Things to do in Grand Marais

This guide is for anyone planning a stop or a weekend in Grand Marais, the harbor town where the Gunflint Trail (Cook County Road 12) leaves Highway 61 at milepost 110.0. It is sorted by how much time you have, then by season, because a good share of what is listed here closes or changes hours between October and May.

Hours and prices below are only the ones an official source publishes, and each is dated.

The main stops, with published hours and prices

The Cook County Historical Society's own pages disagree on the museum's winter hours. Its Cook County History Museum page lists winter hours of Thursday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Its museum hours notice lists winter hours (October 20 to April 30) of Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Call 218-387-2883 before a winter visit.

If you have two hours

Stay on foot. Start at the Visit Cook County information center at 116 W Hwy 61, then work around the harbor.

• Artists' Point and the harbor. Visit Cook County describes Artists' Point as a place where painters work on scenes of sailboats, the lighthouse and Lake Superior. See the Artists' Point guide for the walk and safety notes.
• North House Folk School. North House says visitors are welcome to wander through campus. You can look into classes through doors and windows but should not walk into active class spaces. Small wooden boats line the beach and the Hjørdis docks at the water's edge. Free campus tours are "typically available Saturdays at 4pm" from the School Store, per North House.
• Cook County History Museum. The museum is in the former lightkeeper's residence, built in 1896 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Exhibits cover the Civilian Conservation Corps era, maritime history, homesteading and wartime, according to the Cook County Historical Society.
• Johnson Heritage Post. A log gallery built to resemble the original Johnson's Trading Post, with a permanent wing of paintings by Anna C. Johnson, an early 1900s artist.

If you have a full day

Pincushion Mountain overlook

The Superior Hiking Trail Association gives the directions: at Highway 61 milepost 110.0, turn onto Cook County Road 12 (the Gunflint Trail), go 2.0 miles, then follow Pincushion Drive 0.25 miles to the lot. A sign on the Gunflint Trail reads "Scenic Overlook." From the trail system, a "steep 0.25 mile spur trail" climbs to the summit view, per the SHTA section page. In winter the same area is the Pincushion Mountain ski trail system, which Visit Cook County lists at 52.9 km of groomed cross-country trails.

Sail on the Hjørdis

North House runs daily sails of about 1 hour 45 minutes and sunrise and sunset sails of about 1 hour 30 minutes. Coast Guard rules cap each sail at 6 guests, and infants count. The price is $80 a passenger plus about $5 in booking fees. Book online up to an hour before; cancel more than 48 hours ahead to avoid a full charge. The two North House pages give different starts: the daily sailing page says the 2027 season "will begin in late May," while the plan your visit page says "Sails typically run June through September." Details: North House daily sailing.

Bike or walk the Gitchi-Gami State Trail

The Minnesota DNR lists a 5.1-mile segment between Grand Marais and the Cut Face Creek Wayside. It starts at 3rd Avenue and continues toward Cascade River State Park. No fee or pass is needed to use the trail. Parking is at Cut Face Creek or the Grand Marais public water access near the U.S. Coast Guard station.

Add a state park

The two closest parks need a state park vehicle permit: $7 for a day or $35 for a year, per the DNR permit page.

If you have two or three days

• Drive the Gunflint Trail. The Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center is "57 miles up the Gunflint Trail." Admission covers all buildings: $6 adults, $3 ages 5 to 18, free under 5, per the Gunflint Trail Historical Society. The society's admission page shows two season notices as of November 11, 2026: one says Chik-Wauk is "open for the 2026 season, daily 10 am - 5 pm until October 18," and the other says it "is closed for the 2026 season" and gives May 29, 2027 as the reopening date. See the Gunflint Trail guide.
• Hike inland. For ridge and summit hikes away from the lake, see the Eagle Mountain and Oberg Mountain guides.
• Take a class. North House and the Grand Marais Art Colony both run multi-day craft and art classes. Book well ahead.
• Camp in town. The City of Grand Marais says its Grand Marais Recreation Area campground on the lake has 300 campsites; the recreation area's own camping page says 296 total sites. The camping page lists it as open year-round, with reservations recommended June to September. See camping near Grand Marais.

By season

Dates come from the Visit Cook County festival calendar and North House, as listed on 11/11/26. Many recurring events had no 2027 date posted yet.

For fall color timing on the inland ridges, see North Shore fall colors. For what stays open in the cold months, see the North Shore in winter.

Before you go

• Check hours the week you travel. The historical society's museum and gallery post separate winter schedules, and the Johnson Heritage Post lists holiday closures, including Thanksgiving Day.
• Book the schooner ahead. Each sail carries at most six guests, and every passenger, including infants, needs a ticket.
• Buy a state park permit once if you plan to visit two or more parks; the $35 year-round permit covers every Minnesota state park.
• Plan winter trail use around skiing. Visit Cook County lists Pincushion as a groomed cross-country ski system; check its trail conditions page before you go.
• Start at the information center (116 W Hwy 61, (218) 387-2524) for local visitor information.

Related guides: All North Shore guides · Minnesota road trips · Duluth to Grand Marais, stop by stop · Artists' Point in Grand Marais · Camping near Grand Marais

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Sources

• Visit Cook County, Grand Marais community page: https://www.visitcookcounty.com/communities/grand-marais/
• Visit Cook County, Grand Marais things to do (Pincushion ski trail length): https://www.visitcookcounty.com/places-to-visit/grand-marais/things-to-do/
• Visit Cook County, Annual festivals and events: https://www.visitcookcounty.com/events/festivals-events/
• Visit Cook County, State and national parks: https://www.visitcookcounty.com/outdoors/state-national-parks/
• Cook County Historical Society, Cook County History Museum: https://www.cookcountyhistory.org/cook-county-museum
• Cook County Historical Society, Updated museum hours: https://www.cookcountyhistory.org/updated-museum-hours
• Cook County Historical Society, Lightkeeper's House Museum: https://www.cookcountyhistory.org/cook-county-museum-learn-more
• Cook County Historical Society, Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery: https://www.cookcountyhistory.org/johnson-heritage-post-art-gallery
• North House Folk School, Home and events: https://northhouse.org/
• North House Folk School, Plan your visit: https://northhouse.org/visit/plan-your-visit
• North House Folk School, Daily sailing: https://northhouse.org/programs/daily-sailing
• Grand Marais Art Colony, Home: https://www.grandmaraisartcolony.org/
• City of Grand Marais, Grand Marais Recreation Area: https://www.ci.grand-marais.mn.us/recreation-area
• City of Grand Marais, Gunflint Hills Golf Course: https://www.ci.grand-marais.mn.us/gunflint-hills
• Grand Marais Recreation Area, Camping: https://www.grandmaraisrecreationarea.com/camping
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Grand Marais to Otter Lake Road section: https://superiorhiking.org/trail-section/grand-marais-to-otter-lake-road/
• Minnesota DNR, Gitchi-Gami State Trail: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/gitchigami/index.html
• Minnesota DNR, Vehicle permits: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/permit.html
• Gunflint Trail Historical Society, Chik-Wauk admission: https://gunflinthistory.org/admission/