Hike to Little Garlic Falls in Marquette County (2022)
The Little Garlic Falls Hike is an easily missed hike by visitors but don’t let it happen to you! This hike is well worth your time if you want an isolated and lovely hike in Marquette County.
Little Garlic Falls Hike Guide Overview
Directions to Little Garlic Falls from Marquette
Directions from Marquette:
- Take Little Presque Ave until you make it too Hawley st which then turns into BIG BAY Road.
- Follow Big Bay Road for about 10 miles until you arrive at the roadside Elliott Donnelley Wilderness area.
- You have arrived
Navigating yourself here is very easy!
Alternatively, you could opt for the shorter, 2 MILE Version of the Little Garlic River falls hike. Find the Little Garlic dirt road and follow it in until you have arrived at the North County Trail Crossing parking lot.
Little Garlic Falls Hike Trailhead
Thankfully, the Trail head to Little Garlic Falls is well marked and impossible to miss. The trailhead starts right at the parking lot with a mileage marker and sign with the history of the area.
Although you are far out there in the country, the signage is thorough. No getting lost or confused here!
Length & Difficulty of Little Garlic Hike
Little Garlic Falls is about 8 miles round trip and is a moderately challenging hike. The hardest part about the hike is distance. If you aren’t well suited for distance hiking this is going to be a strenuous hike. The 8 mile trip takes about 3 hours with chances for photos and water breaks.
If you’re a slower hiker or take more frequent water stops, add another 30 minutes to 1 hour.
The terrain of the hike varies but nothing dramatic. The majority of the hike is pretty straightforward and flat with lots of low incline switchbacks and above river, ridge line hiking. There are numerous sections where you are engulfed by a canopy of trees and branches, as well as a handful of stream crossings and adjacent river walking.
UP of Michigan Seasonality
May – October is the best time to enjoy this trail. The spring months are welcoming with mild climate and will vary with wetness depending on snow pack. Summer is best with nice lush greens but can get hot and buggy.
Fall is spectacular with colors but the trail might be very muddy and swampy with rains.
Everything Else - Crowds, Fishing, Camping, Etc.
The trail doesn’t gather large crowds because most folks opt for Sugarloaf, Wetmore Landing, or Hogback. Fishing is popular on this trail so be ready with your permit.
Looking to camp? You can camp in this section and there are some great spots near the falls!
CELL Service is almost non-existent in this area (Verizon users) once you hit the trail. Spoty signal on highway 550 and in the parking lot.
UP of Michigan and More
Little Garlic Falls is definitely a worthwhile hike for those who love stretching their distance out in nature. Most of the hikes in Marquette are short and sweet so this is a great one for someone who wants to embrace nature for a while longer.
Are you looking for something more than this hike? Here are some of my favorite pieces I’ve done about hiking in Marquette:
Hogback Hiking – One of the best views in all of Marquette
Marquette MI Photo and Hiking Tours
Is there anything else that I didn’t mention about Little Garlic Falls? If there is someone that could benefit from this please share with them! Thanks for reading and hopefully see you out there!