Wilderness Waterfalls of Munising October 1, 2010

Three Day Trip: October 1-October 3. Registration Deadline: 9/20/10. Michigan's Upper Peninsula has nearly 200 waterfalls, but we'll visit only half a dozen or so on this field trip. The featured falls will be Rock River and Silver Falls, a dynamic duo located in the Rock River Wilderness Area west of Munising. On previous (early spring) trips, these falls have been inaccessible to us due to heavy winter snows that left the Forest Service roads impassable even in early May! So this time out, we're tackling them in the fall, when the roar of the water will be lessened, but the roads SHOULD be open! Plus, we'll have peak fall colors to enjoy along the way. The hike to these falls is classic Upper Peninsula hiking -- a couple of miles of rocks (which are slick when wet), steep slopes, narrow trails, lots of tree roots, and year-round mud! But the surrounding scenery is beautiful! Participants need to wear sturdy hiking boots, and be prepared to be out ALL DAY in a wilderness area (meaning "trowel toilets," with CNC providing the trowels) on Saturday. On the other days, we will explore more easily-accessed waterfalls, including Wagner, Munising, and the hidden jewels, Tannery and Memorial Falls, in the Michigan Nature Association's Twin Falls Preserve. Other possibilities, depending on time constraints, are Whitefish, Au Train, Miner's and Hay Meadow Falls. Transportation will be in CNC's vans. The registration fee does NOT include meals or lodging. A block of rooms has been reserved at the Munising Comfort Inn - please call (906) 387-5292 to reserve your room, and be sure to ask for the Chippewa Nature Center rooms to receive the group discount. If you would like to share a room with someone, let us know when you sign up. (If you DON'T want to share a room, let us know that, too.) Participants should plan on bringing sack lunches for all three days. Evening meals on Friday and Saturday will be at local restaurants; breakfast Saturday and Sunday will be the hotel's continental breakfast.