Cascade River State Park

Facts checked against official sources on November 11, 2026

Photo: James B. Bleeker, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

At a glance

Cascade Falls walk: Lower Loop, 0.5 miles
Superior Hiking Trail loop: 7.8 miles on the 2020 DNR map; SHTA reports a half-mile reroute
Campsites: 40 drive-in (21 electric), 5 backpack, 2 group
RV length limit: 35 feet
Vehicle permit: $7 a day or $35 a year
Location: Highway 61, 10 miles southwest of Grand Marais

In this guide

The park in brief
The Cascade Falls walk
Longer hikes and the Superior Hiking Trail
Camping at Cascade River
Cascade River in winter
What it costs
Before you go

Short answer: Cascade River State Park is on Highway 61 about 10 miles southwest of Grand Marais. The short visit is the Cascade River Lower Loop, a 0.5-mile hike to the Cascades, a series of five small waterfalls, and Cascade Falls. The Superior Hiking Trail runs through the park, including a loop up the river that the 2020 DNR map lists at 7.8 miles. The park has 40 drive-in campsites (21 electric), 5 backpack sites and 2 group camps, with a few drive-in sites plowed for winter camping. A state park vehicle permit costs $7 a day or $35 a year.

This guide is for travelers deciding how much time to give Cascade River on a North Shore trip, and for campers choosing a site. It covers the falls walk, the longer trail loops, the campground and its winter season, and what everything costs. Facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page and park map unless noted; sources are listed at the end.

The park in brief

Address	3481 West Highway 61, Lutsen, MN 55612
Where	Office just off Highway 61 at mile post 101; about 265 miles from the Twin Cities
Park hours	8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Office hours	9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (since April 22, 2026); call ahead
Phone	218-387-6000
Size	5,392 acres
Vehicle permit	Required; buy at the park office or entrance kiosk

The Civilian Conservation Corps developed the park in the 1930s, and it was formally established in 1957. The DNR's park map says the river "plunges 120 feet through a deep, twisting gorge on its 17-mile journey to meet Lake Superior." The DNR park page measures it differently, as "a total drop of 900 feet in the last three miles of its journey."

The Cascade Falls walk

The Lower Loop is what most visitors come for. The DNR's "only have an hour" suggestion is to "discover the Cascades, a series of five small waterfalls, and the Cascade Falls on a half-mile hike on the Cascade River Lower Loop." The park map rates it hilly, with packed dirt and bare rock. A footbridge spans the river, and the DNR says you can stand on it "or at any of the viewing spots above the river, and feel the vibration of the rushing torrent."

Wayside construction: the Cascade River Wayside on Highway 61, where the DNR lists a canoe access, has a trailhead and has been under construction. As of November 2026, the DNR alert (last updated June 28, 2026) says the Minnesota Department of Transportation would resume work there on June 1, 2026, with "no parking on the lake side of the highway," a later partial closure of the inland lot, and access to the trailhead "maintained throughout the project." Check the DNR park page for the current state before you count on wayside parking.

Safety: the DNR map warns of "rocky, uneven terrain," says rivers here are unpredictable, and that "swimming is not recommended." Wear sturdy footwear.

For more falls along the drive, see North Shore waterfalls, in driving order and the Minnesota hikes and waterfalls guides.

The frozen, snow-covered Cascade River winding through a spruce-lined gorge in Cascade River State Park in winter — Photo: Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Longer hikes and the Superior Hiking Trail

The park has 18 miles of hiking trail, and its trails connect with the Superior Hiking Trail and the North Shore State Trail. From the DNR park map (2020 edition):

Trail	Distance	Terrain	What you get
Cascade River Lower Loop	0.5-mile loop	Hilly, packed dirt, bare rock	The Cascades and Cascade Falls
Lake Superior Shoreline Trail	1.5 miles one way	Uneven, bare rock	Rocky lakeshore views; groomed for skiing in winter
Lookout Mountain Loop	3.5-mile loop	Steep, bare rock, packed dirt	600 feet of climbing to views of the river valley, Lake Superior and the Sawtooth Mountains
Cascade River Superior Hiking Trail Loop	7.8-mile loop	Steep, bare rock, packed dirt	Up one side of the river to County Road 45, across, and back down the other side

On the 7.8-mile loop, the DNR says the trail "crosses over the County Road 45 bridge and then under it to continue hiking on the other side of the river." It calls this a "rugged day hike" and advises bringing water and snacks.

