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Ontonagon County · Watersmeet area · Wildcat Falls Community Forest
Wildcat Falls
A small waterfall and a much bigger forest story. Walk a yellow-marked trail through old-growth cedar and hemlock to the rocky edge of Scott and Howe Creek, on land conserved for public enjoyment.
Before you drive
- Land manager
- Northwoods Alliance owns and manages Wildcat Falls Community Forest, which welcomes non-motorized public visitors. The roughly 200-acre conservation property includes a separate lake parcel; the waterfall has its own trail entrance.
- Where to park
- From Watersmeet, follow US-45 north → County Road 206 (Sucker Lake Road) west → County Line Lake Road north. Pass McGinty Lane and continue about 0.6 mile to a small hilltop. Look for the waterfall trail sign on the left. The owner describes roadside parking, not a GPS-surveyed visitor lot. Park only where legal and safe; conditions and available room are not live known.
- Which trail?
- Use the yellow-marked trail starting at the signed road entrance. Northwoods Alliance describes approximately ¾ mile of waterfall trail with uneven footing, mature cedar/hemlock, rock outcrops and creek overlooks. Its published number is not clearly labeled one-way or round trip, so do not interpret it as a measured round-trip distance.
- How long?
- Allow approximately 60–120 minutes as an editorial planning buffer for uneven terrain, photos and conditions; not an official trail timetable.
- When does it look best?
- After snowmelt or substantial rainfall. Scott and Howe Creek is a small watershed, so summer flow can be subtle. The mossy forest and old-growth character are compelling even without heavy water.
Why Wildcat is worth the walk
The attraction is not a giant drop. Scott and Howe Creek slips from wet upland forest into a sequence of small sandstone-like rock ledges and a narrow wooded ravine. Roots reach over stone, old cedars lean above the stream and hemlock canopy keeps the ground cool. The forest character, quiet, and the modest waterfall belong together.
Wildcat Falls was once part of the Ottawa National Forest. A land exchange threatened public access and fragmentation of the special site. After years of community conservation work, Northwoods Alliance secured the parcel as a Community Forest, protecting native habitats and a permanent public walking opportunity. The owner now describes a marked visitor trail instead of the bushwhacking directions still circulating in older online guides.
This is a hiking outing rather than an accessible boardwalk destination. Trail tread can be rooted and uneven, especially where it approaches damp rock. The owner does not establish a paved route, handrail, wheelchair access or a guaranteed close-up lower-falls vantage.
The right trail: why old directions fail
Follow the yellow markers from the signed trailhead. A formerly published description suggested walking west from the creek crossing without a maintained trail. That description predates the current community-forest trail and can send hikers away from the intended legal path. It should not determine your visit.
Northwoods Alliance's current illustrated map explicitly labels TRAIL HEAD on County Line Lake Road and FALLS near the western end of the marked woods loop. The property map shows the falls visit west of the road and separate from the parcel near County Line Lake. Stay on the designated public path and respect neighboring ownership. Do not attempt an off-trail river shortcut or scramble down a wet cliff to reproduce a photograph.
Read owner rules, signage and directions. The owner allows ordinary outdoor recreation, including properly licensed hunting and fishing in season, but prohibits fires, driving motor vehicles off public roads and collecting stone, plants or wood. Do not drink from the property's artesian spring without treating the water; the owner specifically warns against untreated consumption.
What changes by season?
Spring: Snowmelt makes a small creek more energetic, but trails can be muddy, slick and affected by blowdowns. No live flow or bridge inspection feed exists.
Summer: The old cedar-hemlock forest may be the strongest draw. Expect reduced cascade volume after dry weather, insects and humid rocky tread.
Autumn: Cooler hiking conditions and hardwood color contrast with dark evergreens. Leaves and rain can hide slippery stones; trail conditions are not monitored here.
November through winter: This page does not verify that County Line Lake Road is plowed, the signed roadside parking remains usable or the yellow trail is safe under ice. The land manager publishes public hiking permission, not a promise of winter vehicle access or a maintained frozen-waterfall trail. Make a different choice if the road or tread cannot be safely used.
Evidence behind this visit
Research reviewed November 7, 2026. Published land ownership, public entry, walking route and approximate geographic identity were checked independently; live conditions were not.
- Public land manager and permitted recreation
- Northwoods Alliance Wildcat Falls Community Forest
- Visitor parking, signed arrival and property limits
- Owner's County Line Lake Road / McGinty Lane arrival instructions and owner boundary/road illustration; no invented parking latitude-longitude
- Marked waterfall trail and route identity
- Owner's FALLS and TRAIL HEAD illustrated map and published yellow trail description
- Approximate natural waterfall point
- Western Upper Peninsula Visitors Bureau waterfall map, entry #29, Scott and Howe Creek. Approximate falls geography, never visitor parking
- Independent contemporary trail corroboration
- WXPR's community-forest trail reporting
Keep exploring Western U.P. waterfalls
Wildcat fits a quiet, wooded trip day rather than a quick scenic pullout. To compare different kinds of excursions, look at Bond Falls for managed boardwalk overlooks or Kakabika Falls for a contrasting river ledge. The U.P. waterfall map and planner compares access, walking effort and saved stops. Its nearby distances are straight-line geographic comparisons, not a recommended driving route.