Pattison State Park, State park with waterfalls in Douglas County, Wisconsin, United States.
Pattison State Park is a state park in Douglas County, northern Wisconsin, built around two waterfalls on the Black River. The taller of the two, Big Manitou Falls, drops about 165 feet (50 m) into a narrow gorge, making it the highest waterfall in Wisconsin.
Martin Pattison, a local businessman, bought the land in the late 1800s and donated it to the state of Wisconsin in 1920 to keep it out of the hands of the logging industry. The park has been open to the public ever since, protecting one of the few remaining forested stretches in this part of the state.
The falls hold significance for local communities and serve as a gathering place for people who come to experience the power of moving water. Visitors walking the grounds can sense how the landscape shapes how people spend their time outdoors and connect with nature here.
The trails around the falls are marked, but some sections close to the gorge edges can be slippery after rain, so solid footwear is a good idea. The base of Big Manitou Falls is visible from a viewing platform, so you do not need to climb down to get a clear look at the drop.
The dark rock over which Big Manitou Falls drops is of volcanic origin, formed hundreds of millions of years ago, long before the Great Lakes existed. These rock layers are among the oldest exposed formations in the state of Wisconsin.
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