AH, WILDERNESS!

Grand Marais is a harbor village, a quiet refuge defined by moored sailboats and our quaint lighthouse. But the spectacular mountain backdrop and the wilderness beyond complete the dramatic picture, and your North Shore experience.

The serrated Sawtooth Mountains rise 1,000 feet above Lake Superior, formed by ancient volcanic activity. The glaciers that blanketed the region 10,000 years ago filled the area we now call the Superior National Forest with wetlands, ponds, streams and lakes. This is the largest Federal forest in the lower forty-eight, 3.9 million acres containing 445,000 acres of surface water, 1,300 miles of cold-water streams and 950 miles of warm-water streams. Now, how do these big numbers translate into your personal experience?

Well, start with phenomenal natural beauty. Rocky highlands and abundant water translate into cascading waterfalls, sparkling streams and clear lakes. The boreal, or northern, forest is carpeted with soft moss and is dense with fir, pine, tamarack, spruce, aspen, birch and maples. Wildlife is abundant – moose, white-tailed deer, loons, black bears, bald eagles, ospreys, beaver, red fox, even the beautiful but rarely seen gray wolf. For you, this means creating your experience within 27 USFS and 9 DNR campgrounds, 2,200 campsites within the BWCAW, and 254 dispersed campsites outside the BWCAW. It means access to 354 fishing lakes and 162 boat landings. You have 400 miles of designated hiking trails and 450 miles of groomed cross-country ski trails. So, plan for invigorating activity or quiet meditation among beautiful colors and forms. Every trip into the Superior National Forest exceeds your expectations.

For additional information, call the Grand Marais Area Tourism Association:
1-888-922-5000 or 218-387-2524