Temperance River State Park

This guide covers the gorge trails, the river mouth, the campgrounds, what you pay, and what is open in each season. It is written for day visitors stopping on a North Shore drive and for campers comparing sites. All facts come from the Minnesota DNR park page and park map unless noted; sources are at the end.

The park in brief

Temperance River became a state park in 1957 and covers about 5,000 acres (the DNR lists 5,007). The river runs through a narrow gorge on its way to Lake Superior. The DNR explains that swirling water carrying gravel and rocks wore potholes into the basalt riverbed, and over thousands of years "these potholes were dug deeper and wider, eventually connecting and creating the deep, narrow gorge."

The name is a joke. According to the DNR, the river once flowed so deep and strong into the lake that no bar built up at its mouth, unlike other North Shore streams. A river with no bar, the story goes, is a temperance river.

Gorge trails and the river mouth

Per the DNR park map, the Gorge Trail, the Upper Falls route and the Carlton Peak Trail all start from the Highway 61 parking lot on the northeast side of the river. The Gitchi-Gami State Trail spur starts near the park office.

The gorge and the falls

For the shortest visit, walk the paved path from the Highway 61 lot to the Hidden Falls viewing deck. The trail then turns to gravel and rock stairs and follows the gorge rim for a quarter mile.

To reach the Upper Falls, the DNR map directs you to "hike the trail upstream past Hidden Falls," climb the rock stairs along the river, "go left at the paved Gitchi-Gami Trail and then right when the bridge ends," and follow the trail upstream.

The lagoon and the beach

The DNR suggests strolling "down to the foot bridge below Highway 61" for views of the Temperance River lagoon. The beach and picnic area at the river mouth are a place to skip rocks and eat lunch with a lake view. The rock shoreline and splash pools near the campground are reached by trails near campsites #14 or #25. (The DNR park page puts these below the upper campground; the 2026 park map says the lower campground.)

Safety rules on the river

The DNR's park map is blunt about the gorge:

• "Do not swim in the Temperance River due to dangerous and unpredictable river currents."
• "Use caution while hiking the trails along the Temperance River Gorge. Keep small children close at hand."
• Wear good hiking shoes, and expect spotty cell service. In an emergency, call 911.

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

Carlton Peak and the Superior Hiking Trail

The park map places Carlton Peak "over 1,000 feet above the lake," and the DNR park page says it is popular with rock climbers. The DNR describes it as several huge blocks of anorthosite, a hard rock carried up from deep below the surface by molten lava. The 3-mile route follows the Superior Hiking Trail from the Highway 61 lot, along the gorge and through forest, to the summit.

The park is a main trailhead for both the Superior Hiking Trail and the North Shore Corridor Trail, with 22 miles of hiking trail in all. See Superior Hiking Trail day hikes for other sections.

Current alert: as of November 2026, the DNR alert (last updated July 13, 2026) says Carlton Peak Road, Forest Service Road 1201, "is severely washed out. This includes the park's day use area at the peaks. The road remains open but drive with extreme caution."

Camping at Temperance River

The park has two drive-in campgrounds, an upper and a lower, with campsites on both sides of the river. Most sites are shaded and wooded, and the DNR says "some sites in the lower campground have an excellent view of the lake."

The DNR notes this is "one of only four Minnesota state parks on the North Shore with electrical hookups." The lower campground also has a canoe access to Lake Superior.

Season: the campground is currently closed for the season, and there is no drinking water in the park over the winter. The DNR says reservations are "strongly recommended from May to mid-October" and can be made up to 120 days ahead. The DNR reservation FAQ adds that booking for a newly opened date starts at 8 a.m. Central, and every state park campsite needs a reservation.

For a lakeside alternative with more site types, see the Tettegouche State Park camping guide, or camping near Grand Marais farther up the shore.

What it costs

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

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 the exact site price.

The office keeps short hours, so buy your permit online before you leave home. If the station is closed, the DNR says you can buy one online by following the instructions at the pay station.

Winter at Temperance River

Park hours stay 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily in winter. Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park except groomed snowmobile trails, and 7 miles of snowmobile trail connect to the C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Trail. Flush toilets are off for the season, though some vault toilets stay open year-round. See the North Shore in winter for nearby options.

Before you go

1. Buy a vehicle permit in advance; the office is open only a few hours a day.
2. For a short stop, walk the Gorge Trail to Hidden Falls; allow more time for the 1-mile Upper Falls route.
3. Keep children close on the gorge rim, and stay out of the river.
4. If camping, fill your RV water tank before you arrive; there is no dump station.
5. Check the DNR alert before driving Carlton Peak Road.
6. Buy firewood at the park or from an approved vendor; gathering it is not allowed.

Related guides: All North Shore guides · Cascade River State Park · North Shore state parks compared · Duluth to Grand Marais, stop by stop

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Sources

• Minnesota DNR, Temperance River State Park (camping, trails, seasonal update, alerts): https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/park.html?id=spk00268
• Minnesota DNR, Temperance River State Park map and guide (PDF, 2026): https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/state_parks/spk00268.pdf
• Minnesota DNR, Reservation FAQ: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/reserve-faq/index.html
• Minnesota DNR, State park fees: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/fees.html
• Minnesota DNR, Vehicle permits: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/permit.html