This was a great short hike! We did see a lot of people straying from the path...lots of trash and…read moreclothing items forgotten behind! There are a few spots where boards could be replaced along the trail - thinking about littles or those with poor balance - but all in all - great place to stop if you have time. We didn't need bug spray until we finished the hike and were back in the parking lot! (Early in July) But would suggest spraying yourself before entering. Great trail, great views, and amazing photo spots.

Very easy trail with a huge reward. This trail is a combo loop/out and back. There are some planks…read morebuilt to help with some of the wetter parts of the trail The falls are beautiful. We saw people swimming in the water in mid-July. There were some interesting trees with exposed roots along the way. Interesting how a tree will go through anything to find ground to put its root. This was recommended to us from a ranger in the Soudan Mine park. So glad he told us about it.

If you're up in this area, just go! For under $20, you get to go half a mile underground on an…read moreelevator and then take a train through a mine before learning some super interesting information about miners and their lives. It was such a cool and unique tour and I highly recommend it! What a fun experience.

While the underground tours are not yet open due to refurbishment, don't miss the above ground…read moretour. The tour guides are very knowledgeable about the mines and the people who worked there. The grounds are in amazing condition. The views into the valley are beautiful. We got to see the pulley system working as some inspectors were descending into the mine. We also walked the Hikers Club trail which went about 3 miles around the park. Very woodsy and buggy so make sure you wear some bug repellent.

Minnesota really does their state parks correctly - they sometimes double as rest stops for weary…read moretravelers. It's totally a win-win. The rest stop area of the state park visitor center was very nice. Picture windows let the outside sunlight in. Vending machines were well stocked, and the washrooms were spacious and clean. The visitor center was large, with an area with exhibits and displays about the history and the natural features of the park. The information desk abuts this area. There's a gift shop that sells souvenirs and last minute hiking/camping items. There's also ice cream and small snacks. If you want to spend significant time outside here during the summer and forgot mosquito repellent, I highly recommend picking up a canister of 40% DEET. You'll definitely need it!

This is my favorite state park in Minnesota (of the 75). It's about 3-1/2 hours from the Twin…read moreCities (northeast of Duluth). It has the most spectacular vistas and is a hiker's paradise. The cascading 60 foot High Falls waterfall into the Baptism River are beautiful, as are the view of Lake Superior. Palisade Head is not to be missed, either. The are ample bird watching opportunities in the park as well.

Been renting cabin for years. Entire family goes there. Bruce takes care of us at the cabin. It…read moreis quiet and easy assess to the lake. Great fishing. They also have camping spaces and RV spaces

My Boy Scout troop had an amazing experience in the Boundary Waters (June 2025) with the fantastic…read morehelp from Canoe Country Outfitters. From taking care of our permits, to preparing our gear, food, and everything, CCO was the best from start to finish. They made planning the trip so easy for my group. The food they provided us for 1 week in the Boundary Waters was great and easy to carry and prepare. At the end of our trip when one bag was left at the final portage, Brian took a boat back and found it for us. What amazing service and care! Thank you to the whole CCO team for organizing our trip.

This is such a fun beach and about an hour-ish north from Duluth!…read more There is a small parking lot(free) and if you get lucky, you may be able to park there! Otherwise there is street parking and overflow!(both free) There is a golf cart that takes people back and forth from overflow to the beach for free! He does work off of tips, so be sure to throw some money his way! He is super nice, places music and has a cool bubble machine! You will walk down a short path and then... BEACH TIME!!! The beach has some areas with coarse rocks and then fine black sand! The beach is kept pretty clean and there are garbage cans as you are coming onto the beach and leaving. There are fire pits and picnic tables on a first come first serve basis. There are rocks for kids to climb on and stay entertained! The water is always cold, but on those hot days, it feels so good!!! It is a smaller beach and is gorgeous. We like to stop at the Rustic Inn, grabs some slices of pie, and eat the on the beach! Respects the area and make sure you leave with your trash! Together we can keep this beach as outstanding as it already is! **I dropped a star because there is no toilet, only a Biffy)

We didn't get to spend as much time here as we'd have liked to, as we were traveling with the…read moreparents & they prefer "from the car" experiences. We will be making a return trip for a more in-depth venture. The "black sand" is more like ground rock - don't expect a powder feel. Still, it's rather cool & a great place to stop, especially off-season!

