Falling Water

Brownstone Falls in Copper
Falls State Park. 5/15/2021
dwm photo

  There is something about the sound of falling water.  There is a roar and a sense of power before you see it that's felt in your bone marrow.

  Copper Falls State Park south of Ashland is home to three falls and three more are in the area.

  Brownstone is the most majestic as a branch of the Bad River cascades 30 feet where it rejoins the other branch.

  The rock is what's known as Chequamegon sandstone which has red shale and other mixes to create the distinctive brown rock.  Ashland's train depot is made from the rock.  For a while the distinctive brownstone was loaded on ships leaving the city's harbor to build elsewhere.

  In the park there are only a couple views of the waterfall which is three tenths of a mile from Copper Falls.  I took my shots from rock piled on the north side of the river on the Doughboy trail.

The park is named for the falls book-end a short walk away.  It's drop has been washed away.  It's not as tall, but still offers a dramatic view.

Copper Falls.  5/15/2021 (dwm)

Before I reached the Copper Falls a large patch of white caught my eye.  I recognized it after a closer look.  It was snow and ice.  In the shade on the north side of a rock formation, but an impressive sight in the middle of May. 

The rocks which create the tumbling water make it difficult to get a clear look without a drone-held camera.  All the same, I was enchanted with my perch from an elevated trail.

We couldn't spend the day at the park and the third falls was an hour's walk round-trip.  As far as those other falls in the area, I hope to see them on a future trip.