The Michigan Department of Natural Resources will host a public meeting next week in Houghton County to present conceptual designs for development of a state scenic site at Douglass Houghton Falls.
The meeting will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6, in the auditorium of Lake Linden-Hubbell High School, located at 601 Calumet St. in Lake Linden.
At the meeting, DNR staff and U.P. Engineers & Architects, Inc. representatives will present conceptual designs for the site, followed by an opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.
"Douglass Houghton Falls is a natural gem in Michigan’s Copper Country, and it’s a place we want to ensure more people can discover and enjoy," said DNR Parks and Recreation Division Chief Ron Olson. "It’s a special site with great significance locally and regionally, too, so it is key that the public has the opportunity to share their input as plans move forward."
In 2018, the DNR purchased the 115-acre site from a private landowner through a 2015 Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant of $300,000.
The site itself offers Michigan’s tallest waterfall, at 110 feet, which presents spectacular panoramic views of pristine wilderness in the heart of the Keweenaw Peninsula.
Due to the dominant tourist economic drivers of the area, there is a lot of interest from governmental entities, the Hubbell Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4624, the local tourism industry and others to thoughtfully develop the site.
To further this effort, the DNR Parks and Recreation Division was awarded a second Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund grant of $300,000 in 2022. The division also allocated $300,000 in 2023 Parks Capital Outlay funds.
Site plans for Douglass Houghton Falls currently include a parking lot, vault toilet, information kiosk, pedestrian path, pedestrian bridge, an observation deck or decks, and safety fencing. A veterans memorial will also be erected at the site.
For more information, contact Doug Rich, DNR Parks and Recreation Division Western U.P. district supervisor, at 906-353-6651 or RichD@Michigan.gov.