Little Garlic Falls

Choose the right trailhead

There are two entirely different walks to this small northern waterfall. The short western approach follows an official North Country Trail Association spur for about a mile each way. A much longer outing from the Elliot Donnelley trailhead directly off County Road 550 is about 7.6 to 8 miles round-trip. The two choices arrive at the same river falls, but use different parking.

Named visitor parking

Use the named western Little Garlic Falls Spur trailhead on Harrison Road/Little Garlic Road. From County Road 550 north of Marquette, cross the Little Garlic River and take the first left. The NCTA 2023 Segment 19 guide describes parking on the left roughly two miles along Harrison Road. The chapter's old Google driving map was marked unverified; check its updated July 2026 maps, Avenza #41 and signs. This is a rough backroad, with no guaranteed plowing or current passability; the falls coordinate is not parking.

Official walking route

From the designated western trailhead, follow the North Country Trail Association Little Garlic Falls Spur northwest along the Little Garlic River. NCTA describes about one mile one way, 118 feet ascent, rocky tread and wooden footbridges over tributaries; use current Avenza Map #41. Do not cross the main river, follow fisherman fords or continue onto private Big Garlic banks.

Walking effort

About 1 mile each way on the western spur, 118 feet of ascent per the official NCTA chapter guide. Plan 75–150 minutes for the short outing when the trailhead is accessible. The eastern CR550 route takes a considerably larger part of the day.

Land manager and maintainer

NCTA Segment 19 identifies Elliott Donnelley Wilderness as State of Michigan land, gifted through Trout Unlimited, and the Marquette Area Chapter as the trail authority. Public access applies to the mapped trail and land, not unmarked private banks.

Seasonal travel

The chapter's 2023 guide reports CR550 is generally drivable in winter but Elliott Donnelley parking is not maintained; access to the western lot may need AWD. This is historical advice, not a 2026 open-road report. No live lot plowing or creek/bridge condition is known.

Follow the river through the trees

From the western trailhead, pick up the named Little Garlic Falls Spur and head northwest. The route is a real woodland footpath with stones and roots underfoot. It runs near the Little Garlic River, crossing a couple of feeder streams on small wooden bridges as the river gorge deepens. The trail chapter also describes an established rustic state campsite along the route. This is a place to slow down and hear the water well before you can see it.

Do not confuse a white spur blaze with a random fisherman path. Follow the current Avenza map and official trail markers. A 2023 state tourism description refers to fording the river along a different route; the NCTA spur itself does not call for a crossing of the main Little Garlic River. You do not need to wade, scramble down the canyon wall, or climb wet ledges to appreciate this landscape.

What makes the falls worth the walk

Low water exposes angular rock in a twisting corridor beneath dense forest. After rain or spring snowmelt, the same constriction carries an emphatic rush of white water. Fallen leaves and moss soften the banks, while the riverbed curves away into shade. The best viewpoint is from sound footing on the established path; the gorge has no guarded observation platform. Keep clear of slippery edges and fast water.

Do not mix up Little and Big Garlic

Little Garlic Falls is on the Little Garlic River. The state GIS layer separately locates Big Garlic Falls on the Big Garlic River. Independent field sources report private and posted banks for parts of the Big Garlic falls system. The NCTA trail described here is a legitimate public Little Garlic destination, not a route to Lower or Main Big Garlic Falls. Do not follow a map point across unverified property boundaries.

Before leaving Marquette

Check the current NCTA chapter maps, updated July 2026, get Avenza Map #41 offline, and inspect trail alerts. The 2023 chapter guide states its Google road map was not verified; rely on chapter trailhead guidance, present signs and road conditions instead. Carry enough daylight and remember that the western parking area is a rough forest-road stop, not a paved state park entrance.