ONAWAY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – When I first heard about the underground river, I imagined being inside a great mystical cavern and wandering through stalagmites and stalactites, and my torch spluttering in the darkness. I imagined spending a couple hours stumbling around the forest trying to find a cave entrance to the “great underground river.” Finally, a kindly local took pity and explained it all to me.
No, there isn’t a mystical cavern to explore. However, there are places where the river disappears underground and reappears on the surface some distance away. On a quiet day, there are spots where you can hear the river flowing underground. Some people even tell of seeing fish come swimming out of the hillside. The underground river appears on the surface a few miles east of Onaway, Michigan.
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Most people travel to this area to visit Ocqueoc Falls, which is the largest waterfall in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. The word “Ocqueoc” comes from the French for “crooked waters”. The Ocqueoc River does in fact wind all over in its course across the karst formations in Presque Isle County.
The “underground” river is a branch of the Little Ocqueoc River and is only a few miles from the waterfall. Ocqueoc Falls is not a big plunge falls, like many in the Upper Peninsula, it is more an extended cascade with the greatest of three drops being only about 5 feet or so. The gentle angle of the falls and its proximity to a picnic area make this a very popular wilderness swimming spot.
Directions: Follow M-68 east from Onaway, Michigan for about 10 miles and turn left on Silver Creek Trail. This is a gravel road. About a mile down the trail will be an unmarked turn-out that is easy to miss. Watch for the “Silver Creek Trailhead Parking” sign. The underground river emerges nearby.
If you’re planning a picnic, you can get supplies at the M-211 Mercantile a few miles north of Onaway. Inside you will find a full color map of the area. The map is colored chalk on a blackboard.
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