Finland, Minnesota

Every Autumn, Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota designates some of it's best roads as official Fall Color Routes. These roads go deep into the forest, far from towns and cell phone reception to show off the best Minnesota has to offer. Peak season is short, only a week or two sometim...

Located within Tettegouche State Park, High Falls of the Baptism river is the highest waterfall entirely in Minnesota (High Falls of the Pigeon River is higher, but half of it lies on the Ontario border). The High Falls are one of the major highlights of Tettegouche State Park. Depending on wh...

George H. Crosby Manitou State Park is a lesser known park along Minnesota's North Shore. There are only backcountry sites, and it's not conveniently along the scenic road, so you really have to plan on going here. This makes it quiet, peaceful, and absolutely perfect for someone looking for a li...

Leave from the carpark on Superior Hiking Trail. The trail climbs a little before descending into a valley and winding around the hills. In about 2.5 miles, you will reach a clearing with an overlook above Bean Lake. At around 3.6 miles you will see a communal campsite on the right, with a number...

Thompson Beach is a Minnesota DNR public access beach. Camping is an excellent option, but they ask that you limit it to one night. Camping access is by paddle-in only. There are two easy places to launch your boat from, one from the north Twin Points Protected Access. From there it is about a mi...

Beth Lake is part of the "Lady Chain" of lakes in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. It's secluded, serene and worth the trip, especially if you're up for an afternoon of cliff jumping.You can reach Beth Lake in half of a day, assuming you set out in the morning and are efficient with your time. But...

A trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area requires some planning ahead. First, you'll need to book a permit/reservation via recreation.gov. Specify how many people are in your group, the number of watercraft you plan to use and how many days you'll be in the BWCA. You'll also need to select a grou...

Sand Island is a part of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore near Bayfield, Wisconsin. You can (and will want to) explore the sea caves of Sand Island for hours, and this adventure will leave you wanting to explore more of the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore.GETTING THEREYou will start your...

On a road trip from Kanasas City, MO to explore Lake Superior we stumbled across this amazing campground right on the shore of Lake Superior, Little Sand Bay Campground (34155 State Highway 13, Bayfield, WI 54814). After a long drive, you may want to take a nap :) Once you wake up, check out Mort...

A trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area requires some planning ahead. First, you'll need acquire a permit/reservation via recreation.gov . Specify how many people are in your group, the number of watercraft you plan to use and how many days you'll be in the BWCA. You'll also need to select a gro...

Cascade Falls via Superior Hiking Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a lake located near Grand Marais, Minnesota.

This is a great 24 mile loop if you are last minute planning or are only doing a weekend kayak/canoe trip in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, MN. The starting point is at Moose Lake boat launch and parking lot, which is about a 30 minute drive north of Ely, MN on Co Hwy 18. You must obtain a permi...

To get out to the Apostle Islands you have to travel by boat. Many people choose to sea kayak, but with small kids we opted to take the ferry/taxi through the Apostle Islands concierge (apostleisland.com ). However, there was one man who brought his kayak over on the ferry and then paddled around...

North Fork campground isn't the most sought after campground, but it is a diamond in the rough and a great alternative if Brooklyn Lake Campground and Sugarloaf Campground are full. It is reservable, but they also have an abundance of first come first serve sites available. At 8,600 ft the campgr...

The largest of Wisconsin's Apostle Islands, Madeline Island is about the size of Manhattan, but extremely sparsely populated and a great place to explore a north woods ecosystem. The best way to get to the island is by ferry from Bayfield to La Pointe. From La Pointe, it is about a ten minute dri...