What an absolutely beautiful Minnesota state park. The dense woods and lakes are really amazing to…read morebe a part of. We did the norberg lake trail and I've done the blueberry lakes trail in the past as well. Definitely bring good shoes or boots for these trails. There is a fair amount of up and down throughout and lots of rocks and roots. I am excited to come back here in the future.

In our quest to visit all MN state parks, Bear Head Lake was next on our list. We stuck with the…read moreHiking Club trail or Norberg Trail. It was a three mile loop that took you past a couple of lakes. It involved walking on some uneven ground (roots and stones) but it was relatively flat and very woodsy. We visited in mid July and it was quite buggy so make sure you are covered or sprayed to minimize the bites. Minnesota parks are so beautiful. I get so worries about where I'm stepping, I sometimes forget to look up and all around to enjoy the beauty.

I love state parks, and this one was everything I hoped for and more…read more Visited on a Saturday in August so it was quite crowded, but we still managed to find a parking spot and once we left the parking lot it wasn't too bad. The visitors center is large and clean with lots of information, bathrooms, a gift shop, and places to sit around a fireplace. They were doing a lesson on primitive fire building when we arrived. We unfortunately had a limited amount of time, so we only did the brief hike down the beach and out to Shovel Point, but both were absolutely stunning and I wish we had more time. I'd love to come back someday and hike more and possibly camp as well.

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! Palisade Head was absolutely gorgeous.

Five stars isn't enough for this crew. We fish with Craig at Lake Vermilion Fishing Guides just…read moreabout every year, and our Boundary Waters trips into Basswood are the ones we talk about all winter. From the first phone call he asks the right questions about what you want out of the day, then builds the whole trip around it. Getting into the BWCA on your own takes real planning, but Craig handles all of it, and once you're out there you've got world-class fishing with almost nobody around. He reads the water, adjusts constantly, and genuinely cares that everyone on board catches fish. He handles the big fish with real care too, quick photos and healthy releases. This is what a professional guide service should be. We're already planning next year's trip.

I don't have enough great things to say about Steve and Ginny and the rest of the crew at Spirit of…read morethe Wilderness. We were out on Knife Lake on Tuesday July 14 2026 (the day of the closure and evacuation of the wilderness). I had rented a one way Spot and picked up my permit from Spirit. Unfortunately with the device we had no one could communicate with us, but the crew at Spirit was tracking us and keeping everyone back home aware of our situation. After we got back into Ely, they even offered a bunkhouse for us to stay the night before heading home.

This was an epic beach. It is past a campsite, but it is very well marked so you know exactly where…read moreyou're going. There's a small parking lot at the path toward the beach, but a lot of people park on the side of the road. It can get a little backed up and crowded so be careful of this. There is a bathroom here. There was also a man selling some merch such as sweatshirts and hoodies and they were super cute and locally made and owned. But the beach was the best part. It was incredible. The graphite was soft and it was black there was beautiful scenery surrounding the area and lots of benches and folks milling around the area. It's a great way to use man-made resource resources for good. We really enjoyed this spot and it's a great one to check out on your trip up north.

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)

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.

During the Minnesota and Canada fires, we wanted to get out of the smoke. It was also a heatwave at…read morethat time. The air down in the mines is filtered through all that stone and is about fifty degrees year round!!!! We breathed clean air and we were able to get out of the heat for awhile. Nice! We booked online to make sure we got the time slot we wanted. Apple Maps got us there correctly. There is ample parking and a side lot for overflow as needed. There were quite a few people already there! The park itself is free. You can walk around and learn on your own. They have a small shop selling gorgeous mineral stones and cookbooks and t shirts etc. There's a public restroom inside that is clean, separate men and women with multiple stalls. We perused the whole building and then sat in the meeting room, waiting for the video presentation. Then as a group we donned construction style hats and headed for the mine elevator. They have some cubbies for your belongings- hats and sunglasses etc which you won't need down there. The staff were super nice. Apparently one woman did not bring a jacket so the staff member lent her their jacket! It is quite chilly underground. The staff were also willing to take pictures of us and other families when asked. Only one person had a hard time with the elevator. It is noisy and a tight squeeze for 10-11 people and there are times when it is completely dark inside. At the bottom, we waited for everyone to get off the elevator and we boarded a little train. That train took us to the mine shaft where we followed our guide up some stairs. There is an elevator for accessibility needs. We spent time looking and learning and then took the train back to the elevator. They have quite the safety protocol to ensure no one gets hurt and that the elevator up and down is coordinated with people above and below ground. I really enjoyed walking the grounds outside and seeing the machine shop and the drill bits etc. There are some signs where you can read about the different carts and what not. The mountain views were limited by the smoke but I imagine it's nice on a clear day. Tickets are reasonable. I would recommend this tour if you're in the area and looking to get away from the heat or cold and breathe some fresh air! It's a great way to learn about history and iron mining. If you don't care about a specific tour time and don't mind a little risk, you can save a dollar by going there and getting tickets at the box office on the day of. Also- There are no longer any bats or energy beam? research going on here. Just microbial research. That's some old stuff that used to be there.

