to the north shore :: minnesota & lake superior ~ post 3 of 3.
Late last year we decided that although the kids had busy schedules Jesse and I would go ahead and get away for something of a "spring break." A third trip to the North Shore in early April seemed the perfect idea. Snowfall the week before arriving meant that snowy paths awaited us, and as Winter hikes are so enjoyable to us this was perfectly acceptable even in April. Our weather in KC having warmed up occasionally to eighty degrees, we were more than happy to experience Winter one more time.
Having enjoyed so many trails, waterfalls and views on our previous two trips we knew that we'd probably repeat some of the same paths. Our first stop was Gooseberry Falls State Park. On our first time here in March 2024 we enjoyed 4 of the 5 waterfalls, all accessible by paved paths. This time we decided to take the trek through the woods for a couple additional miles and see Fifth Falls. It was worth it and also enjoyable to see signs of beaver along the Gooseberry River.
The next day we began our time by enjoying a stroll on the beach to reach The Tombolo. We had been to this location in March 2024, but this time the path to The Tombolo was clear of lake water so we were able to climb up on it and have a sweet view of Lake Superior.
We then drove up the Gunflint Trail in Grand Marais to the George Washington Pines trail. This trail was laden with snow and a bit of chore to walk, but was mostly flat and the views of all those pines quite beautiful. After lunch we thought to explore a simple wayside trail, the Onion River Trail. What we thought was a short 1 mile round trip to see a waterfall was actually a 2 mile out and back trail of the Onion River with many beaitufiul views and a unique waterfall. I'm glad we chose to explore this less popular area.
After waiting out a blizzard for a day we decided to rent snowshoes and hike to the High Falls at Tettegouche State Park. We hiked this trail in March 2024 when it was a mixture of ice and mud. This was our first time snowshoeing, and it is not for the faint of heart! We were the first on the trail that morning and were in essence creating a path in foot-deep, fresh, soft snow. It took us 3.5 hours to hike 3 miles out and back. We have never hiked so slowly and never been so exhausted after a hike (that I can remember). The uniqueness of the circumstances and the beauty of the falls and our teamwork to overcome the challenges presented by so much snow have this as one of my most favorite hikes.
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