRkJyPU31oLjE4YdPp.jpg)</center>

-----------

It's been a heck of a lot of fun sharing my recent trip to the UP (Upper Peninsula) of Michigan with you. In fact, I probably could have extended this series out into a lot more posts, but it would have mostly been me rambling on and I wanted to spare you that.

The other reason is the fact that I have a growing list of other topics that I want to write about, so I feel it is time to bring this trip to a close.

On our last full day in Baraga, MI, we decided to head out and check out a couple of local waterfalls.  Local is a pretty relative term in the UP of Michigan.  It actually took us about an hour to drive to Bond Falls which you see above.  There is just so much land in the UP, it isn't easy to get from one place to the other very quickly.


<center>![IMG20220621095727.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/EoEpVBnbWqpWF8ApJqzxc3B1doeUYek3Udr6f3nufouvuCaRV8S5ZZWnvgtSuyBJkaP.jpg)</center>

-----------

Before we turned towards Bond Falls, we made a quick stop at Canyon Falls.  The hike back to Canyon Falls isn't super crazy, but I wouldn't call it short either. To get to the main part of the falls, you have to hike about half a mile into the woods on a trail strewn with rocks and tree roots.  There is a wooden walkway for the first part of the hike, but eventually it abruptly ends.  

Given the hike involved to access the falls, I am going to include this as a #wednesdaywalk post sponsored by @tattoodjay.

[If you read my last post](https://peakd.com/hive-189591/@bozz/exploring-the-up-lake-of-the-clouds-and-ontonogan), you will remember that the day before temperatures jumped into the 100 degree (F) range.  Although we got an early start, it was still quite hot and humid.  The lush greenery made it feel like we were traveling through a jungle versus the far north reaches of Michigan.

<center>![IMG20220621100704.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/EoK6kK1RKFJ3ZXiYR5D8TvBzUN8Z8dJLavttTzyKGaAxr6xo5bTwLXM5QDGicQ7TSNF.jpg)</center>


<center>![IMG20220621100706.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/EoK5ocMWW1Wjg3dKNGvf8Urng3VnEEfN3R4xgSzCb97GZz5CZqWEQ5bKs7DMUmHz4NF.jpg)</center>

-----------

Early on the hike, the falls look a little something like this.  Pretty cool to look at, but not really super impressive.  I often wonder how many people get this far and give up because they think this is all there is to the falls.  

We actually passed another group on their way back up the trail and the guy said to me (with a smile on his face), "you may as well turn around, there isn't much to see past this point".  I replied with "Nice try, I've been here before".  We both had a laugh and continued on.


<center>![IMG20220621100833.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/Eou8JbqwDZbTXBoZvs43iNAjPhLKezhZdbkQQ8iHPR2AUWfBgWtFsVCTtRagKsYP1N4.jpg)</center>

-----------

I think part of what makes this area so cool is the rocks that border both sides of the Sturgeon River.  If you would like more information about Canyon Falls, you can [check out this web page](http://gowaterfalling.com/waterfalls/canyon.shtml).


<center>![IMG20220621101140.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/Eoc5fUsfV8DRwhQR5PkZjTWEV7jmL9Y4opmxKbuYo4u6Y8UKzB6T6ctcDwnLsnQkbEo.jpg)</center>

-----------

Like I said, continuing down the rest of the trail is well worth it.  Eventually, you will reach this point where the largest part of the falls is located.  If you step off the designated path and climb down some rocks, you can get to the vantage point above where I snapped a few shots.

I have seen pictures of the falls that clearly indicate people got closer to the edge of "cliff" than I did.  I wasn't willing to go that far, so you are just going to have to be okay with the shots I got.


<center>![IMG20220621101201.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/EoChhvKy9MLtmTDbuwtPHwqJBYDbhYtavovctMgSC5cpioExqWVuDPxRNcyj2SNhRiS.jpg)</center>

-----------

As impressive as the falls are, if you turn to the right from that same vantage point, you can catch a glimpse of what I feel is the star of these falls.  The high cliff walls downstream from the falls make you feel like you are in a totally different world.  

There is something about it that just feels ancient.  It's stunning.  I don't think the photos really do it justice.  Trust me, you need to see this for yourself.  


<center>![IMG20220621101203.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/EoGxWVuX9fprDJhiWG9nLk43uqYELrXfMiMYVGCTu89YP48UVT5VQx9WyfKBxzxN5Wm.jpg)</center>


<center>![IMG20220621101204.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/EoGwWjLYwXV7xmRisywEPKdDG7PDvQiUdH2XxeNr9zyHQfZzgFK51dH4obEbHRmwcEb.jpg)</center>

----------

Apparently, there is an unmaintained trail that leads you further downriver along the canyon rim.  Eventually it reaches a point where the canyon is a mile across and 300 feet deep.  This is considered the "Grand Canyon" of Michigan.  After getting as many pictures as we could, we turned around and headed back to the trucks for the long drive to Bond Falls.  Here are some parting shots of Canyon Falls.



