This Minnesota State Park Is Competing For The Title Of Best In The Country
Hundreds of thousands of people visited this place last year, and almost all of them left wishing they had stayed longer. This Minnesota state park sits quietly on the North Shore of Lake Superior, hiding waterfalls, rugged trails, and views that genuinely stop you in your tracks.
It just earned a nomination for Best State Park in the USA Today 10Best Readers Choice Awards, and the reviews tell you everything about why. People don’t just visit this state park once.
They come back, season after season, like it owes them something. If you haven’t been yet, you’re missing one of the most dramatic natural escapes in the entire country.
This is not your average park with a bench and a trail map.
The USA Today Nomination That Has Everyone Talking
Not every park gets called out by national editors as a contender for the best in the country. Gooseberry Falls State Park earned exactly that honor.
USA Today editors and subject matter experts selected it for the Best State Park category in their 10Best Readers Choice Awards.
Public voting is open daily through May 11 at noon. Winners get announced on May 20.
That means right now, this park is in a live competition against top parks across the entire country.
What makes this nomination feel earned is the track record. The park ranked third in the same USA Today state park ranking earlier in 2025.
It has held the title of Minnesota’s most-visited state park for seven of the last ten years.
Located at 3206 MN-61, Two Harbors, MN 55616, the park draws over 760,000 visitors annually, which is a staggering number for a single state park. That kind of foot traffic speaks louder than any award nomination could.
People keep coming back, year after year, because the experience genuinely delivers.
If you want to vote and show some support, you can do so daily through the USA Today website. Every vote counts in a competition this close.
This park deserves the spotlight it is finally getting on a national stage.
Three Waterfalls That Will Stop You In Your Tracks
Most waterfall parks give you one good view and call it a day. Gooseberry Falls hands you three distinct waterfalls in a single visit, and each one has its own personality.
The Upper, Middle, and Lower falls are the heart of this 1,682-acre park.
What makes these falls special is how close you can actually get. There are no distant viewing platforms with ropes keeping you back.
You can walk right onto the smooth basalt rocks and feel the mist on your face.
After heavy rain, the water volume increases dramatically and the falls become genuinely thunderous. Visiting in late July after a week of rain means the difference between a trickle and a roaring cascade.
Timing your visit around rainfall can completely transform the experience.
The park was established back in 1937, giving it over 85 years of welcoming curious visitors. That long history shows in the well-worn paths and thoughtfully maintained trails around the falls.
Nothing feels rushed or overdeveloped here.
A short ten-minute walk from the parking lot puts you right at the main falls. The paved path is accessible and family-friendly.
Even visitors with limited mobility can reach the main viewing area without much difficulty at all.
Over 20 Miles Of Trails Worth Every Step
Twenty miles of trails sounds like a lot until you actually start exploring and realize you want even more. The trail network here covers everything from easy paved paths to rugged natural terrain along the river.
There is genuinely something for every skill level.
The trail down to Lake Superior is one of the most rewarding walks in the entire park. You cross a small wooden bridge, wind through forest, and suddenly the massive lake opens up before you.
That moment never gets old no matter how many times you make the trip.
Hikers who push past the main falls toward the Fifth Falls are in for a quieter and equally beautiful reward. The east and north side trail offers the best views with fewer crowds.
That section feels like a completely different park compared to the busy main area.
Mountain biking trails connect directly to the Superior Hiking Trail, which is a big deal for cycling enthusiasts. The park sits right along MN-61, making it easy to reach from Duluth and the broader North Shore region.
Trail conditions stay surprisingly well-maintained throughout the seasons. Even after rain, muddy spots are manageable with the right footwear.
Staff clearly take pride in keeping every path walkable and enjoyable year-round.
The Visitor Center Is Better Than You Expect
Visitor centers at state parks usually get a quick glance and a bathroom break. The one at Gooseberry Falls actually earns a proper visit all on its own.
It features a small museum-style exhibit area, a well-stocked gift shop, and genuinely clean modern restrooms.
The exhibits cover the natural and geological history of the park in a way that even kids find interesting. Displays about local wildlife and the basalt rock formations give real context to what you are seeing outside on the trails.