This is a water-based national park, so to fully experience this you need to be out on the water. I…read moretook two boat tours through the NPS, but many people fish or rent houseboats to experience the park. There are camp sites, but the vast majority are on islands which require watercraft to access. Kettle Falls Cruise - This takes you from Ash River Visitor Center to Kettle Falls and back. You can bring your own food for lunch on the boat (no eating or drinking other than water on the boat though) or order at the Visitor Center so you get a lunch box waiting for you at the Lodge. I opted to get a lunch box, which consisted of a dill pickle spear, a bag of potato chips, and a simple lunch meat sandwich. I normally don't like lunch meat sandwiches (especially since this was was reminiscent of primary school lunches), but eating at the historic lodge and the beautiful surroundings made this the best, most delicious sandwich in its class! If you have mobility issues, they have a golf cart you can ride to the hotel, otherwise it's a maybe 10 minute walk from the dock to hotel. Check out the dam and walk around, and then you're back on the boat for the cruise to the visitor center. Grand Tour Cruise - This departs from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center and does not have any stops. It's more for general enjoyment and wildlife viewing. I saw a lot of beautiful scenery, but not a lot of animals. It was still good though, as Joe, one the the NPS rangers, was absolutely hilarious! Both tours provided binoculars free to borrow for your enjoyment. Be sure to apply a lot of mosquito spray, as the mosquitos here are ferocious. Also consider some rain gear as it can get rainy.

Voyageurs is an under visited park with lots to offer. It excels at paddle packing. You must have a…read moreboat to really explore the park because no camping is available except on islands in the park's lakes. The park doesn't rent boats so plan to bring your own or rent from a local outfitter. If you do need somewhere cheap or free to sleep nearby, check the overnight parking area at Wooden Frog which also comes with water and vault toilet facilities. There are three different visitors centers each offering something different.

Great customer service! The canoes were in perfect condition and the people take pride in their…read morework here! Would definitely recommend to people coming to the boundary waters!

Cliff Wolds made our boundary waters trip the best trip ever! We had exactly what we needed and…read morePLENTY of food! They were so friendly and gave us advice that we were so thankful for! Cliffs is the way to go!

A beautiful state park! The campground and trails are incredible and very well maintained…read more We stayed at site 55 in the lower campground. A great site and fairly secluded considering it was in the middle of the campground. They have beautiful sites that sit right at the shoreline of Lake Superior but the downfall to that is your right next to the public picnic area. So scenic view, yes, but can get quite busy around your site. The lower campground only has pit toilets but the upper campground is about a 8-10 minute walk where they have beautiful bathrooms! If you're camping in the lower campground, the turn into the park is BEFORE you get to the main entrance. It took us a bit to figure out how to get to our site. But now we know! One thing that surprised me was how quiet the campground was. The moment it hit 9:30/9:45pm it was SILENT. A high level of respect for the "quiet hours" but I will say highway 61 is very close to the sites so you will hear highway noise all day and night. It never bothered us but worth the mention if you're a light sleeper.

Spending time along the north shore is always a joy. It's a hike to get to from the cities, but the…read moredrive is worth it. I appreciate the camping location off the highway but a quick walk to the lake from the campgrounds. Listening to the waves crash from the campsite is such a calm and relaxing experience. It is a little strange to have parking outside of the actual park for people to visit the two sections on either side of the river. A little inconvenient if you're in the park and want to walk over that way, in my opinion. This is one difficult locations to book for camping if you're looking for a weekend. There is no dump station at this park, so we usually have to drive about 40 min to another park with one.

An amazing gem for those looking for a more secluded experience with nature on the North Shore. The…read moreparks along the North Shore are all good, but this one really stands out as a way to escape the crowds and enjoy nature. Lots of cool hike-to camping sites.

This waterfall is gorgeous! The hike is very hard so be careful if doing this with kids. There is…read moreno pathway everything has been getting taken back by nature. There are two routes one 0.8 miles roundtrip and the other 1.5 miles round trip! They have a nice little parking lot as well! Highly recommend if you're adventures and love a good challenging hike!

State park with the best beach in the Midwest! Sand and pines, family and pet friendly!read more

Best state Park in Minnesota, with best swimming beach anywhere. The sand soft and u can walk out…read morelike 2 and a half blocks. The water is like bath water on a warm day. They have new shower building and new beach dressing house.