The traveling manatees by Nancy French: Minnesota. Part 4

Temperance River rushing out to Lake Superior

By the shore of Gitche Gumee

By the shining Big-Sea Water

The Song of Hiawatha, penned by HW Longfellow in 1855, is an epic poem about an Ojibwe warrior and his love for a Dakota woman. This fictional love story takes place along the southern shores of Lake Superior (or the shore of Gitche-Gumee). I would never attempt to compete with Longfellow’s description of the lands, the wildlife, and the lake. But, the beauty of the area is what drew us back to the North Shore roughly 10 years after our last visit.

The rugged terrain at Temperance River State Park first started to form over a billion years ago. Hiking a portion of the Gitchee-Gumee Trail, we traveled along the River Gorge from the waterfront to the Upper Falls. Designated trout streams are located within the park, but after talking with an avid, young fisherman we decided not to try. Even with his local knowledge, he caught one trout after a full days’ effort.

High Falls at Grand Portage

Due to the lack of available campsites at several of the North Shore state parks, we moved to
Chippewa Indian reservation lands at Grand Portage. We lucked into sunny skies, which had been evasive, and a site overlooking Lake Superior.

The nearby Grand Portage State Park is home to the tallest waterfall in Minnesota. High Falls is 120-feet, though the falls are actually shared with Canada along this international border. Along the trail to the falls, we learned the history behind the areas’ name. As a major fur-trading route, a nine-mile trail was created which bypassed the waterfalls and rapids on the last 20 miles of the Pigeon River before it flows into Lake Superior. Since we have never portaged more than a few hundred feet, and with the use of a kayak dolly, their feat over these craggy lands seems impossible.

Part of The Cascades

Driving south, we found a campsite at Cascade State Park for a few nights. Though we played peekaboo with clouds and rain, we were able to explore a number of trails. Bears had been spotted in the park, so when venturing away from other hikers we would occasionally burst into song. Supposedly, bears will generally try to avoid people and we wanted them to know we were there. Named after the Cascade River, the highlights of the park are The Cascades, a series of five small waterfalls, and Cascade Falls.

High Falls at Tettagouche State Park

Tettegouche State Park provided additional trails. High Falls along the Baptism River can be seen on the approach surrounded by high cliffs and from below after crossing the metal Swinging Bridge. Though most of the trail was easy to moderate, the final quarter-mile upped to a moderately difficult even with or perhaps because of the steep stairs built on the approach to the falls. This was our final waterfall for Minnesota. We are now departing the state and starting our slow trip back home.