Grand Marais

Last night Noelle, Parker and I drove up to Grand Marais from Duluth in the rain and fog. We checked into the cozy Harbor Inn where we spent last night and are staying tonight. Today was a day for spending time together since after tomorrow we will probably not see each other for about two weeks.

While the forecast for today called for showers, we were lucky enough to be able to go hiking without getting wet. Our intention was to hike at Grand Portage State Park and to check out Grand Portage National Monument. However, both turned out to be closed; the state park for the building of a visitor center, the national monument for the season. Still, we were able to hike up Mount Rose at the national monument on an interesting but steep interpretive trail. The end of the trail featured a high overlook of Lake Superior, Grand Portage Bay and the reconstructed trading post.

After Mount Rose we headed back towards Grand Marais. We stopped at Judge Magney State Park for another short hike. This hike followed the Brule River as it cascaded over rocks and through a gorge. The highlight of the trip were two waterfalls at the turnaround point of the hike: the Upper Falls and the very interesting Devil's Kettle where water flows down two sides of a steep precipice and disappears into a pit on one side.


Just in case my nerd status was in doubt, the hike to Devil's Kettle happened to be a Hiking Club trail and so I was able to log 2.5 more miles in my Hiking Club book. The Devil's Kettle Trail also happens to be part of the Superior Hiking Trail, so if all goes according to plan I should return to this section of trail in 2 or 3 days.

After the hike at Judge Magney we headed back to Grand Marais where we ate lunch outside our hotel room.
We then explored town a little bit, walking to the lighthouse, Artist's Point, and then through town before returning to our hotel room. Once back in our room I got to watch the Phillies beat the Mets before heading to dinner at Sven and Ole's.