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Vacation Guide 2017
I recommend a North Shore
waterfall tour mid-April through
May, when snowmelt and spring
rains engorge the rivers.
5.1
Start with a look-see over the
Superior Street bridge at the Lester
River Falls or park in the lot just
north and walk the creekside trail.
39.5
Head northeast for a 4-in-1 stop at
Gooseberry Falls. Park at the Visitor
Center and follow the well-marked
trails to all four falls.
58.5
Your next stop is the High Falls of
the Baptism River [at 60 feet, the
highest falls entirely within MN]
at Tettegouche State Park. The
worthwhile round-trip hike is two
miles. Lots of stairs on this hike, so
if you have bad knees consider the
next easy hike.
59.4+
Drive north on MN Hwy 1 for 1
mile to a small gravel pullout on
the left marked with a state park
sign; walk in .10 mile to the 40-foot
Illgen Falls, nice!
70.7
Hike .75 miles to the base of
the lovely 35-foot Caribou Falls;
highlights include the river gorge,
Lake Superior views and access to
the Superior Hiking Trail.
78.8
Not interested in hiking? View
the Cross River Falls in Schroeder
from the handy wayside rest and
pedestrian walkways.
80.4
The falls and spectacular gorges
of the Temperance River can all
be seen within a 2-mile round trip
hike from the highway pull-off.
Or take two quick quarter-mile
round trips, one to the north to the
Hidden Falls and one to the south
over the lower falls and across the
footbridge.
86.5
Ray Berglund State wayside; climb
the wooden steps and hike above
the Onion River to view these stair
step falls; 1.2 mile total. Take a
moment to appreciate the swanky
outhouse.
90.1+
North or south, your choice for
easy access to low key waterfalls
of the Poplar River. Drive north on
the Ski Hill Road and hike from the
north parking lot a half-mile along
the old road to the Upper Falls.
Or mosey down to Lutsen Resort,
head to the river, pick up the River
Trail and admire cascades from a
covered wooden bridge.
99.8
Traipse through the woods and
over the river to the cascades and
falls of the aptly named Cascade
River; half-mile loop. [pictured
above]
Continue north for
three memorable
waterfalls.
123.8
Big. Judge Magney State Park has
a 2-1/4 mile round-trip trek to
the Brule River’s Upper & Lower
Falls and Devil’s Kettle, a natural
bottomless cauldron that gulps
half the river to an unknown
destination. Note - trail includes a
very long flight of steps.
150.8
Bigger. Stroll the accessible paved
half-mile path to the magnificent
120-foot High Falls of the Pigeon
River at Grand Portage State Park,
one mile total. That’s Canada on
the other side of the river!
190.0
Biggest. Wrap up your tour in
Canada at Kakabeka Falls, the
spectacular 131-foot “Niagara
of the North” which drops
precipitously into a rock-walled
canyon. Drive 34 miles north of
the border on Hwy 61, take ON 130
north and follow the signs for 13
miles.
SPRING
WATERFALL
TOUR
ONTHE NORTH
S H O R E ,
S P R I N G
M E A N S
WATERFALLS.
THUNDEROUS
R O A R I N G
WATERFALLS!