It is the kind of place that makes your hike feel more meaningful afterward.
The gift shop carries locally themed souvenirs, nature books, and unique items like animal figures and interesting rocks. It is not the generic tourist trap you might expect.
Several visitors specifically mention stopping there before and after their hike.
Staff at the visitor center are consistently described as helpful and friendly across hundreds of reviews. That kind of reliable hospitality makes a real difference when you are navigating a large and sometimes crowded park.
Having knowledgeable people available to answer trail questions is genuinely useful.
Water fountains and flush toilets inside the visitor center are small luxuries that feel big after a long hike. The building sits just a short distance off the highway.
It is the perfect first stop before heading out to explore the falls and trails beyond.
Lake Superior Access That Most Visitors Miss
Most people arrive at Gooseberry Falls and never make it past the main waterfalls. That is a real shame, because the trail down to Lake Superior is one of the best-kept surprises in the park.
The walk takes you through peaceful forest and delivers you to a beach that feels like a reward.
The beach features flat rocks, picnic tables, and fire pits perfect for a proper outdoor lunch break. The rocky shoreline invites exploration even without getting in the water, and kids especially love scrambling across the flat basalt slabs near the edge.
The full loop from the visitor center down to the lake and back runs about three miles, rated relatively easy and well-marked. Download a trail map before you go, as signage can be inconsistent in a few spots.
Very few parks can offer forest, river, falls, and lake all in a single afternoon loop. That kind of variety in one outing is rare, and most visitors never even realize it is there.
A Park Built For Families At Every Skill Level
Bringing a family to a state park can feel like a logistical puzzle. Gooseberry Falls makes it surprisingly easy to keep everyone happy at the same time.
The mix of paved accessible paths and wilder terrain means different family members can enjoy different experiences simultaneously.
Young kids go absolutely wild for the smooth basalt rocks around the falls. Climbing, splashing, and poking around in the shallow water above the cascades is the kind of unstructured outdoor play that is hard to find elsewhere.
Parents get the scenery while kids get an adventure.
The park has hosted everything from family reunions to intimate engagement celebrations and even small wedding ceremonies. That versatility says a lot about the atmosphere here.
It manages to feel both exciting and deeply calm at the same time, which is a rare combination.
Parking can be a genuine challenge during peak summer weekends. The lot fills up fast, and circling for a spot is a real possibility on busy July days.
Arriving early in the morning or visiting mid-week dramatically improves your chances of a smooth arrival experience.
Accessibility along the main paved paths is solid for most visitors, though the rocky waterfall area itself is not navigable with strollers or wheelchairs. Knowing that in advance helps families plan accordingly.
Camping Reservations You Need To Plan Way Ahead
Getting a campsite at Gooseberry Falls is not something you can decide on a whim. Reservations open up to 120 days before arrival, and popular dates fill fast, especially during peak summer and fall weekends.
The campsites are spacious, clean, and surrounded by mature trees that offer real privacy. One returning camper jokingly noted that every site seems to come with a complimentary large boulder included.
That quirky detail has become a beloved part of the experience.
Camping here puts you inside the forest with trail access right from your site. Waking up and walking to the falls before the crowds arrive is something day visitors simply cannot replicate.
If you are planning a trip, start checking availability on the Minnesota DNR reservation system as early as possible.
Why This Park Keeps Pulling People Back Year After Year
Some places are worth visiting once. Gooseberry Falls is the kind of place that rewires your expectations for what a state park can actually be.
Visitors who came as children bring their own kids back decades later, and the park still delivers on every promise.
Each season offers a completely different version of the same landscape. Spring brings high water and rushing falls.
Summer brings warm rocks and swimming at the lake. Fall turns the surrounding forest into a riot of orange and red that makes every photo look professionally edited.
The park sits along the scenic North Shore drive on MN-61, making it a natural stop on any road trip through the region. Split Rock Lighthouse and other landmarks are nearby, so combining stops in a single day is very doable.
The location alone makes it a strategic anchor for any North Shore itinerary.
The park is open Monday through Sunday from 8 AM to 10 PM.
