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.

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.

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.

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!

Amazing experience! It's 4 miles round trip so bring your hiking shoes and a light snack for the…read moreviewpoint. Me and my family loved it. Super close to Grand Maris as well :)

Great trail two miles from Grand Marais. Nice view of the harbor and several miles of Nordic and…read morefat tire bike trails in the winter.

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.

Stayed here on Sunday (got the last room available) to get rested up for skiing at Lutsen the next…read moreday (what a disappointment Lutsen Ski was) and it is such a cozy place, both inside the reception area, and in the motel room. The wind was blowing outside heavily (up to 40 mph winds I believe) and it made for a great experience, as you could hear the waves (which were just 100 feet away down the hill) and howling winds, but it was contrasted perfectly with the warm hotel room. Perfect sleeping weather as the combo created a God like white noise. Comfortable beds, clean, comfortable sheets and linens, even a refrigerator and two burner stove, all for about $120, not to mention the best part (the above descrbed ambiance)..a really fair deal! Front desk folks were really nice too. In the future, whenever I go to Lutsen, I'll definitely be staying at Solbakken.

When reviewing a hotel, for me, the main question is always: Would you stay there again? And the…read moreanswer is yes, in a heartbeat! My 3 priorities were all there: price, convenience, and cleanliness. The pros: ~The price: My group got a package through the lutsen website. The price for 2 nights of lodging and 2 days of lift tickets was ridiculously cheap. This is the main reason I liked this place so much. ~The location: We went to ski, and it was extremely convenient to Lutsen ski area. It was also right on Lake Superior so were able to get some very beautiful scenic shots by the lake. ~It was clean. ~Easy check in and out....Minimal interaction....I barely saw the people who run the place. But I prefer it like that. Cons: ~Walls in the motel were pretty thin. So if you're looking for some privacy, try one of cabins (and they're closer to the lake) ~Water pressure was a little low. It was only really low in one of our rooms so I think that's fixable.

Carlton Peak has one of the most spectacular views in northern Minnesota. I would suggest not…read moredriving up here unless you have at least an SUV, the road is pretty bumpy. There are a few hiking trails from the summit going to other peaks as well. It would be a perfect place for a picnic! I seen at least one pic bench.

One of my favorite places for being outdoors. This area is huge…read more You can find many places to hike and get out in the woods. There is great skiing in the winter. A true gem of Minnesota that some people in the southern part of the state have never experienced. If you are a person who loves outdoors you need to explore the Superior National Forest.

Well. Don't try to find a campsite based the forest services map, because they're not there! Too…read moremany bugs here as well. My poor little sister was just trying to roast a marshmallow and got carried off by a swarm of the biggest mosquitos I've ever seen. I will sure miss her. There are even deer flies here if you've never experienced those before - my condolences if you have. Too much rain too. Horrid thunderstorms both nights of camping. I woke up to the loudest cracks of lightening in my life, and spent the rest of the night swimming in my tent. Didn't find any blueberries either. Good thing it was free to visit, it was worth the money...