For those of you old enough to remember, its the land of Sky Blue Water (Hamms Beer) lol and the…read moreland of 10,000 lakes. Located in Itasca Co. Minnesota about 200 miles north of Minneapolis MN. North Star is surrounded by state (Bowstring) and National (Chippewa) Forests. Its approximately 832 acres in size. It deepest part is 90 feet with about a 30 foot average. It has about a half dozen family and fishing resorts with scattered private homes. When fishing, anglers can expect to catch a variety of fish including Bluegill, Brown Bullhead, Largemouth Bass, Muskie, Northern Pike, Rock Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Yellow Bullhead, Yellow Perch, Pumpkinseed. You can expect to see a variety of wildlife in and around the lake. From Loons, Eagles, Heron, Hawks and hummingbirds all the way up to deer, caribou, black bear and even an occasional moose and even timberwolf. Some spectacular sunrises and sunsets are often the normal. And I've even seen the Northern Lights a couple times. They call this area "The Edge of the Wilderness" and they're right. No traffic, no hustle and bustle just a great place to unwind, relax and enjoy the peace and quite of your surroundings. Even if the fishing is not as good as you like, I guarantee you will come back relaxed and rejuvenated.

My husband and I did a tour with Captain Tim yesterday on the six hour Kettle Falls tour. Tim was…read morevery knowledgeable about the park and the area. He had a wonderful personality and as other people have said became our friend right away. I loved his sense of humor. It was a very nice boat and a top-notch operation. We would highly recommend this.

This was my first visit to International Falls, and I knew I had to get on the water to really see…read moreVoyageurs National Park. I was leery of paying $120 for a 2 hr boat tour, but it turned out to be well worth it. First week of October is already past the busy season and there wasn't much in the way of fall colors on the lake yet, but it was a truly beautiful ride nonetheless. Our guide Tim grew up on the lake and was not only full of information about the incredible history (and prehistory) of the region, but had his own stories to share that added such a depth and personal touch to the experience. I could have happily listened to him all day. If I can make it back someday for the 6 hour, I hope Tim is my guide once again.

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

We have been going here for at least 20 plus years. Best place to camp. Just bring your bug spray!read more

Gorgeous in October, the leaves are spectacular!!. Great trails to walk and run on. The beach is…read moreSandy and beautiful. A go to spot when in Bemidji!

We visited here on our first day here last weekend. Admission was free since it was Bird City day…read more Also, it was extra special since there was a raptor LIVE show at the amphitheater. There were 3 raptors which were showcased from a falcon, owl to hawk. My wife's favorite was the sowa owl which looked really miniature in size. Afterwards, we walked the bog trail and then drove to the marina boat launch. Overall, this was a great experience to see a ranger program as well as trail hike too:)

Super nice park/hiking trail that has so many facilities. Park has Softball/Baseball Field…read moreTennis Courts (4) Disc Golf Pickleball Courts (2 fenced) plus on the Basketball Court Basketball Court Volleyball Court (sand court) Horseshoe Pits (2) Bean Bag Toss (2) Children's Playground Equipment (New in 2022) Outhouses Drinking Fountain Numerous Picnic Tables Pollinator Garden in Trails Area. They have a fun hiking trail that has hidden gnomes to find that was so fun to search for them. Would recommend this park to all age ranges because of all the options that are available.

My family and I stopped by this park while on vacation in the area in March 2024. We were thrilled…read moreto see there are hiking trails as well as the fire tower, plus there are a lot of interesting things to read about the tower history and fire history in the area. The whole park is nice - clean, well kept, both paved trails and gravel lined trails, well-built steps, and quality railings where steps are located. There is a paved trail that goes to the tower, as well as an unpaved trail that is a good uphill climb. The tower looks neat, and we would have loved to climb it, but it was closed. There is a big fence with a locked door around it. This was a bummer for me - the websites that I found describing the park had said that the park was open year-round, which I (wrongly) thought included the tower. I do understand - it is an unseasonably warm winter, and most people aren't going hiking or climbing giant towers in March. I was just disappointed. Nonetheless, we enjoyed our time there - both the hiking and learning about fire safety in the area.

We enjoyed a big meal last night in Duluth so we took a hike on the Munger trail. My Fitbit says we…read morewalked 3.2 miles on the trail. We passed large exposed basalt bedrocks with glacial striations, milkweed, poplar trees, white pines, a bridge across the St Louis river, houses built on bedrock and many other visitors. We started in the parking lot in Carlton. There is a playground and a pavilion to relax under. Beautiful trail, just beautiful.

This free multiple use trail extends between Hinckley & Duluth with many interconnecting trails…read more It offers hiking, biking, in-line skating, snowmobiling and horseback riding. The trail was once part of the Lake Superior & Mississippi Railroad (later Northern Pacific Railway). It is straight and relatively flat (except near Duluth/Spirit Mountain). There is unpaved parking at the trailhead in Hinckley for day use only; as well as Carlton, Duluth, Andrews State Forest, Dago Lake.

The bog is an absolute must for birder and nature enthusiasts. There's incredible bird watching…read moreespecially in the winter: great gray owls, boreal chickadees, evening grosbeaks were plentiful this time of year. Even if you don't see a bird, you can still take walks on the boardwalks and admire the aspen and birch forests. Shoutout to the friends of sax-zim bog for maintaining the trails, feeders, and visitor center!

Very special area of near-wilderness with some homes scattered about. We go up there every year for…read morea couple of days to view wildlife (especially birds, many of which can't be found regularly in other areas, including the magnificent great gray owl) especially during winter. Mammals seen there include deer (of course!), moose (if you're lucky), black bears, wolves (again - if you're lucky!), bobcats, coyotes, pine martens, snowshoe hares, red squirrels, the occasional porcupine, red fox, and more.