Travel Feature
An eye-opening hidden gem on Minnesota’s North Shore
A perfect capture of the awe I felt exploring.
The sun shines through the car windows, causing the temperature in the vehicle to be unbearable in the summer heat. Cheeks flushed with red, you decide to cool off. Instead of turning on the A/C, you choose to roll down your window and let the crisp, clean air of Lake Superior zip through the window as you drive along the coast.
Like an ocean, Lake Superior is vast but thankfully lacks the seaweed stench. The lake can look like an ocean though, and you think about this while trying to see the other side. Instead, you just see the curve of the earth as the water mixes with the blue sky in a haze on the horizon. White caps top the waves as the wind picks up, making you question whether it really is a lake or not.
You turn your head and crane your neck to see most of the tall cliff that the road hugs. Dusty and sturdy, the cliff rises with all sorts of rock types and tree roots. An excitement begins to build in you because you know that this lake and the cliffs along it hold many adventures to be had. With the back of your car filled to the brim with camping supplies, you smile softly to yourself and turn the music up as you head to your first stop.
When someone mentions the North Shore of Minnesota, many people immediately think of things like Duluth, Lake Superior, Gooseberry Falls, or Tettegouche State Park. Not many know the hidden gems and fulfilling hikes that await them.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, my boyfriend, Griffin, and I had no chance of visiting my grandparents for our annual vacation to Florida. Instead, we decided on a road trip along the North Shore to discover more of our state and rekindle our love for travel and exploration. Partially because of the pandemic and also because we loved to do it, we decided to camp everywhere instead of staying in hotels, cabins or Airbnb’s.
About half of what we packed for our week long adventure, maybe we over packed just a little…
Turning off the main highway that treks along the coast of Lake Superior, the ride to the George Crosby Manitou State Park is roughly a half hour’s drive from Finland, Minnesota. As you near closer, the road becomes dirt and the dust kicked up from the car’s wheels clouds the air inside and outside of the vehicle. You have to roll the windows up once you start to breathe in the dry, tainted air. Bright green trees line the road and birds circle overhead, making the trip pleasant as your car rumbles down the rocky road.
The detour from the coast is well worth the extra time because unlike the destinations along the shore, this one is almost guaranteed to be quiet and private. When you arrive, the parking lot is a large, open expanse of dirt that’s filled about halfway with other cars. Outhouses stand ready for use before the long hikes to campsites. A kiosk stands at the trailhead ready to explain what to do and provides maps of the area.
This is the scene that me and my boyfriend came upon when we arrived. Stepping out of the car, we prepped our backpacks and bags for the mile and a half hike we had ahead of us to site #4. The State Park has a total of 22 backpack sites, all spread out and different distances from the parking lot. A lake sits to the left of the vast campground area and the Manitou River winds through, many sites sitting along it.
You don’t just have to camp. Things you could do include canoeing or kayaking, hiking along the various trails to the scenic lookouts, and enjoying a picnic in the picnic area. The Department of Natural Resources suggests the Benson Lake Boardwalk and the Cascades of the Manitou River.
The day was warm, so thankfully the tree cover was a relief as we began the long hike with our heavy gear (and believe me, we had a lot of gear). If you’re planning, you should try to pack more lightly than we did. Remember, you always end up needing a lot less than you bring. What we thought was going to be a typical but pretty hike turned into something we never expected. Instead, we found hills with gnarly, ginormous tree roots and moss covered boulders making up a large portion of the trail. With gear, it was a challenge, but we didn’t even mind the sore arms and shoulders because the terrain was the most interesting we had encountered yet. It seemed as though we were in a jungle and fairy tale forest all at once.
The sun filtered through the canopy in spotted, leaf patterned rays. The areas not touched by sun were left in a cool shadow that added depth to the already varying and complex landscape. The forest floor smelled of dirt and grass as we picked our way like mountain goats over the various things that lay in our path.
A glimpse of the rugged paths we hiked.
After what felt like a long time, we reached our campsite and immediately fell in love. Right off the trail, but hidden by trees, was a large, open, and flat space. We set up our tent to the right, underneath a canopy of pine trees that provided extra rain cover and created a sense of protection. To the left of the space was a small fire ring and two long logs that created an L shape around the fire. It was nestled along the river with a small set of rock stairs leading to the water’s edge.
The river gurgled and rushed past the many rocks that stuck out of the water. We would later be lulled to sleep by the ambient noise of it. After setting up camp, we explored the water by hopping from rock to rock. An abundance of things were waiting to be discovered like toads, broken off lures, and fish. Griffin decided to catch fish for dinner, so while he was busy rigging the small pole he had brought, I set to work gathering firewood.
There wasn’t much for wood, it had rained the night before and everything was damp. It was refreshing to scavenge for twigs and wood that stayed dry under the cover of some brush. I hacked the moistened layers off logs and pulled apart sticks with our butter-knife dull hatchet. I felt that much more accomplished when I got the fire going this way instead of simply grabbing logs from a bundle.
In no time, my boyfriend had caught a brook trout. He told me that he’d “almost caught another, but it slipped off at the last second.” So, after taking the guts out and cutting the head off, we set about prepping it for cooking. Inside tinfoil, we place the fish with pads of butter, slices of lemon, and chopped onions, then wrapped it all up and placed it over the fire. In no time we had fish that fell off the bone and melted in our mouths.
Since there was no cell service, we were forced to find things to truly connect. One of my favorite memories is laying in the tent at night and reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes out loud under a portable reading light until we drifted to sleep.
The next morning, we took about a half mile walk to a nearby cascade. Even though it wasn’t huge, it was still impressive. Unlike the loud, roaring waterfalls people normally love to see, this one was smaller and peaceful. It flowed just loud enough for you to know it was there, and beneath it was a large pool of water before it narrowed into the river. In front of the falls was a clump of rocks that we climbed on like little kids until finding the perfect rocks to sit on. We sat and watched the waterfall, listening to the wind sigh through the trees and the water bubbling along the river. A scene of pure bliss.
If you look closely, you can see Griffin’s wet pant leg from slipping into the water.
After our hike, we began our preparation to leave, but not before we bathed in the river. It was cold but refreshing. The water washed away all the grime from almost a week without showering and it was relaxing to feel the water flowing over me. The was hard to do, since the river bottom was slippery and filled with rocks. But, if we held on to each other and balanced just right, we could tip our heads back and rinse our hair. This was definitely a highlight of the trip.
Bathing in the Manitou River sure was chilly, but well worth it!
After washing and packing, with heavy hearts we said goodbye to site #4 and began the journey back to the car. Remember, just like everywhere else, you should pack in and pack out. This means that everything you bring in (garbage, food, etc.) shouldn’t be left behind but brought out with you. It helps to preserve these beautiful places.
One thing is for sure, it felt nice to live in a way we hardly do now- collecting firewood, catching food, going to the bathroom in the woods, hanging food up to avoid bears, and even showering in the river. This is an experience that everyone should have, and we have plans to return.
George Crosby Manitou State Park Guide:
Location:
7616 Co Hwy 7, Finland, MN 55603
Price:
$27 per night and sites should be reserved online
Destinations/Activities:
Manitour River, Benson Lake, lookout points, trails for hiking, cascades, kayaking/canoeing, fishing, swimming