Peterson Falls is located near Hurley, Wisconsin on the Montreal River along the Michigan/Wisconsin border and is often confused with Interstate Falls.
Roundtrip: 500m
Difficulty: Easy
Location: Hurley, Wisconsin
Peterson Falls is located very close to Interstate Falls. The short distance between the two has created confusion about which falls are which. Some books and resources have referred to the falls as Interstate Falls, while others called it Peterson Falls. After scouring many very old paper maps I found that Peterson Falls is the upstream waterfall, while Interstate Falls is downstream.
It is important to note Peterson Falls is open to the public but located on private land, which was for sale at the time of this writing, so access to these falls may be denied in the future.
The Montreal River forms part of the border between Michigan and Wisconsin so the falls are technically in both states, and can be visited from either state, but it is most easily visited from the Wisconsin side.
From Ironwood/Hurley, head west on US-2. You will pass from Michigan into Wisconsin. After a short distance, you will see Center Drive on your right. If you take a look, you will even notice a white sign for one of the falls. Turn right onto Center Drive, a dirt road, and head down it. At one point, you will veer right. There is a dirt pit in the area, so that’s likely how you’ll know you’re in the right area. The road is blocked by a small “rock wall”. From this sandy parking area, head down a well-worn trail to the falls.
Interstate Falls is to the left on the trails. Peterson Falls is to the right. At one point the trails intersect, so it can be a little bit confusing. Just don’t leave after seeing only one waterfall! They’re very close to each other. And if you’re exerting yourself to see either falls, you’re probably not on the right path. Both falls are very easy to visit.
