Just in time for the start of the busy summer season, Tahquamenon Falls State Park recently opened a new 1,100-foot accessible boardwalk.
Officials from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources celebrated the new structure with a ribbon cutting on Thursday, May 14. The boardwalk replaces an aging 94-step staircase that limited accessibility for wheelchair users or others with mobility difficulties.
“We heard time and time again from people that because of accessibility, they had never been to the brink, had never been able to feel that spray hit their face or smell the river,” said park manager Kevin Dennis in a DNR announcement. “It’s really exciting to be able to open it to the public. The public has been so patient during these past few years of hard work by a lot of people to bring this project to life. It feels great to see it finished, and most importantly, it feels good to watch as people use the new boardwalk.”
The project, which cost approximately $1.6 million, took nearly two years to complete. According to DNR officials, the journey to the Upper Falls using the new boardwalk will take longer, but will be overall easier and offers stops along the way. There are five switchback landings with interpretive displays, benches and new ways to view the river and the falls.
For some, the new boardwalk offers an exciting opportunity to experience the Upper Falls for the first time. For others, it’s a chance to return to a beloved place.
Missy Davert, 62, was among the several wheelchair users who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 14. Davert said she had last seen the Upper Falls as a little girl, when her dad carried her up in a backpack.
“I thought I’d never come back down here again,” she said in the DNR announcement. “This is one of my most favorite places in the world. This feels like heaven. I’m just so grateful. There are no words.”
To plan a trip or find out more about Tahquamenon Falls State Park, visit michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/tahquamenonfalls.
This article originally appeared on The Sault News: Tahquamenon Falls State Park opens new 1,100-foot accessible boardwalk
Reporting by Jillian Fellows, Sault Ste. Marie News / The Sault News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
