Group Tour Magazine - August 2024 - 27

" Looking downstream, " according to the
park, guests can catch a glimpse of the Robert
Moses Niagara Power Plant " built into the
side of the gorge on the American side. "
And now that you're back in the U.S., how
about those Midwest waterfalls?
LAND OF MANY
WATERFALLS
Minnesota, known as the Land of 10,000
Lakes, doesn't have quite as many waterfalls
as it does lakes, but it has plenty that are
worth a visit. " Minnesota has some amazing
waterfalls all throughout the state, " says
Jake Juliot, communications specialist with
Explore Minnesota. " Whether it's in Minneapolis
at Minnehaha Falls or up the North
Shore at Gooseberry Falls, waterfalls are a
great accessible activity for groups looking
to stretch their legs and get back to nature. "
Gooseberry Falls State Park, located on
the North Shore of Lake Superior, has a visitor
center and nature store, historic log and
tone structures, and accessible multiuse
trails. And, of course, waterfalls that are
picture perfect. Grand Portage Waterfall,
located in Grand Portage State Park, is
Minnesota's tallest waterfall with accessible
views, according to Explore Minnesota. It
offers a half-mile, wheelchair-accessible
paved trail to High Falls. For those wishing
to walk more, there's a 3 1/2-mile hiking
trail to Middle Falls with ridgetop views of
Lake Superior and Canada.
Also in the northern part of the state is
Voyageur National Park, with a landscape
that has been described as " breathtaking. "
In typical Minnesota fashion, water plays a
big part, making up more than one-third of
the park's 218,000 acres. Explore Minnesota
says most of the park's interior is accessible
only by boat, but visitors can rent a houseboat
or take a boat tour. There are plenty of
trails from which waterfalls are visible, as are
ancient petroglyphs. On clear nights it also
is a great place to view the Northern Lights.
Head to the Twin Cities where a natural
53-foot waterfall decorates a spot in bustling
Minneapolis. Called Minnehaha Falls,
located in Minnehaha Park at the intersection
of Hiawatha Avenue and Minnehaha
Parkway, this venue is near the Mississippi
River. The 193-acre park is popular with
locals, but it has a fame that reaches beyond
Tahquamenon Falls,
Paradise, Michigan
state borders, attracting almost 1 million visitors
annually who come here to see the falls
and experience this unique setting. There's
more to do here than viewing a waterfall.
Visit the Longfellow House, built in 1906
in honor of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
The house is a replica of the poet's home in
Cambridge, Massachusetts, and has served
in many roles over the years-zoo, library,
haunted house. It currently serves as an
interpretive center for the Minneapolis Park
System. For food, park visitors can get their
fill at the Sea Salt Eatery.
MEMORABLE FALLS
Other Midwest states have their own water
spectacles. One of the most accessible
waterfalls in Michigan, called the Tahquamenon
Falls, lies in the Upper Peninsula. At
50 feet tall and 200 feet wide, it is one of the
state's largest falls, and according to Pure
Michigan " the most interesting and among
the most accessible. " Here, visitors can
also enjoy wildlife viewing and the on-site
brewpub and restaurant.
In Richmond, Indiana, put Thistlethwaite
Falls on your itinerary. Named after explorer
Timothy Thistlethwaite, it has been voted
one of the best waterfal ls in the state.
Another is at Turkey Run State Park, where
natural geological wonders abound. Here,
there's also the Col. Richard Lieber Cabin,
which, according to the Indiana Department
of Natural Resources, " commemorates
the contributions of the father of Indiana's
state park system. "
In Iowa, visit Dunnings Springs at Dunnings
State Park in Decorah, which attracts
visitors far and wide not only for the falls but
also the nearby Ice Cave, a great place to cool
off amidst summer's rising temperatures.
But there are many other group-friendly
waterfalls in the Hawkeye State, according
to Jessica O'Riley, tourism communications
manager for Travel Iowa. A waterfall she
suggests is Bridal Veil Falls at Pikes Peak
State Park in McGregor, which she describes
as an easy 1-mile roundtrip trail from the
parking lot. Another is the Briggs Woods
Waterfall in Webster City. " Visiting Iowa's
waterfalls are a great way to get out and
explore the state's natural spaces, " she says.
" Some require a short walk to get to them,
but the views are worth the effort. "
grouptourmagazine.com 27
PHOTO UNSPLASH/DILLON AUSTIN
Group Tour Magazine - August 2024

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