Loved the museum and the seemingly unlimited amount of interactive exhibits! In fact, we were so…read moreengrossed that we lost track of time and had a very friendly ranger let us know they had actually closed. The staff of rangers are awesome and the whole experience was top tier!

This is a sneaky cool NPS site. Good interpretative content. Cool artifacts to see. Very well…read moredone junior ranger program. Located off the beaten path, so you have to work to get there, but worth a visit.

We arrived near sunset, after close. No Tour completed, as such. We did, however, experience a…read morefantastic sunset & walkabout. There is a large viewing deck that can be accessed with a short walk & a some stairs. If you're there when the sun sets, stick around for another half hour to see the REAL show. (We moved on right at sunset, to catch it from a different spot we'd planned.) Expect to encounter friendly locals who happily share info on the area & tips for best views. This stop is one you could spend a bit of time at & definitely charge the phone or bring a camera. You will have, in addition to the light house, great lake views with sandy shores & beach grass, plus amazing rock beach on the other side of the lighthouse. The trail isn't too difficult, tho stairs aren't the best. Be sure to check out the displays & signage swallowed by the trees. It's absolutely lovely.

Our tourguide Susan was amazing! She knew so much history about the lighthouse and the surrounding…read morearea. It's fun to learn and to hear the stories. They do an evening paranormal tour as well as daytime tours. The views of Lake Superior are amazing. Great time for history nerds and ghost hunters!

The lighthouse has been completely remodeled and worth a visit…read more It is interesting to see the quarters where so many lighthouse keepers lived. Moreover, the pictures show how cold and icy it can get here.

This lighthouse, first lit in 1878, is easily accessible in the Ojibwa Recreation Area however its…read morelong term care seems questionable. Vandals have broken out what appear to be original windows on upper floors, and the lower portion of the brick house is painted red, I'm assuming to cover up graffiti. Portions of the wood of the lantern room appear to be dry rotted as well. This is a nice peaceful site, however I think some people are not respectful of it.

On my way north to the Canadian border, I decided to make a quick return to Grand Portage to relive…read moreHigh Falls of the Pigeon River! Plus, lol, I have a new fascination with TikTok and needed to capture some noteworthy content for my next post, hehehe. Alright, so High Falls is the focal point. It's the main event. From the entrance, it's simply half a mile walk to two observation platforms. The 2nd overlook is better than the first, but still, they both offer fantastic opportunities to appreciate the 120 foot drop, which (I believe) makes High Falls the tallest waterfall in Minnesota! During both occasions I was here (once in early morning and the other in late afternoon) not many tourists were in attendance so it gave me a chance to snap some unforgettable photos without fighting for a prime spot at the viewing points. Also this 2nd time around for mid June, the mosquitoes were in aggressive attack mode. It was a race to the lookouts between myself and the mosquitoes. They were trying to eat me alive and I was destined to get pics and videos in and safely arrive back at my car without feeling significant torture. Not to fret though...if you're pressed for time, the entire visit takes a swift 30 minutes. In the end, the mosquitoes weren't the final memory. For traveling to such a remote part of the upper eastern corner of Minnesota, this High Falls is an absolute gem and deserves to be identified for having one of the best waterfall backdrops in the USA!

We moved to Minnesota nine years ago and I am still surprised how many Minnesotans have never been…read moreto our favorite state park. This was our fourth visit to Grand Portage. The High Falls is an easy hike for an unforgettable view. But on this visit we also included the Middle Falls. If your time is limited then be sure to visit the High Falls, but it you want to make Grand Portage a memorable hiking experience be sure to hike both the High Falls and Middle Falls both on Pigeon River. Middle Falls is a twenty feet high waterfall. We first climbed a steep ridge to a scenic overlook with a wonderful view of Lake Superior. The best part of this long steep hike were the trees- the winding paths through mature aspen, birch and spruce. The trail is very steep in places. You have to climb over 300 feet vertically each way. Beware of loose slippery rocks and tree roots- I slipped on these a few times. This is not a hike for young children, older people or faint of heart or those people in poor health. We measured our hike to be 5.5 miles RT if you include the High Falls. Is it worth it? Most definitely yes. Don't do this and Devils Kettle on the same day unless you are an avid hiker.

This is a great national monument that teaches about the history of fur trade and native American…read more(Ojibwe) relation in the area. The visitor center is two stories and according to the rangers there, has the highest rated park film of any in the parks. There's also a fort about a hundred yards outside the visitor center which has events and other info. It's all free to visit.

A charming natural area with a faithful recreation of the early North West Company trading post. We…read moreenjoyed a eyngaging presentation from an enthusiastic guide, in which he demonstrated how the early fur traders made fire. Our kids were enthralled (ok, I was too!).

For prisons this one has a bit of class. Nice old but still active with some history. They have an…read moreaward winning flower garden during the summer, though this is not a good picnic area. Would not suggest this as a vacation spot.

Had an opportunity to tour this facility about 6 months ago, it was really interesting and the…read morehistory of the facility was fascinating. Learning about the inner-workings of a facility like this while moving through the general population and seeing the tasks that need to be completed throughout every day and the security measures that need to be constantly followed is truly a learning experience for anyone interested in the operations and management practices of a well run and professional incarceration facility Beautiful architecture and gardens to boot.

What a diamond in the rough! I thought this would be a small museum but you should probably allot…read moreyourself 2 hours to get through the very interesting artifact segment, interactive exhibit, and outdoor nature paths (that teach you a little about the native peoples and lands!). Not only does this place teach you about the industry but it also gives you a sense of the local area and the history behind it all. The museum is free but does accept donations with a box up front so if you enjoy yourself as much as I did, five dollars, as suggested, is certainly worth it. The lady at the shop was very nice and it's a thoughtful and well-maintained museum and an overall very casual experience that immerses you in the human history of the UP. Definitely recommended!

This is a wonderful museum. It's small. But it's well done for its size, and the exhibits are…read moreinteresting. The museum is located adjacent to a rail trail. There's opportunity to let your kids run around a bit, and there's an overlook-style view along the trail that's interesting. Figure an hour to visit and see everything and read the display signs, and kids will rush through a lot faster.