Just before entering Canada, between Grand Maris, Minnesota and Thunder Bay Ontario, be sure and stop at Grand Portage State Park. Take the comfortable hike to the Pigeon River Falls and look across the falls into Canada. It will be one of the best hours you'll ever spend.
Grand Portage is located on the tip of the arrowhead in MN right on the edge of the border with Canada. In fact when you look at pictures of the falls one side is MN and the other side is Ontario. The park was amazingly well maintained and quite nice. The visitor center is new and modern although it is small compared to some other state park visitor centers. The hike to the High Falls was paved and very easy to walk on. It's about a half of a mile from the visitor center to the falls. There are many viewing platforms to view the falls from. On the closest one you can feel the mist from the falls. The area is quite spectacular and the falls are probably the best in Minnesota. It was so well worth the trip to come see this park and enjoy the falls. I plan on coming back soon.
1/2-mile on an accessible path and boardwalk gets you to Grand Portage State Park's 120-foot high falls. There are several vantage points to take in the beautiful falls and shoot pictures. The new visitor center is modern and beautiful. 'Enjoy!
The visitor center is nicely kept up with clean bathrooms, a museum, a gift shop and some displays that tell of the different Ojibwe clan's and what each animal represents. Of course, the hike to the High Falls is fairly easy and worth a visit. There are a few picnic areas, including a sheltered area, and we made use of them. We were visited by a fox who kept a watchful eye on us as we enjoyed our meal. The grounds are also nicely kept up and clean.
We enjoyed visiting the waterfalls of the North Shore, and this was one of my favorites! It helped that it was a beautiful sunny day, and we even saw a rainbow at the bottom of the falls!! I did fall in love with them, and enjoyed the different viewing areas, as well as the easy walk to the falls. There is just something "special" about these falls!!!
I liked the displays but they could have done more and was disapointed as native culture is so important in this part of the world.
My husband and I were very impressed with the beautiful visitors center which is a cooperative effort between the Ojibway and the state of Minnesota. The walk to the falls is handicap accessible to one view of the falls with 2 other overlooks which have a short series of stairs. As you face the visitors center, there is an overlook to the right of the calm waters of the Pigeon River which is the the border of Minnesota and Canada. The visitor center restrooms are clean and there is a small gift shop as well as a lovely picnic area. We walked to the High Falls on a paved and boardwalk trail. The High Falls are a black basalt face which splits the river. Well worth the short time out and back, about a mile total.
As with most Minnesota State Parks, the trails are great and lead you to some beautiful scenery. We visited the high falls early in the morning and we were the only people there.
Wonderful displays, many artifacts that you could see up close, the was also a short movie about the history of the land and people.
We liked the information that they presented in the rest area. We also thought the path up to the falls was very well maintained. Very interesting facts.