Wisconsin's Amnicon State Park, a few miles south of Superior, features the Amnicon River, its rapids, the dramatic river gorge and four scenic waterfalls. Pictured here is the Upper Falls, where recent rainfall has pumped up the water flow. The dark basalt rock glistens with mist, rising up from a thundering drop.
     Rock formations around the Upper Falls date back a billion years when volcanoes spewed out lava, covering a large area of northern Wisconsin. Seismic activity opened a rift that stretches from present day Ashland to Minnesota's Twin Cities.
     During early October, when Wisconsin's hardwoods put on a wonderful show, both sides of the Amnicon Gorge are lined with colorful trees, including the various shades of green conifers. Here at the park, the Upper and Lower falls, the Now-and-Then Falls, Snake Pit Falls, and a picturesque Horton Covered Bridge present plenty of viewpoints for the shutterbug.