Big Eric's Falls

A scenic stop beside Big Eric's Bridge

Some waterfalls ask you to walk for half a day. Big Eric's is different. The low cascades begin immediately below a bridge used to cross the Huron River on the way into the surrounding forest. From the campground side, you can hear the water running over ledges beneath a screen of spruce, birch and cedar. Stop for the river itself rather than expecting a high plunge or a formal viewing platform.

Official visitor arrival

Follow the Michigan DNR's Big Eric's Bridge State Forest Campground directions: from Skanee travel about 6.7 miles east by Skanee Road and Erick Road to the campground along the Huron River. The official campground position (46.86508482, -88.08476906) is separate from the natural waterfall, and its campground drive/parking must not be confused with the geographic waterfall pin. A local specialist describes an established parking area across the road from the campground; observe actual DNR signs, permitted parking spaces and any campground closure or restrictions. Do not block campsites or use a riverbank as a vehicle approach.

Walk from the bridge

From the designated campground/bridge visitor area, observe the Huron River cascades immediately downstream of Big Eric's Bridge. A specialist field account documents a short footpath beginning on the campground side of the bridge and following the river downstream; stay within visibly permitted public campground access and on established dry ground. The farther riverside banks have not been parcel-surveyed, so do not assume unrestricted access along the whole river, cross private property, scramble onto layered ledges, or wade the river.

Walking time

Allow 20–60 minutes for a conservative bridge-side visit, checking signs and viewing from safely accessible ground. The waterfall is a sequence of low rock steps rather than a long hike. No surveyed exact footpath mileage is available, and a casual visit does not justify wandering beyond the campground boundary.

Land manager

Michigan DNR's Big Eric's Bridge State Forest Campground has 21 rustic first-come sites, river access, vault toilets and a hand-pump well. A Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry. The facility's campground status is not a guarantee of year-round gates or individual site availability.

Roads and seasons

The DNR campground is seasonal in nature; official current page does not prove its gate, road or visitor parking open on October 31 or cleared in winter. Do not enter a closed campground or park on a narrow bridge/road shoulder.

Where the Huron River begins to feel remote

There is a particular sound to broad shallow cascades. Instead of a single roar, you hear water spilling through one narrow chute, gathering in a bowl of stone, then curling into the next. In spring the Huron River can be fast and cold. During drier weather, dark shelves of layered rock show through the current. Fall brings hardwood color to the approach and an occasional quiet afternoon with nobody beyond a few campground visitors.

The nearby bridge was once a significant landmark for the logging country, and remains a threshold between the easier road from Skanee and the network of more remote forest roads. This is a useful addition to a Huron Bay driving day because it offers a small glimpse into the northern Huron River watershed with relatively little hiking effort when the access road is open.

Do not follow the river farther than public access permits

The specialist waterfall account mentions an informal footpath along the downstream bank from the campground side. That confirms the historical way visitors reached the first drops, but it does not certify a current signed path all the way downstream or permission through every adjacent parcel. Keep to the visitor area, obey campground and riverbank signs, and turn back rather than entering private banks or crossing the Huron River. Slick bedrock and fast current make river walking especially unsafe.

Big Eric's is not Erick's Falls

Michigan's source inventory also contains Erick's Falls several miles upstream on the West Branch Huron River, a different bridge and road approach. That location has no separately verified land-manager parking/footpath source in this guide. Do not follow an algorithmically suggested continuation from this public campground to an unrelated backcountry waterfall. The name difference matters.

Before visiting

Check the current campground page for access and Recreation Passport rules. Road surfaces beyond Skanee can change with rain, freeze-thaw cycles and logging operations. Carry offline navigation, use signed parking rather than the narrow bridge and leave the river undisturbed. If the campground entrance is gated or signs restrict use, do not bypass the closure.