3,340 SQuare Miles

Of Wild Lands To Discover

As soon as you enter Cook County, the vast natural landscape will take your breath away. You’ll be ready to get out into nature to experience it all.

Throughout the area, you’ll find incredible state parks, a national monument, wilderness areas and national scenic trails. These hidden gems are wild and beautiful, each unique in its own right, and each waiting to be explored.

Our parks are home to countless miles of trails that take you into the wild heart of Cook County. For most of the year, you can hike, bike and OTV/ATV through rugged terrain, and when the snow falls, our trails transform into a winter wonderland for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, fat tire biking, dog sledding, skijoring and snowmobiling. Further inland, in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), you can paddle a canoe or kayak and portage through our state’s most remote wilderness area.

Whether you’re planning a day trip or longer camping excursion, Cook County state and national parks and trails are waiting.

Isle Royale National Park

While Isle Royale National Park is technically in Michigan waters, the island archipelago is just 22 miles from Grand Portage. Known as Minong to the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, the archipelago is ancestral land with deep cultural connections. Visitors are welcome to take a day trip by ferry or embark on a multi-day adventure on the island for fishing, kayaking, hiking, boating, birding and more. Explore historic sites, including lighthouses, copper mining sites and shipwrecks.

North Country National Scenic Trail

The North Country National Scenic Trail is the longest in the National Trails System, stretching 4,800 miles across eight states from North Dakota to Vermont. Cook County’s portion traverses along the north shore of Lake Superior via the Superior Hiking Trail and inland on the Border Route and Kekekabic Trails in the BWCAW.

Located right on the border between the U.S. and Canada, this state park is also home to High Falls, the tallest waterfall in Minnesota. At 120 feet, High Falls is one of the most incredible features of the Pigeon River, and it’s accessible via a half-mile barrier-free boardwalk.

Grand Portage National Monument

Explore the history of the fur trade and the original native peoples (Anishinaabe) of our region through the historic fort and interpretive center supported by the national parks service. Hike the Grand Portage, an 8.5-mile trek from the wilderness interior to Lake Superior that was historically used to bypass the high falls and cascades of the Pigeon River, or take in the view of Grand Portage Bay from the Mount Rose Trail.

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

Over one million acres of pure wilderness bordering Canada, the BWCAW is Minnesota’s largest wilderness. No traffic or ringing phones, just nature. Traveling by canoe or kayak connects visitors with the area’s rich history. Designated as a Dark Sky Sanctuary, it offers some of the darkest skies in the world.

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