Judge C. R. Magney State Park
The mysterious Devil’s Kettle has drawn many people to Judge C. R. Magney State Park. We were also drawn in by the allure of Devil’s Kettle waterfall but found so much more. The waterfall resembles a giant cauldron, where nearly half of the Brule River disappears into. The question as to where the water disappears to has fascinated and inspired many people over the years.
About Devil’s Kettle
That mystery of Devil’s Kettle has fueled speculation as to where the water goes. Some people suggest the water splits at the waterfall and flows into Canada. Others believe that the water may flow somehow back into the Mississippi River. But the most common theory is that the water flows underground and then emerges somewhere under Lake Superior.
There have been stories about people throwing things into the kettle to see where it goes including bottles, GPS trackers, colored dyes, ping pong balls, and more. Then they wait for it to come out at the bottom but it never resurfaces. So where does the water disappear to? The DNR has used science to conclude that the water disappears into the rock at Devil’s Kettle and re-enters the river from underground.
Start of the hike
While Devil’s Kettle is the main attraction at this state park, the trail to get there also passes by two other waterfalls. After crossing the bridge, the trail follows the rock ledge of the Brule River. The trail is wide and rocky in places with a slightly uphill hike to get there. After hiking the first .6 miles, we came to a “T” in the trail with an overlook of the Upper Falls. The trail to the left is a less traveled trail that we took down to see the Lower Falls. This trail is unmarked and partially over grown with brush making it a tougher trail to follow. The view of this waterfall isn’t that great. However, making the hike to the Lower Falls is more of a love for waterfalls and not a must-see like the other waterfalls along the trail.
Hike to Devil’s Kettle and Upper Falls
When we came to the “T” in the trail, we took the trail to the right. We came to some stairs, stairs, and more stairs. We didn’t count the number of stairs but the DNR website says there are 175 steps. At the bottom of the stairs is the Upper Falls, where we were able to walk out onto the rocks to see a better view of the falls. Continuing on the trail another 700 yards uphill, we came to the Devil’s Kettle waterfall. From the overlook, we were able to view the water disappearing into the cauldron of Devil’s Kettle.
Other things to do
On top of the three waterfalls; Judge C. R. Magney State Park also offers an interpretive trail for native plants and wildflowers, camping, geocaching, and fishing for trout along the Brule River. Across the road from Judge Magney State Park is a nice place called Naniboujou Lodge and Restaurant. If you are hungry, they have amazing food!
Overall we had a great day of hiking and exploring at Judge Magney State Park.