Climbing Eagle Mountain, the highest point in Minnesota

At 2,301 feet, Eagle Mountain is Minnesota’s highest point. It’s part of the rolling Misquah Hills, in the northeast corner of the state known as the Arrowhead, where the Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness merge. At the top, on a clear day, you can see Lake Superior, which at 600 feet above sea level is Minnesota’s lowest point.

Years ago, when I heard about that tidy and potentially awe-inspiring alignment of superlatives, I looked it up: a moderately challenging 7-mile hike — the same 3.5 miles up, then back. I was determined to experience it.

The first time I did was on my honeymoon, and tackling such a beautiful goal together made perfect sense. The second time, I hiked it with my elementary-aged kids during COVID, when it provided a safe confidence-booster to break up the monotony of schooling from home. This time, it was all four of us on a North Shore fall getaway, looking to re-create a beloved memory during a new life stage.

We arrived at the trailhead, about half an hour northwest of Grand Marais, by noon on a fall Friday. The gravel parking lot, which holds around 20 vehicles, was almost full. It didn’t take long to self-issue our BWCA day-use permit at the trailhead kiosk. Then we were off.

Immediately, the rolling trail felt familiar: packed earth webbed in thick tree roots worn shiny brown, dusted in crispy pine needles and yellow poplar leaves, and studded with rock. Lots of rock. Eagle Mountain is a billion-year-old hunk of cooled lava, after all. In some places, side-by-side planks ran over shallow marshland.

My husband Clint and I hiked at a comfortable rate, mindful of our footing. Still, our pace was not brisk enough for the kids, now 12 and 14, who struck out ahead. About an hour in, they stopped to wait for us trailside at Whale Lake, the approximate halfway point that we all remembered for its beauty and waterside logs. It made a fine spot to sit, snack and rehydrate.

Another mile later, our path merged with the longer Brule Lake Trail ahead of the summit climb, a steep, rocky scramble. After 15 minutes of focus and decent quad engagement, we hit a small clearing. Scraggly pine tops gave way to a valley of trees below, dominated by yellow poplars. It was the first of two amazing summit views.

The second was a few minutes farther and featured more of the same, plus the Cascade River, a band of sparkling blue. There was a palpable, exhausted camaraderie among the small collection of fellow hikers here, staking out spots among the rocks to picnic or enjoy the view. One hiker broke the silence, wondering aloud about where to find that promised Lake Superior view on this clear day.

“It’s over there,” another chimed in, pointing toward the left edge of our tree-framed view. “That shimmer between the hills.”

I squinted toward a hazy navy section between two undulating green mounds on the faraway horizon. The great lake.

We spent over an hour at the top, tracking down a plaque that relays the story of the peak before nestling in among the boulders for a PB&J picnic.

The trip back down went a little quicker, and it was a pleasure to experience the trail in reverse — the trail crossing, Whale Lake, the Boundary Waters marker, the marsh. All in all, it took just over five leisurely hours to complete the hike, our North Shore weekend’s literal and figurative high point.

Get to the Eagle Mountain Trailhead from Grand Marais by taking the Gunflint Trail north, then taking a left on Devil Track Road, a right on Ball Club Road, and a left on The Grade to the trailhead. It’ll take about 30 minutes from Grand Marais. You’ll probably lose cell service, so have static directions or a downloaded map from Google or the Avenza app.

Bring a daypack with plenty of water, plus snacks, layers and perhaps a headlamp for the hike. Give yourself an average of five daylight hours, more if you prefer a slow pace, are traveling with kids or plan to linger. Even with a headlamp, navigating all the rocks and roots underfoot would be extremely challenging in the dark.

Bayside dining: We capped off our Eagle Mountain summit with a bayside sunset dinner in Grand Marais. We chose the Angry Trout Cafe, where we first joined the other waitlisted diners at the next-door beach, sipping drinks from armless weathered Adirondacks. The kids had time to make it to the lighthouse on the breakwater and back before we were seated.

Lutsen views: I’d been wanting to ride Lutsen Mountains’ Alpine Slide for ages, so we made it a priority this trip. It seemed as if every other visitor to the North Shore did, too. We purchased tickets ahead of time, which guaranteed us a ride but didn’t allow us to bypass the two-hour line, common during peak fall color. (There’s one combined line for the slide and the popular Summit Express Gondola.)

It was a brief and scenic chairlift ride up, then a short wait before the half-mile slide down. Our family agreed: It was fun, but not exactly worth the long wait. We’d rather slide multiple times during non-peak season and grab our fall vistas elsewhere along the shore. It’s worth noting, however, that the view from the top was truly spectacular.

Fall fests: The Moose Madness Family Festival is Oct. 18-19 in Grand Marais, but keep your eyes peeled on the road for smaller community fests and events, too.

Visit Cook County (1-218-387-2524) is a helpful resource for events, activities, lodging, driving routes and more.