Minnesota’s North Shore: waterfalls and cliffs to Grand Portage
MN-61 along Lake Superior from Duluth to the Canadian border, with a string of state parks, sea cliffs and the state’s highest waterfall.
- Distance
- 290 km (180 mi)
- Driving
- 3 h 13 min
- Suggested days
- 3
- Stops
- 9
- States
- MN
- Updated
- May 9, 2026
At a glance: 3-day road trip of about 290 km (180 mi) with 9 stops, from Duluth to Grand Portage. About 3 h 13 min of driving in total.
More road trips in Minnesota
Route description
Leave Duluth on the old North Shore Scenic Drive (County 61) along the lake to Two Harbors, then join MN-61. Gooseberry Falls State Park is the first big stop, about 65 km from Duluth, with paved paths to its waterfalls. Split Rock Lighthouse, a short way on, is run by the Minnesota Historical Society and charges an entry fee; the state park around it has a lakeside cart-in campground.
North of Silver Bay, Palisade Head is a short, steep side road up to a cliff top; leave trailers and large RVs at Tettegouche, 3 km farther, where the rest area and visitor center have big-vehicle parking. At Tettegouche, walk out to Shovel Point and up the Baptism River to the High Falls. These parks fill quickly in October during the autumn color season.
Continue to Temperance River State Park near Schroeder for a walk along its deep gorge, then past Tofte and Lutsen, where Carlton Peak and the Superior Hiking Trail give views over the lake. Grand Marais is a harbor town with an art colony and a good base. Book campgrounds and motels ahead in summer and in late September and October.
The last 60 km or so of MN-61 to Grand Portage runs past Judge C. R. Magney State Park, known for the Devil’s Kettle waterfall. At Grand Portage State Park, walk the boardwalk to the High Falls on the Pigeon River. Grand Portage National Monument, with a rebuilt fur trade depot, lies by the village. The road ends at the Canadian border crossing, where a passport is required.
Stop-by-stop itinerary
In driving order. Distances are estimates between consecutive stops.
- 1Start
Duluth
MN - 274 km
Gooseberry Falls State Park
NatureTwo Harbors, MNThe Gooseberry River drops over upper, middle and lower falls just before Lake Superior. Short paved paths from the visitor center on MN-61 reach all three; spring snowmelt brings the biggest flow.
- 312 km
Split Rock Lighthouse
ViewsTwo Harbors, MNA lighthouse on a 130-foot cliff above Lake Superior, built after a storm wrecked 29 ships.
- 422 km
Palisade Head
ViewsSilver Bay, MNA 100 m rhyolite cliff rising straight out of Lake Superior, with views to the Apostle Islands on clear days. The access road is narrow and steep with a small lot: not suitable for RVs or trailers.
- 53 km
Tettegouche State Park
NatureSilver Bay, MNLake Superior shoreline with the Shovel Point cliffs and the Baptism River’s High Falls, the tallest waterfall entirely in Minnesota. The rest area visitor center on MN-61 has parking for large vehicles.
- 641 km
Temperance River State Park
NatureSchroeder, MNThe river cuts a narrow, deep gorge of potholes and cauldrons just above MN-61. Easy trails climb along the rim from roadside parking; the Superior Hiking Trail continues to Carlton Peak.
- 755 km
Grand Marais
MN - 874 km
Grand Portage State Park (High Falls)
NatureGrand Portage, MNAn easy trail with boardwalk sections, about 800 m each way, leads to the 37 m High Falls on the Pigeon River, the border with Ontario and the highest waterfall in Minnesota. The visitor center is at the end of MN-61 before the border crossing.
- 99 km
Grand Portage
MN
FAQs
How long is Minnesota’s North Shore: waterfalls and cliffs to Grand Portage?
3-day road trip of about 290 km (180 mi) with 9 stops, from Duluth to Grand Portage. About 3 h 13 min of driving in total.
How many days do you need for Minnesota’s North Shore: waterfalls and cliffs to Grand Portage?
We suggest 3 days: about 3 h 13 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.
Where does Minnesota’s North Shore: waterfalls and cliffs to Grand Portage start and end?
It starts in Duluth and ends in Grand Portage.
Which states does Minnesota’s North Shore: waterfalls and cliffs to Grand Portage pass through?
Minnesota.