<center>![IMG20220621101409.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/EoyPaBMGKMUuCre6RqkF9PbHH9UPNYi6LBskMqXipTA2f1t5Z6HUDvcKyspgStiEqo3.jpg)</center>


<center>![IMG20220621101412.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/Eoc7ZGAMRew2KuafPBhbZFXYoFXxox4QBFox33g6xcnsAFPScRnkQBTv7veLaNp8cVE.jpg)</center>

-----------

Like I said, nothing is just a quick ride in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  It was 40 miles from Canyon Falls to Bond Falls and it took us just about an hour to get there due to construction and me making a wrong turn (or rather me missing a turn) on the way there.


<center>![IMG20220621114253.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/EoK5NVSPiGZtAPMW2jiqfzvSXbMiczLzKvDN9bxfFTLq3DCMVHJwjiQBw5ya4r1YC57.jpg)</center>

------------

One of the things I love about [Bond Falls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bond_Falls) is the fact that they have paths leading up both sides of the falls to give you a really up close and personal view of the falls. In fact, there is an area where you have to be extremely careful because the concrete stairs are covered with water coming off the falls.  

I'm actually not sure why Bond Falls doesn't get more love when people talk about waterfalls in the UP.  If I had to guess it would be because it is a man made waterfall.  Just upstream is a dam that controls the flow of water down river and over the falls.  Unlike Canyon Falls or the more well known [Tahquamenon Falls](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tahquamenon_Falls) which are natural occurrences.  

That isn't to say Bond Falls wouldn't exist without man made intervention, I just think it wouldn't be as impressive as it currently is.

What I do know is this:  We went camping with the same friends we took on this trip last weekend and they overwhelmingly exclaimed that their two most favorite parts of the UP trip were [the mine tour](https://peakd.com/hive-163772/@bozz/touching-history-the-quincy-mining-company-hancock-mi) and Bond Falls.

After getting the obligatory selfies and group shots, we decided it was time for lunch.  We backtracked down the road to a nothing of a town called Bruce Crossing and found a delightful little place called [Char's Cafe](https://www.facebook.com/Chars-Cafe-153000564731563/) to eat at.

Walking into the place, you kind of feel like you are walking into someones house.  In fact, I think the building originally was a house at one point and over the years they remodeled it into a restaurant. 

We immediately knew we were in a for a treat when it became obvious that the place was packed full of locals going through their morning routine of coffee, breakfast, and gossip.


<center>![IMG20220621130042.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/Eoke3hGEtYtXbMYBKzpz2qoEb2wiE7wWy1cZKWkpgCx79121A7oR3MgjBbKYxkW1GKR.jpg)</center>

------------

Like I said in a previous post, I was on a bit of a burger kick this trip, so that is exactly what I got at Char's.  My wife got the club sandwich, and I can't honestly remember what the rest of the group got.  

I've gotta say, this burger was much different from the one I had at Syl's the day before.  It was almost better, but in a really unique way.  Where the burger before was more of a pub style char grilled burger, this one was clearly done on a flat top and it had a real "homemade" feel.  Like something my mom would have made for me when I was younger.  

I think that nostalgia feeling is what pushed it over the top versus the burger from Syl's.  Honestly, if you get a burger from either of these places you won't be disappointed. 

Fun fact, at Syl's when we arrived around noon we were told that they serve breakfast all day, but we weren't allowed to order pancakes.  I am sure I wasn't the first one to ask why and the waitress explained that once they hit lunch time and start doing burgers on the griddle, it just doesn't work out to go back and try to do pancakes.

When we were told we could order anything but pancakes at Char's, we didn't have to ask why.

After stuffing ourselves full, we hopped back into our trucks, filled up our gas tanks, and headed back to our campsites.  

This was a truly amazing trip to the UP and I was so glad I got to share it with my nephew.  When my wife and I started camping, we slowly started working our way across the UP from East to West visiting some of the most major sites.  Each year we would take a different section and hit everything we could in that general area.

This is the culmination of my plan, taking us to some of the farthest reaches of Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  While this definitely won't be our last trip to the UP, I think it is time to start turning our sights elsewhere, and maybe crossing some state borders with our travel trailer.

----------

<center>
### [Sports Talk Social - @bozz.sports](https://www.sportstalksocial.com/@bozz.sports)
</center>

----------

<center>![TEAMUSAhive_footer_bozz.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/bozz/fXpCTKUZ-TEAMUSA-hive_footer_bozz.jpg)</center>

----------

<center>*All pictures/screenshots taken by myself or @mrsbozz unless otherwise sourced*</center>