This state park is best known for a unique waterfall known as the Devil's Kettle. Why such an…read moreinteresting name? Well, it's a waterfall, except half of it plunges into a pothole in solid rock! It used to be unknown where it emerges, with many legends and interesting speculations. However, now scientists have concluded that the separate stream of water reenters the river from underground pretty soon downstream. Boo. Regardless of what is actually happening at Devil's Kettle, the state park is still quite enjoyable. The parking lot has free wifi so if you forgot to pay the entrance fee, you can get it before you depart on your hike. Stop at the composting toilet at the trail head too, while you're at it. The hike itself is very pretty, going through the woods. It's well maintained, and there are several maps on the way so you don't get disoriented. Nearing the waterfall, there are about 176 stairs down heading down to the falls & up on return. There's a small area with river access, where you can view the falls and get sprayed by the mist. Of course, stay on the path and don't get close to the falls since it can get slippery.

Stopped here specifically for Devils kettle and it was quite the sight to see!…read moreAlthough this is only a 2 mile hike, I would say it is not easy. You're pretty much on an incline the whole mile then have to descend ~200 stairs and back up another small incline to get to the kettle. Then climb those stairs to head back home. Make sure to take your time and bring water. Along the way there are plenty of lookouts and rest stops. The only bummer was that the access to the bottom of a smaller waterfall was closed. It looked like there used to be steps and a walk down but it was roped off. Another more adventurous couple scaled down to get some pics but we played it safe. If you're up north, this is a must do hike.

Amazing spot to check out, but just be careful if you are unsteady on your feet as the path does…read morehave drop offs. It has minimal elevation gain otherwise. There's parking in a paved lot, as well as street parking. Toilets consist of port-a-potties. No running water is available, so bring water as well as a lot of bug spray if you want to do the hike into the more wooded area. You can walk on the breakwater and that leads to the Grand Marais Lighthouse. You cannot enter the lighthouse. While there are stairs leading up, they quickly stop at a locked panel. Stay awhile to view the waves and enjoy the sounds of nature. It's pretty unique to be out on the water on such a narrow structure. As it was foggy when I went out, I couldn't see that far, but I was rewarded with a fogbow.

This was a fun little hike that we were recommended by an employee at the place we were staying. He…read morehad recommended it because we were looking for a flat and easy hike that would be doable for someone with limited mobility. While it was pretty flat, I don't know if I would've recommended this hike to someone under our circumstances. It's basically a lifted concrete path that's about 3 feet wide with no railing most of the way right over the lake and rocks. For someone with bad balance, this is definitely a risk and my dad wasn't able to make it to the end of the hike because we were too nervous about him falling off the trail. All that said, the views are beautiful and the lighthouse is really cool, though you can't go up into it. The wind was brutal and none of us had enough layers because we didn't realize it would be that intense, but everything was gorgeous so still worth it. It was also interesting reading the billboards about the history of the area, including the tragic shipwreck that resulted in the construction of the levee.

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.

Judge C R Magney State Park is best known for a unique waterfall known as the Devil's Kettle…read moreWaterfall. Why such an interesting name? Well, it's a waterfall, except half of it plunges into a pothole in solid rock! It used to be unknown where it emerges, with many legends and interesting speculations. However, now scientists have concluded that the separate stream of water reenters the river from underground pretty soon downstream. Boo. Regardless of what is actually happening at Devil's Kettle, the state park is still quite enjoyable. The parking lot has free wifi so if you forgot to pay the entrance fee, you can get it before you depart on your hike. Stop at the composting toilet at the trail head too, while you're at it. The hike itself is very pretty, going through the woods. It's well maintained with maps along the way so you don't get lost. Nearing the waterfall, there are about 176 stairs down heading down to the falls & up on return. There's a small area with river access, where you can view the falls and get sprayed by the mist. Of course, stay on the path and don't get close to the falls since it can get slippery.

This moderate hike 2mi RT out and back trail is well maintained and HEAVILY TRAFFICKED. I call it…read moremoderate as there are 176 stairs down heading to the falls & up on return, plus the uncounted step ups along the path. The trail itself is rather easy. Allow 1-1.5hrs for this section. The overlooks are small platforms & hikers politely wait their turn. If you are going to take a lot of pictures, it's courteous to step aside & let others go, then hop back up... as most people only spend a minute or 2 gazing and take a few quick selfies or snapshots. Prior to arrival at the main attraction, there is a staircase to the left that takes you to the lower falls view, with water access. A great place to relax, feel the mist and take some photos. This portion of the trail is dog friendly. If you have a fear of dogs, I would not recommend this section. All dogs were well behaved but many were off-leash, which could be a problem. As 2 miles is fairly short, we continued down the Superior trail, beyond the falls, along the water. It was far less populated, (aside from the mosquito armies once the trail curved away from the water), crossing paths with only 1 other hiker on the way. This area is not mainly at the same level & ramps up in difficulty/overgrowth in some areas.

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)

Excellent state park that is free to enter and hike. This also doubles as a rest area for those…read moretraveling on the highway. The lobby has maps and the washrooms. There is a small museum with information about the ways of the Ojibwe, as well as a small gift shop. The shop is staffed with a very helpful park representative who was able to talk a little bit beyond what the museum provided. We did the hike to High Falls. It's the first barrier upstream from Lake Superior, with many other waterfalls and rapids beyond it. Due to this, the Ojibwe developed the Grand Portage, a 9 mile trail that bypasses the treacherous water, to the inland waterways (and out back to Lake Superior - good luck trying to send a boat over the falls!) The hike itself was very nice. Mostly flat with an inclined paved walkway at the end. I didn't do the other hikes due to lack of time, but they appear to be more rugged.

How many times have I driven by and NOT stopped? Too many, definitely too many!…read more Thankfully, the parents were wanted a restroom stop after exiting Canada and before starting the drive to Betty's. (Our camel bladders would have held out for the next planned stop.) We roamed about while they used the facilities & browsed brochures, only to discover some of what we were missing through all of our travels in the area, going back to 2006! The footpaths are easy to navigate and accessible. There are overlooks that provide great views & photo ops - be sure to check out the falls! It's a short walk - great way to stretch the legs & please the eyes.

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.

This is the hike on the North Shore. I've done this once a year with my family since I was a little…read morekid. You can either hike the main trail, which is nice and connects to the Superior Hiking Trail, or if you're feeling adventurous, you can actually hike up the creek in the water. Either way it's a beautiful place to hike.

Not a business, first of all. We found the wayside but couldn't find a trail .. the possible trail…read moreright by the river seemed overgrown and abandoned. I read another review saying you have to go into the river. Very odd.

This is a super pretty waterfall which also happens to be a short walk away! Highly worth stopping…read moreby if you're traveling on the road and want to stretch out your legs, or to visit as an attraction in of itself. It's great since you don't need to purchase a permit to park in the wayside/visitor center lot. There's a pretty large visitor center with washrooms, a nature store, and exhibits. The exhibits were informative, ranging from the rocks of Lake Superior, to the animals of the forest park. I spent about 15 minutes here reading all the signs. The park store has ice cream, clothing, cards, and other sundries. It was pretty busy with people purchasing Gooseberry Falls State Park swag. I guess this park is pretty beloved! Finally, the walk to the falls was beautiful. It's paved all the way and very clearly laid out so there's no chance of getting lost. Some people were wading in the river and taking some amazing photos of this beautiful place.

This place is always on our stopping list when we're up north…read more The falls being easily accessible are also a great place to put your feet in the water and throw rocks. The visitor center is also very nice and well equipped with the extra bonus of ice cream treats!

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.