Rainbow Falls Hike
Waterfall · about 40 ft high | Michigan
2 mi round trip
Rainbow Falls Hike at a Glance
The Rainbow Falls hike via the North Country Trail is 2 mi round trip.
| Falls height | About 40 ft |
|---|---|
| Elevation at the falls | ≈ 650 ft |
| Trail | North Country Trail |
| Distance | 2 mi round trip |
Your time: about 40 min of moving time at Naismith pace (3 mph plus 1 hour per 2,000 ft climbed); about 50 min at a relaxed pace. A 160 lb hiker with a daypack burns roughly 380 kcal. No elevation gain is published for this route, so climbing time isn’t included.
Adjust for your pace and breaks →Route line not shown. The 2 mi distance for this hike is verified (northcountrytrail.org), but we don't yet have a trail track we trust, so the map shows only the destination. Carry an official map.
About Rainbow Falls
Rainbow Falls is a waterfall in Michigan, about 40 feet high, on land managed by Ottawa National Forest. Its height is from fs.usda.gov.
The Hike
The hike to the falls follows the North Country Trail: 2 miles round trip, from Black River Harbor parking lot. Distance from northcountrytrail.org.
Before You Go
- A 1/2 mile trail runs from a paved parking lot to a stairway down to an observation platform. (fs.usda.gov)
- Rock around waterfalls is slick when wet; stay on the trail and back from the edge.
- Check Ottawa National Forest for current conditions, closures and parking before you go.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the hike to Rainbow Falls?
The North Country Trail to Rainbow Falls is 2 miles round trip.
Where does the Rainbow Falls hike start?
It starts from Black River Harbor parking lot.
How tall is Rainbow Falls?
Rainbow Falls is about 40 feet high.
Safety Information
Current Hazards
- Slippery wet rock near the falls
- Fast, high water after rain or snowmelt
- Check weather before departure
Turn-Around Time
3:00 PM
Plan to reach the falls by this time so you are back before dark.
Essential Gear Checklist
* Critical items - do not hike without these
Emergency Contacts
Emergency / Search & Rescue
911Point Forecast
NWS Point Forecast →In most of the US, backcountry search and rescue is dispatched through 911 — tell the operator you have a hiker emergency and your GPS coordinates.
Downloads
Sources for The Rainbow Falls Guide
Where the trail data, elevation and route line on this page come from.
- Verified against
- northcountrytrail.org
- Distance
- northcountrytrail.org
- Falls height
- fs.usda.gov
- Falls location
- openstreetmap.org
- Elevation
- ≈ Copernicus GLO-90 elevation model at the falls coordinates (via Open-Meteo)
Conditions change. Check the land manager for closures, fees and weather before you go.
Nearby Hikes
Other hikes within 30 miles of Rainbow Falls.