Guide to Camping in Northeast Minnesota’s State Forests
Quiet, solitude, and roughing it – if you enjoy camping in beautiful places and don’t need a lot of amenities, Minnesota’s State Forest campgrounds might be the perfect fit for you.
Holly Scherer
Paddling and camping the Timber-Frear Canoe Route
The Timber-Frear is located about 15 miles northwest of Tofte in Superior National Forest. If you make the trek, consider extending your trip to explore additional camping, hiking, paddling, and fishing opportunities in the area. The route is about 10 miles long and can be explored as a day trip.
Hike one of the North Shore’s most underrated trails at Temperance River State Park
With rushing waterfalls and impressive potholes, hike one of the North Shore’s trails along the Temperance River, to surprising vistas of Lake Superior.
Northeast Minnesota’s best-kept secret – 5 fabulous State Forests
Tucked along winding, remote roads throughout Minnesota’s Arrowhead region are five fabulous state forests. Together, these five forests tout nearly 1.6 million acres of recreational land where you can camp, paddle, hike, hunt, fish, picnic, and cross-country ski. And unlike the other wonderful places I mentioned previously, these hidden gems are lesser known and see fewer visitors.
Riding the Mesabi Trail – Minnesota’s longest paved bike route
Biking the Mesabi Trail between Tower and Ely, part of 165 miles of jaw-dropping beauty, connecting 28 communities in MN’s wild north.
One hike, two scenic vistas—Ted Tofte Overlook and Carlton Peak
“Do we have to go hiking?” our nephew fussed as we made our way up Highway 61 along Minnesota’s North Shore…“Hiking is just walking and walking is boring.” “Well, how about this?” I wagered. “Let’s do this hike to Carlton Peak and if you don’t like hiking, we won’t do any more hikes for the rest of the trip.” “Fine,” he grumbled. “But I already know I’m not going to like it.”
Savoring Fall Solitude on the Gunflint Trail
From Minnesota’s highest peak to the mysteries of Magnetic Rock, there’s no better place to experience fall color than the Gunflint Trail. Tips for where to hike, camp and the best overlooks…
How to visit Voyageurs National Park without a boat (Part 3)
“Hey, bear,” I said after noticing the plump black bear sitting in the middle of the trail bingeing on that season’s abundant wild blueberries. I’m unsure whether she didn’t hear me …
Plan the perfect paddling and camping trip in Voyageurs (Part 2)
Planning a trip to Voyageurs may seem daunting at first, but it’s one of the most beautiful of our National Parks and a must-see. Check out our deep dive into maps, hiking trails, reserving permits, paddling big water, protecting your food from bears, where to camp and more.
Beginner’s guide to visiting Voyageurs National Park (Part 1)
Voyageurs is unique in that it is a water-based national park. Of its 218,000 acres, 84,000 of those are water. This includes 655 miles of undeveloped shoreline and more than 500 islands. All campsites and many of the sites within the park require the use of watercraft to visit.
Hike Minnesota’s best-kept secrets – Vermilion Gorge and waterfall
This trail is a delight year-round with raging water during the spring melt, wildflowers and berries in the summer, spectacular colors in the fall, and a wintery wonderland in the colder months. You’ll find the trailhead to the Vermilion Gorge Trail…
5 best places for stand-up paddleboarding in Northeast Minnesota
With 11,842 lakes and 69,200 miles of rivers and streams, it’s not hard to find somewhere to go stand-up paddleboarding in Minnesota. But in my opinion, the very best place to paddle is northeast Minnesota.
Hike to Devil’s Kettle at Judge C.R. Magney State Park
Where does the water from Devil’s Kettle go? Hike to the mysterious waterfall that splits across ancient rock, tumbles down 50 feet and disappears into a giant pothole…
Northeast Minnesota summer bucket list
I wonder if this has ever been true for you. Somewhere around mid-August, you realize that summer is almost over and you have yet to do most of your favorite summer activities. Here are six must-dos in northeast Minnesota this summer. #1 Camp in breathtaking places. #2 Hike a remote trail. #3 Swim in a lake…
The most unique hike in Duluth that you’ve probably never heard of
Beaches, lighthouses, sand dunes, rare plants, and an old-growth forest make Minnesota Point Pine Forest SNA one of the state’s most unique hikes.
Winter magic at the historic Tettegouche Camp
Be transported back to the 1900s logging camp era in an iconic Minnesota State Park. The historic Tettegouche camp is only accessible by bike, foot, ski, or snowshoe, but you won’t regret the trek.
Three ways to connect to the outdoors during long Minnesota winters
Discover new ways to embrace the wilderness when the days are short, nights are long, and springtime seems out of reach.
A year of wonderful wildlife, superior splendor in northeast MN
Top outdoor experiences in northeast Minnesota – from camping in Superior National Forest, an epic hike on the Superior Hiking Trail to a BWCA adventure, get inspired for your next trip
The peaks and valleys of a Superior Hiking Trail thru-hike – Part II
A Superior Hiking Trail thru-hike is truly an adventure of a lifetime, get insider tips and find out if Holly finished her 16-day SHT trip.
The peaks and valleys of a Superior Hiking Trail thru-hike – Part I
Planning a Superior Hiking Trail thru-hike? This article tells you everything you need to know and whether a thru-hike is right for you.