Minnesota Water Falls - Gooseberry

The Gooseberry Middle Falls.
8/26/2021 dwm photo

Minnesota's northern territory has been dry.  Wildfires were burning less than 50 miles west of us as we drove the Northern Shore to see lighthouses in Grand Marais and Two Harbors.

Just south of the Split Rock Lighthouse we saw a sign for Gooseberry Falls State Park.  We purchased a park sticker at the lighthouse so we decided to get our money's worth by stopping to see how much, if any, water might be cascading over the falls.

It was crowded at the park with lots of people taking the short walk to splash in the Gooseberry River as it skipped down a series of three falls. 

Lower Falls were mostly a trickle of water over the rocks as I looked for a good picture.  The Middle Falls were more impressive, even with a fraction of the water of normal years.  A series of stone steps link the three drops of the Falls.

You probably can't walk on the rocks when the spring melt rushes to Lake Superior, but the mix of brown boulders and white water falling over them and a deep blue sky made it feel special.

The Upper Falls.
8/26/21 dwm photo

 Above Middle Falls, water flowed between rocks rubbed by years of running water.  A short distance from the crest of the Middle Falls the Upper Falls raced down rocks.

 It is on the west side of the bridge carrying Scenic Highway 61 (you can see the bridge in photo top right), attracting a small group of people frolicking in the water on an unusually hot day.

 Gooseberry's Falls measure just 30-feet, so they aren't the tallest.  They are the most popular with tourists - which is helped by its proximity to Split Rock Lighthouse and Lake Superior.

If you just want to watch the water, it's a short walk from the visitor center.  You can enjoy the Upper Falls with a minimum of stairs, to see the Middle Falls you'll need to do some climbing.