The map distance may be out of date. The Superior Hiking Trail Association's trail conditions page (updated October 5, 2026) reports a new reroute on the west side of the Cascade River Loop: the stretch between the Cook County Road 45 trailhead and the spur to the Cascade River Wayside trailhead is now 3.5 miles instead of 3. It also says a contractor is working on the east side of the loop, which remains open. Check that page for current conditions before a long hike.

The DNR park page notes the trails are "mostly dry with a few wet patches," and its current alert (last updated June 28, 2026) says "some trails have muddy areas." For other sections of the trail, see Superior Hiking Trail day hikes.

The shoreline also has seven picnic sites under a grove of cedars, with parking "a half-mile west of the park entrance on Highway 61."

Camping at Cascade River

Option	Detail from the DNR
Drive-in sites	40: 19 rustic and 21 electric
Pull-through sites	4
RV length limit	35 feet; parking spurs run 21 to 50 feet, tow vehicle included
Hookups	Electric only; "no water or sewer hook-ups at the campsites"
Accessible	2 drive-in sites in the lower campground, one with electric
Backpack sites	5, half a mile to 1.5 miles from parking
Group camps	2, tent only, seasonal; parking and vault toilets 75 yards away, water about a fifth of a mile

The DNR warns that "many of our campsites are small and cannot accommodate large units," so check each site's spur length in ReserveMN, counting both the trailer and the tow vehicle.

Backpack sites

Each backpack site has a tent pad, fire ring with grill, small shelter and picnic table. Distances, per the DNR:

BP1: 1 mile from the group camp parking lot, 0.1 miles from Lake Superior
BP2 and BP3: 1 mile from the group camp parking lot
BP4: 0.5 miles from the group camp parking lot
BP5: 1.5 miles from the day use parking lot

As of November 2026, the DNR alert (last updated June 28, 2026) still lists backpack sites 2 through 5 as closed for maintenance. Confirm status before planning a backpack trip.

Season and winter camping

Camping is available year-round, but most campsites close for winter. The DNR says all sites closed on October 18, 2026, "except for the seven drive-in campsites that are plowed throughout the winter." Elsewhere on the same page it lists "three rustic sites and three electric sites" as plowed, so expect six or seven winter sites. The shower building was scheduled to close on October 19, 2026, and the dump station was open May through October 18 in 2026, for state park campers only, who must stop at the ranger station first.

All campsites require a reservation. Per the DNR reservation FAQ, you can book up to 120 days ahead, starting at 8 a.m. Central on the first day a date opens, and same-day reservations carry no fee.

For more options in the area, see camping near Grand Marais or the Temperance River State Park guide for a park with 52 drive-in sites farther southwest on Highway 61.

Cascade River in winter

The park grooms 17 miles of classic cross-country ski trail, including one beginner loop, and the more difficult trails connect to trails outside the park. A Great Minnesota Ski Pass is required on groomed trails. The Lake Superior Shoreline Trail is, according to the DNR map, "the only cross-country ski trail groomed along the North Shore's shoreline." There are 2 miles of snowmobile trail connected to the C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Trail, and snowshoeing is allowed anywhere except groomed ski and snowmobile trails. The enclosed picnic shelter becomes a warming house, heated on weekends and holidays through ski season; on weekdays, you can buy firewood at the ranger station to heat it. See the North Shore in winter for more.

What it costs

From the DNR vehicle permit page and fee schedule, before tax:

Item	Price
One-day vehicle permit	$7 (the DNR also sells an overnight permit at the same price, valid through 4 p.m. the next day)
Year-round vehicle permit	$35
Drive-in campsite	$20 to $35 a night
Electric hookup	add $10 a night
Backpack campsite	$20 to $23 a night
Online reservation fee	$8 ($10 by phone)

Two nights at an electric site: 2 × ($20 + $10) + $8 reservation fee = $68 at the low end, or 2 × ($35 + $10) + $8 = $98 at the high end, plus a vehicle permit ($7 overnight or $35 year-round). For multi-night stays, ask the park which permit covers your whole stay; the year-round permit covers every visit for a year. ReserveMN shows each site's exact price.

Before you go

Buy your vehicle permit ahead; if the ranger station is closed, the DNR says to buy online using the QR codes outside it.
For a one-hour stop, walk the 0.5-mile Lower Loop.
Check the DNR alert for the Cascade River Wayside parking and backpack site closures.
If camping with a trailer, confirm the spur length; the limit is 35 feet.
In winter, carry a ski pass for groomed trails, and book one of the few plowed sites early.
Buy firewood at the ranger station or through Yodel; gathering it is not allowed.