Tracy is absolutely the best resort operator on Kabetogama. We stopped by the other day and she…read morehad staff detailing the stainless steel grills (that had sear stations)!!! We toured many of the cabins and we were very impressed. By far, Northern Lights has the nicest and most luxurious cabins in Voyageurs National Park.

In September, we had a fabulous relaxing get away to this resort. Friendly staff, with comfortable,…read moreclean well-equipped cabins. Fantastic expansive views of the lake as a perfect back drop to early sunrises & slow sinking sunsets. The autumn leaves were bright & colorful. One evening was cloudless & I got to see the northern lights dance across the night skies! Memories to last a lifetime. We enjoyed boating in Voyageur's National Park and exploring the islands on Lake Kabetogama (200 to choose from) and the artistic Ellsworth rock sculpture garden & picnic area. We had never seen anything like it before. Amazing! Tip: they have public bathrooms if you need a pit stop. We hope to make it an annual tradition & join the fisherman next round. They were raking in the fish (& the resort staff cleans them for you too)! And for last minute get aways you can make them a discounted offer on a cabin stay & get great value for the price.

Piragis bookstore was a great place to browse. Quiet, well lit with lots of interesting unknown and…read morealso known titles. Books seemed thoughtfully chosen; a good nature section and kids section. Will return!

Was in town, shopping for souvenirs. I probably should have purchased the hot sauce they were…read moreselling, but at $6 a bottle, I thought it was overpriced. I would have been thrilled if you could get all 3 bottles for a discount, but that wasn't happening. They have a ton of t shirts for sale here. We picked up one for Ely, MN for about $25. They have a men's side and a women's side. The women's side had a ton of apparel. I found a cute shirt and shorts on sale. The fitting room is right there by the stairwell. I love a good sale. These times were not for Ely, they were just hiking/camping brands of clothing, but that's ok. A lot of the women's stuff was fairly plain. The back of the store has restrooms, art, and camping/fishing supplies. The front of the store has weapons and shoes. In fact, the gal who makes the moccasins was right there in the store, putting them together in real time! It was so cool to see how she was manipulating the leather. We did not take the stairs up to the second level; it appeared to be more of a bookstore up there. Parking is on the street.

If you are choosing just one trail to hike in Lutsen, this it it. This easy 2.5 mile loop trail…read moreoffers stunning views with multiple scenic spots of Oberg Lake, Lake Superior and surrounding mountains. It's especially magical at sunset and during fall, when the landscape is alive with vibrant colors.

This trail is beautiful to hike in the fall! It's not to far off the road, so accessibility is…read morenice. I would say it's my favorite trail in Tofte. It offers great views of Lake Superior, the rich greens of of trees, and Oberg lake itself. The trail seems well maintained and it's pretty easy to figure out where you're going!

Beautiful park with lots to see and do. Clean bathrooms, tidy camp sights, very poor cell service…read more Lots of flys, so a gazebo tent is nice. Traffic noise is loud. But overall loved it!

Cascade is a gem of a state park on the North Shore that truly has something for everyone…read more If you're looking to just visit the waterfalls, it's an easy walk less than a mile from the roadside parking into the falls! Great for children and folks who don't want to walk far. If you're looking for more, there are several trails you can take! We ended up doing a 4-mile moderate hike to the lookout point in the park - and it delivered with stunning views of Lake Superior and the trees from up high. I'll definitely be doing this one again in the fall for foliage views! I'll let the photos do the talking for this review :) The trails are mostly well-maintained, the scenery is wonderful, and we're so lucky to have yet another stunning, waterfall-laden State Park on the North Shore.