Fox Along the North Shore: Minnesota State Parks
NORTH SHORE, Minn — During the spring, there are many waterfalls that pop up along the North Shore that are otherwise non-existent the rest of the year. Now that the spring melt has come to an end, these pop-up falls are disappearing, leaving behind waterfalls found mainly along rivers flowing through state parks.
There are seven state parks located along the North Shore with waterfalls, hiking, and views of Lake Superior. Most offer camping where you can spend several days, or, if you are feeling more adventurous, you can take a week and enjoy time at them all. Either way, heading north out of Duluth, the first state park you will arrive at is Gooseberry Falls where they have over 70 campsites.
“It’s a great place to stop. It’s not that far from Duluth. It’s only about a 50 minute drive. One road up 61. You can see so much wildlife on the way. Get here, take a break, enjoy the sunshine and the water. And I think the trees, the cedars that you see around us are really spectacular. They’ve been here for a long time,” said Gooseberry Falls park naturalist Michaela Rice.
The next state park along Highway 61 is Tettegouche, which we will catch on our way back down. An hour up the road from Gooseberry is Cascade River State Park which has 40 drive in campsites. After spending some time checking out the several falls on the Cascade River, the next stop is Judge C.R. Magney State Park. There you can experience the mystery of Devil’s Kettle on the Brule River and stay in one of their 27 heavily wooded campsites.
Heading up to the Canadian border, Grand Portage State Park is home to High Falls along the Pioneer River. There is no camping there, so you will have to make other plans as you make your way back down towards Grand Marais. If you are tired of roughing it and want a motel to stay in, your best bet is to stop there sometime during the middle of the week.
“The weekends already are probably pretty full. July and August you can always check. We have a tremendous amount of available lodging here in Cook County. But I will also say that midweeks you’re still going to find something easily all through the year,” said Linda Jurek, executive director for Visit Cook County.
About 30 minutes south of Grand Marais you will come to Temperance River State Park where there is an option to stay in one of over 70 campsites. The final place to pitch your tent on your trip up the North Shore will be at Tettegouche State Park where there is no shortage of things to do.
“Tettegouche has 23 miles of hiking trails, we have four waterfalls with a major river coming through it. There are six lakes in Tettegouche, all with fish in them so they can be fished in,” said Tettegouche State Park interpretive naturalist Kurt Mead.
Before you head home, don’t forget to make the short drive inland through Finland to George Crosby Manitou State Park. They do have camping there but it is backpacking only sites.
Even though the spring melt is over, there is still plenty of fun to be had along the North Shore where several waterfalls, and the beauty, remain all summer long.
