About this spot
Big Manitou Falls drops 165 feet in Pattison State Park near Superior, the tallest waterfall in Wisconsin, on the Black River just south of Lake Superior. Accessible via short accessible overlook trails from park parking (Wisconsin state park sticker required); no hike needed to view it. Wisconsin DNR explicitly prohibits swimming in the river or at the falls themselves due to the sheer drop, slick sandstone, and strong current in the gorge below - the only sanctioned swimming is at the separate sandy beach on Interfalls Lake. Treat this as a scenic overlook, not a swimming or jumping destination; unauthorized entry into the gorge has led to serious injuries and fatalities historically at similar Lake Superior basalt/sandstone falls.
Safety first. Cliff jumping is inherently dangerous and can cause serious injury or death. Conditions — water depth, submerged hazards, and access — change constantly. CliffScout is community-sourced reference information, not a guarantee a spot is safe. Always assess the conditions yourself before jumping, and never jump where you're unsure. You assume all risk.