Big Manitou Falls, on the Black River in northwestern Wisconsin within Pattison State Park, drops 165 feet and is the highest waterfall in the state. The falls were named from a Native American tradition at the site: nearby settlers believed the roar of the water carried the voice of the Great Spirit and called it Gitchee Manitou. Long regarded as one of Wisconsin’s best-known natural landmarks, the falls and surrounding gorge were preserved when a state park was established there in 1920. The area gained further protection in 2003 as part of the Wisconsin State Natural Areas Program, and the falls remain the park’s defining scenic feature.