Attractions and Places To See in Superior National Forest - Top 20

There are no designated trails in the Butterwort Cliffs SNA, so exploring the area alone is not recommended. Cascade River State Park occasionally offers interpretive walks through the Butterwort Cliffs Scientific and Natural Area (SNA). Please note that the area is closed from April 1 to July 15 due to its status as a bird sanctuary. It’s just nice to know it's there! Alpine butterwort, the namesake of the area, is a carnivorous flowering plant that is endangered in Wisconsin and listed as “of special concern” in Minnesota due to its declining habitat. This plant is carnivorous because it traps small insects that crawl across its sticky, ground-hugging leaves. The insects become stuck, and the plant digests them using specialized enzymes. Two brown SNA signs mark the location of the SNA, both located just off the shoulder of Highway 61: one at the northeast corner of the SNA and the other at the northwest corner of the property.

Grand Marais Lighthouse stands as a prominent landmark at the entrance to the harbor of Grand Marais, Michigan, on the southern shore of Lake Superior. This white, square-pyramidal skeletal lighthouse, topped with a red lantern room, was first lit in 1898. Perched on a concrete pier that extends into the vast lake, it has guided countless vessels safely into the protected waters of Grand Marais Bay, a crucial harbor of refuge along a rugged stretch of coastline. Its sturdy construction and enduring presence are a testament to its vital role in maritime navigation and the rich history of the Great Lakes shipping industry.

When my brothers and I hiked the Sioux-Hustler Trail in late August 1970, the trailhead was farther west on the Echo Trail, just on the other side of the Little Sioux Indian River on Forest Road 1877. When we registered at the office in Ely before heading out, the ranger asked us to report on the trail's status upon our return because, as far as he knew, no one else had hiked it that season. We didn't see anyone the three days we were on the trail and didn't see any recent evidence of trail use. We lost the trail many times, as it was either covered by beaver ponds or ran over a rocky ridgetop. There were five of us, so when we lost the trail, we posted one at the last known point, and the other four fanned out ahead, looking for blazes on the trees or piles of rocks. Of course, back at that time, there were no GPS devices; we only had paper maps. However, we kept an almost hourly log of our hike, which, combined with the map, enabled me to reconstruct our route on komoot. A few years after our hike, the Sioux-Hustler wildfire destroyed the trail from Emerald to Meander Lake. Here is a link to our hike back in 1970: . I have uploaded two photos from our trip One is of of us standing at the old trailhead, and the other shows me wading across a stream flooded by a beaver dam.

The trailhead can be found off of the Echo Trail (also known as County Road 116), and is sign posted. There is parking for about 15 cars, and a bulletin board at the start of the trail has details about the current conditions, as well as day permits for entering the BWCAW (these are necessary).

The views from the cliff top are spectacular, but be careful! Visitors have been known to have fallen in and swept to a watery demise.

The Gitchi-Gami State Trail crosses the Temperance River affording excellent views of the gorge.

This waterfall splits in two at an outcropping of volcanic rock. The water to the east side of the outcropping plunges into a pool below as expected. However, the water on the west side of the outcropping falls into a hole and disappears from view. Visitors have long wondered where the water on the west side of the waterfall ends. Recently, the Department of Natural Resources' geologists have determined that the water that falls into the hole rejoins the stream just downstream of the falls.