Caribou Falls State Wayside

I'm a huge sucker for waterfalls. There are so many unique falls along the North Shore of Lake Superior, some right off the road and some requiring further hikes. I'm honestly surprised that Caribou Falls isn't more well-known, considering it's size and proximity to Highway 61. My guess is that it's less traveled due to not being part of a state park. After stopping here, I consider it one of the must-sees along the North Shore.

Caribou Falls State Wayside was a quick add-on to our North Shore weekend last fall (read more and see our full agenda here). Minnesota has 9 state waysides, which are too small to be considered a full state park, but containing important cultural or natural resources and beautiful views. Most have minimal to no facilities. This wayside does have a vault toilet in the parking lot. The trail is not maintained in the winter.

Navigate to Caribou Falls State Wayside, which is just past mile 70.5 on Highway 61. When the water level is low, you can hike right along the Caribou River. We opted for the trail itself (AllTrails map), which is only 0.6 miles out (1.2 miles total). The peaceful hike runs parallel to the babbling river. Trees were mostly green with a few pops of yellow. The trail does climb 100 feet in half mile, so be prepared for a steady, gradual elevation gain.

We heard the roar of the falls as we turned left and descended about 150 stairs to the base of the 40-foot waterfall. Sheer cliffs filled with greenery on either side added to the appeal of the water cascading over the massive rocks. There isn't much room at the base of the falls, so we were glad it wasn't busy. We were able to marvel at the power and feel the mist all by ourselves for a while before another group eventually joined.

An add-on to this trail that is easy to miss is the overlook of Lake Superior above the falls. We ascended the stairs and continued uphill along the trail. It's not much further, so there's no reason not to check it out. The overlook contains a wooden platform with a railing and a peek-a-boo view of Lake Superior through the pine trees. Looking over the railing, you can see the very top of the Caribou Falls. After enjoying the scene, turn back and enjoy an easy descent back to the parking lot.

Location: Caribou Falls State Wayside, 7232 MN-61, Silver Bay, MN 55614, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Trail of Small Wonders 2023 - Limited Time Event at Westwood Hills Nature Center

Image
Our family loves nature and loves free, so nature centers are a favorite for us. When planning a play date for my daughter and her friends at Westwood Hills Nature Center in St. Louis Park, we got the added bonus of checking out the Trail of Small Wonders. This year's event ends on July 29, so hurry over to check it out! Westwood Hills Nature Center is fun in itself. We first discovered it two summers ago, when we explored some of the 160 acres of trails, and saw a deer, turtles, and beekeepers working in the apiary. The nature center building is home to a few raptors outside and other small animals inside by the exhibits. The outdoor play area was being built at the time, so we were excited to return and see the final result. There is a small playground, a flowing water activity, and a nature play area where the kids built a fort with large branches. Now for the highlight of the day - The Trail of Small Wonders! The St. Louis Park Friends of the Arts offered a workshop on buildin
Read more

Whitewater State Park - Chimney Rock and Hiking Club Trail - Summer 2023

Image
This park had me at "No mosquitos!" Whitewater State Park (Altura, MN) is known for Chimney Rock and for not having (many) mosquitos due to very little standing water. We visited this park with our 7-, 5-, and 3-year-old on our trip to Lewiston, MN . I knew these trails would be a bit of a challenge for my children, which is why I wanted to start the day at this park. Make sure you bring plenty of water and be ready to take breaks. The Visitor Center had a lot of fun activities and we spent time there both before and after our hike. My children especially enjoyed the taxidermy animals, ranger outfits, and magnetic fishing activity. The Hiking Club Trail at this park is interesting, because the booklet tells you to just hike from the Visitor Center to the end of it and then loop back on the paved road/trails. The AllTrails version of this, Coyote Point Trail to Dakota Trail , has you going out and back on the same trail. Since we wanted to see Chimney Rock anyway, we decided t
Read more

George Crosby Manitou State Park in the Fall

Image
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. -"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost Have you heard of George Crosby Manitou State Park? This park is one of the least-visited state parks, despite it's location on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Is it "less traveled" due to quality? Absolutely not! There are two main reasons why this park isn't spoken of: location and trail difficulty.  It's off the main roads, so the park is a 20-minute drive from Highway 61. The trails themselves are tough - full of rocks and roots, narrow, and not always well-marked. This is by design - the park is intentionally under-developed to create more of a wilderness experience. This is precisely the reason I chose George Crosby Manitou as one of the stops on our North Shore weekend last fall (read about our full weekend and find our agenda here ). Huge bonus - it has a cascade waterfall! To get to the park, navigat
Read more