200-foot cliff collapse at Pictured Rocks is no cause for alarm

A cliff collapse at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Saturday got national attention.

The 200–foot cliff–face broke off and fell into Lake Superior, leaving onlookers stunned.

But cliff collapses at Pictured Rocks are not as uncommon as people might think. Collapses are rarely caught on video but erosion and collapse of the sandstone is not uncommon, Pictured Rocks Chief of Interpretation, Susan Reece, said. She added that collapses are not necessarily cause for alarm.

Wind, rain and snow loosen the sandstone and occasionally cause it to fall. That’s part of the natural process at Pictured Rocks, Reece said.

National Park Service staff in Munising constantly evaluate the trails to maintain them in the safest way possible.

To keep updated, visit the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Facebook page.