Cascade River State Park: A Beautiful Stop Along Minnesota's North Shore

One of my favorite things about a road trip along Minnesota's North Shore of Lake Superior is that you never really know what you're going to find.

Highway 61 is filled with scenic overlooks, waterfalls, state parks, and little places that are worth pulling over to explore. Many times, we would see a parking lot full of cars or people stopped along the road and wonder, What are they looking at? Of course, we'd have to stop and find out.

That's exactly how we discovered Cascade River State Park, located along Highway 61 about 10 miles southwest of Grand Marais, Minnesota.

And I'm glad we stopped.

Exploring Cascade River State Park

One of the best things about being curious when you travel is that you can stumble across some of the places you might otherwise miss. Cascade River State Park is a perfect example.

The entrance to Minnesota's state parks was a little different from what we're used to seeing at state parks back home in Arkansas, so you have to pay attention when you're looking for it along Highway 61.

Once we found the entrance, we headed in to see what was waiting for us.

There were some steps...

And then some more steps.

But once we made our way up, the views made the climb worthwhile.

The Beauty of Cascade River

Cascade River State Park is known for its rushing river and waterfalls flowing through a gorge surrounded by moss, ferns, and dark volcanic rock.

The scenery feels completely different from what we're used to seeing at home. The trails wind through forests of birch, spruce, and white cedar, and there are also opportunities to catch views of Lake Superior.

Even if you're simply traveling along the North Shore and looking for a place to stretch your legs and explore, Cascade River State Park makes a great stop.

For us, it was another one of those unexpected discoveries that made our road trip along Lake Superior even better.

Sometimes the best stops are the ones you didn't plan on making.

Visiting Cascade River State Park

Address:
3481 West Highway 61
Lutsen, MN 55612

Phone: 218-387-6000

Cascade River State Park is located approximately 10 miles southwest of Grand Marais along Minnesota State Highway 61, near milepost 101. It is approximately 265 miles from the Twin Cities.

If you're driving the North Shore, keep an eye out for the entrance. You just might find yourself pulling over to see what everyone else stopped to see!