EV Road Trip to Michigan’s Tahquamenon Falls State Park
Tahquamenon Falls State Park
In early fall of 2023, Cheryl and I stretched out and took an EV Road Trip to Mackinaw City, Michigan.
Packing our travel essentials and our suitcases, we headed up I-55 to charge in Joliet, then up the western Michigan coast to our destination.
We spent a few days at a charming bed and breakfast (sadly, now closed) that doubled as a winery—or perhaps it was a winery that moonlighted as a B&B.
From our cozy roost, we took day trips into the eastern part of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, including an afternoon tour of Mackinac Island.
On our second full day we ventured to Sault Ste. Marie, followed by a scenic drive to Tahquamenon Falls State Park near Paradise, Michigan.
Time to Regen: SightSeeEV.com may earn a small commission from Amazon and other affiliate links—at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we trust and use ourselves. Thanks for supporting our EV adventures!⚡️
Iroquois Point Lighthouse
Charging at the Shell Recharge station in Sault Ste. Marie gave us enough range to head south to Michigan Highway 28, then west before turning north onto Michigan Highway 221 toward Brimley—a quiet town nestled along Lake Superior.
From Brimley, we followed West Lakeshore Drive along the shoreline to reach the Point Iroquois Lighthouse.
First lit in 1857, the 66-foot lighthouse stands on a bluff in Chippewa County, marking the division between Whitefish Bay and the western edge of the St. Marys River. It has long guided ships toward the Sault Ste. Marie locks, which connect Lake Superior to the other Great Lakes.
The restored keepers’ quarters offer a glimpse into family life and the importance of keeping the light burning.
Amp’d Advice: Take the time to stroll along the rocky beach, letting the breeze wash over you as you take in the stunning view.
EV Charging in Sault Ste. Marie
EV Road Trip Charging - Two Countries, Three Choices
And oh, so close together…
The American Sault Ste. Marie offers EV drivers two charging options, both located in the Meijer grocery store parking lot—just a stone’s throw from each other.
At the time of this trip, Tesla Supercharging was not available for the Kia EV line. Even today, I probably would have chosen the Shell Recharge station just to spread the love.
Shell Recharge Station – A single cabinet providing up to 120 kW of input.
Tesla Supercharger – Eight stations providing up to 100 kW of input.
Across the border in Canadian Sault Ste. Marie, a reliable Shell Recharge station is also available. We used this station on another day, just so I could say I charged in Canada.
The Canadian border guard thought we were crazy—and all but told us so as he threw our passports back into the car. He must have been having a bad hair day.
My suggestion: don’t tell them you’re only visiting for 45 minutes to charge your car.
Helpful Apps for Planning:
PlugShare – Great for checking real-time charger availability and user reviews.
A Better Route Planner (ABRP) – Ideal for mapping out your entire EV route with charging stops.
SightSee EV - Use our road trip planning method to identify usable charging stations.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park
Continuing west on West Lakeshore Drive, we reached Michigan Highway 123, which led us through Paradise and inland to Tahquamenon Falls State Park.
This scenic drive is best enjoyed slowly—the natural beauty of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is truly breathtaking.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park spans 46,179 acres, making it Michigan’s second-largest state park, just behind Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park’s 59,020 acres.
The park offers a wide range of activities including hiking, biking, birdwatching, fishing, camping, and sightseeing.
Our mission, of course, was sightseeing by electric car.
Amp’d Advice: Try to arrive earlier in the day—we arrived in the late afternoon and only had a few hours of daylight to enjoy the park.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park Upper Falls
The Upper Falls stretch 200 feet across and drop nearly 50 feet, making them one of the largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. During peak spring runoff, more than 50,000 gallons of water rush over the brink every second—second only to Niagara Falls in volume.
The river’s amber color is caused by tannins leached from the cedar, spruce, and hemlock trees in the swamps it drains. The extremely soft water, churned by the force of the falls, creates the river’s trademark foam.
Black bears, coyotes, otters, deer, foxes, porcupines, beavers, and abundant birdlife—including spruce grouse, pileated woodpeckers, bald eagles, and a variety of waterfowl and songbirds—can all be found in the park.
A short walk to the Upper Falls viewing platforms offers a stunning panorama of the cascades framed by the surrounding forest.
Tahquamenon Falls State Park Lower Falls
About four miles downstream, the Lower Falls consist of five smaller cascades separated by rocky outcroppings.
With a total drop of nearly 20 feet, the cascades and rapids create a picturesque and tranquil scene.
Tahquamenon Falls is also known as "Root Beer Falls" due to its golden-brown color, caused by tannins from the cedar swamps that drain into the river. In winter, ice that forms around and within the falls often takes on shades of green and blue.
Observation platforms offer multiple vantage points from which to enjoy the falls.
If you plan better than we did and have a full day, you can rent rowboats or canoes for a closer view of the Lower Falls.
EV Sight See The Mackinac Strait Bridge
The Mackinac Strait Bridge After Dark
As daylight began to fade, we snapped a few final waterfall photos and chatted about electric cars with a couple from Cincinnati before heading back to the Mackinac Bridge and crossing into Mackinaw City.
Opened to traffic on November 1, 1957, the Mighty Mac spans nearly five miles, connecting Mackinaw City in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula to St. Ignace in the Upper Peninsula.
We arrived after dark, and the splendid lights of the Mighty Mac definitely deserved a photo stop.
Ending our adventure at the ChargePoint station in the Mackinaw-Odawa Casino parking lot gave us a quick recharge, getting us ready for the next day’s adventures.
Birds Eye Review: Tahquamenon Falls State Park is a Great EV Destination
As EV lovers by heart & road trippers by nature, driving an electric vehicle through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula proved to be both practical and rewarding.
From the serene beauty of Tahquamenon Falls State Park—where golden-brown waters tumble through forested landscapes—to the friendly roadside conversations and reliable charging options, the trip was a perfect blend of nature and modern travel.
Whether you're an EV enthusiast or simply looking for a scenic road trip, this route offers a memorable experience filled with natural wonders, thoughtful infrastructure, and the quiet joy of traveling sustainably.
Join us as we explore the Wonders of America, beginning in Michigan.
