Grand Portage State Park sits on the border between Minnesota and Canada. Literally when you pull into the parking lot, you can see the check station for the Canadian border. Its also only 13 minutes from the ferry dock that services Isle Royale National Park, so you can do both while you’re in the area.

The visitor center was closed due to the pandemic during our visit but it looks fantastic. On their website, they actually explain its a welcome center, both for the park, as well as other travelers and and is designed to give an introduction into the culture of the Grand Portage Ojibwe people. I stared in longingly from the outside and had to refrain from pressing my nose against the window.

Impressive welcome center aside, Grand Portage is most famous for being home to the highest water fall in Minnesota, very appropriately named High Falls. High Falls is formed when the Pigeon River, which runs the border between the United States and Canada, picturesquely plunges 120 feet off a rocky cliff. The walk to the falls is an easy paved half mile (one way), is stroller and wheelchair friendly, and there are several viewing decks for the falls.

There is also a beautiful 4.5 mile round-trip hiking trail that leads to Middle Falls, another picturesque waterfall upriver from High Falls. You can’t fault Minnesota for how they name things – very practical, matter of fact and descriptive in the simplicity. “These falls are high. High Falls. There you go.” I’d like to know if they also have a lot of dogs named Blackie and Yellar.

Despite my best negotiation tactics, I could not convince the rest of my family to hoof it to Middle Falls the day of our visit. We had gotten up early to make the ferry to Isle Royale, powered hiked several miles and ridden a boat for 3 hours, so my crew was not in the mood to walk several more miles and have a picnic with the last pack of peanuts I had in my backpack. Middle Falls does look like a beautiful spot though, with a trail that includes some amazing overlooks, and I’m sorry we missed it and the visitor center. We ended up walking to High Falls, during which Jax predicted his impending death due to starvation. There were otters playing in the water around the base of the falls and it was so adorable that Jax forgot about his empty stomach for awhile. People from Canada also have a viewing platform on their own side but there was no one there that day. Canadians, where were you? We wanted to wave at someone in another country.

Given more time and more food for a hangry 9 year old boy, we could have spent at least half a day, possibly a whole day, at this park, hiking, picnicking, and playing in the water.

things i want you to know

• You’re so close to Canada that your cell phone may get confused and try to grab onto Canadian towers. For some carriers, this will mean roaming rates so keep an eye on it.
• There is a labeled selfie spot (with signs!) where you can take a selfie with Canada in the background – I think you should do this. My family refused to even pause – the downside of pushing them hard all day and having Grand Portage be our last stop in a long day.
• This state park is free! Others require a State Park Vehicle Permit.
• Along the paved 0.5 mile paved trail to High Falls, there are several side trails with stairs that lead down to the river. I heard its beautiful and you can sun yourself on big rocks. I wouldn’t know since my family was getting progressively more hangry at this point.
• There is a picnic pavilion.
• Historic nugget: American Indians used the river for travel but the waterfall created a serious obstacle. So they developed a 9 mile trail around the falls. Portage means you gotta carry your boat over land for awhile to avoid something dangerous. Due to the historic trail, the area was named Grand Portage.