Cliff Jumping May Be Michigan’s Most Extreme Sport
Are you an adrenaline junkie? Here's the best place to go in Michigan to try cliff diving and how not to get hurt.
Did your parents ever ask, "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?" If your answer was "yes," this is your new sport: cliff diving. Unlike other athletic endeavors, no special equipment is required. Technically, you don't even need a swimsuit. Location is key and there are a few spots in Michigan you can take a flying leap.
Safety First: How not to get hurt
- Practice. Find every high dive in your area and practice your technique. (You don't want to belly-flop this time.)
- Scout the location. Not only the platform you will be jumping from, but where you will land. How deep is the water?
- Plan your exit. Know where you are going to swim once you surface from your dive and where you will swim to get out of the water.
- Don't dive alone. Always have a partner close by unless something goes wrong.
- Marquette. Little Presque on Presque Isle is a good spot, but the most popular spot for cliff jumping in Michigan is Blackrocks.
- Rockport. This would be the fingernail of your index finger on your handy Michigan map. An old abandoned docking area adds to the ambiance.
- Ocqueoc Falls. Thirty-five miles northwest of Rockport, this is where you'll find Michigan's largest waterfall in the lower peninsula.
- Monroe. Who would have thought downriver Detroit? This rock quarry has clear water over 100' deep, and even a rope to swing from into the water.
- Upper Peninsula: The wilderness and remoteness of Michigan's upper peninsula make for some of the best places to seek out a new adventure.
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