Conglomerate Falls (Gratiot River)
The Conglomerate Falls Natural Area is one of many Keweenaw Natural Areas sites around the region and is relatively easy to access. There’s a dirt road that connects to a two-track that’s manageable in a larger car with 4-wheel drive and rough in a sedan, but possible. The two-track leads to a cabin that the Keweenaw Natural Areas rents out to fund their preservation efforts, and there’s a small parking area and trail that leads to the falls from there.
Conglomerate Falls is one of the more unique waterfalls in the Keweenaw Peninsula; however, it isn’t the easiest to get a good view of. The trail wasn’t super well maintained on my first visit, but I was able to manage it without much issue. Typically, you’re easily able to get to the riverbed here, but it was Spring, and we had gotten a lot of rain, so I couldn’t do that, as the water was too high. This made the view from above better but more challenging to photograph at a few key points from the trail.
Conglomerate Falls is on the Gratiot River, which is home to a few other waterfalls, like Lower Gratiot River Falls. As the name denotes, water slides down a large sheet of conglomerate rock here, continuing downward around 50 feet over 1,000 feet. It isn’t particularly steep anywhere and feels more like a slide than a waterfall, but it’s a unique sight either way.
There are trails throughout this section of the Gratiot River in various states of walkability. Portions were well cleared and easy, while others had many obstructions. The hike from the small parking area isn’t long, and you can hear the water from the two-track.
There are many cliff views overlooking the Gratiot River here, which makes for unique views of Conglomerate Falls, though not particularly triumphant. Still, it’s a worthwhile hike that should be on your waterfall checklist in the Keweenaw Peninsula.
