Minnesota is full natural beauty. The state is known for its stellar park systems and beautiful lakes. In my opinion some of the very best parks in the state are also located on the biggest lake we have, Lake Superior.
Located in the northeast part of our state, There is a whole chain of Minnesota State Parks right on Lake Superior. When traveling from the Southern part of the state, the first state park you hit once you get to Lake Superior, is Gooseberry Falls State Park – See map. This is a very well known park in Minnesota, and I am excited to show and tell you why! Gooseberry Falls State Park is a great park for a day trip, or a longer stay. Last Spring my mom and I took a day trip to the park and it was a perfect day.
We parked at the visitor center and after a quick chat with the helpful park rangers we set out towards the falls. Middle and Lower Falls are quite close to the visitor center. We took a moment when we reached them to take in the sight! So beautiful! After some quick photos and exploring we set off on our hike.
We began by hiking under the beautiful bridge and Gateway Plaza area to Upper Falls. On the way we saw some neat caves, and enjoyed the beautiful nature.
From Upper Falls we were able to connect to the Superior Hiking Trail and continued our journey towards Fifth Falls. This was a gorgeous section of the hike. Less populated and very quiet. It was lovely listening to the river.
Once we got to Fifth Falls we took time to relax and enjoy the scenery. We then started our hike back toward the visitor center, this time on the opposite side on the river to get different views. This was a great choice!
Once we were back to Middle and Lower Falls we crossed the river and continued on the River View Trail down to Lake Superior. This was again a peaceful and beautiful trail and at the end was gorgeous Agate Beach. Lake Superior never disappoints. We sat on the beach, threw rocks, relaxed, and listened to the waves.
This was a great day trip to Gooseberry Falls State Park! There is a lot more to do, but you are truly able to see a lot of the park in a short visit! What are your favorite things about Gooseberry Falls? What state park should I visit next?
Much Love & Happy Travels,
Lacey
10 Comments
Beatiful place!
January 21, 2017 at 12:15 pmThank you! It is so beautiful there! ❤️
January 21, 2017 at 12:23 pmI love Gooseberry Falls! We always have a great time there.
January 21, 2017 at 2:06 pmIt’s such a great park!
January 21, 2017 at 2:25 pmDuring the winter it’s easy to forget how beautiful Minnesota can be. I remember going to Gooseberry Falls when I was younger and having a really great time. Thank you for the wonderful post! I really enjoyed the photos, especially the last one. It’s really neat!
January 21, 2017 at 5:05 pmMom says she was very excited to see these photos. She loves going to Gooseberry Falls. In fact, she loves northern Minnesota. Sometimes you just need that peace and quiet. Here’s hoping we have tons of beautiful days in the coming spring and summer for some marvelous adventures!!!!
January 21, 2017 at 11:21 pmPurrs from Hemingway and Steinbeck
Big Thanks from Pam (the Mom)
It is so beautiful there. Thanks for reading! And HI to mom!
January 22, 2017 at 1:44 pmA.I can envision visiting this State Park, on the way up to Ely? Good idea.
January 22, 2017 at 5:55 pmV. Utah or Colorado
Looking forward to hiking the trails at Gooseberry with my son in June. It will be his first trip to the north shore. I am hoping we will find some wild blueberries.
January 23, 2017 at 3:46 amYum! That sounds great! I hope you have s great trip!
January 23, 2017 at 1:46 pm