LAST UPDATED: 4/24/23 – Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls State Parks Guide

I am originally from Minnesota, so the state definitely has a special place in my heart.  As do the Great Lakes of the United States, as I spent a lot of my childhood vacations exploring their shores and surrounding forests. 

The Great Lakes region doesn’t get the notoriety for beauty that the American West or the Atlantic and Pacific coastal regions do, but there are some incredibly beautiful areas in the Great Lakes region.

A few of my absolute favorite areas in the Great Lakes region are Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls State Parks in Minnesota.  Both state parks are located near the coast of Lake Superior in Northern Minnesota, and both state parks are absolutely gorgeous.  Even better, they are both in very close proximity to one another, so it is very easy to see them both in one trip.

In my Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls Guide, I will provide you will all of the information that you will need to plan a fun and memorable trip to visit the parks.

I explain the best way for travelers to get to the parks from outside the state or outside the country and outline the best times to visit the park. With this information in hand, it will be easy to plan a trip to Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls that you will remember for a lifetime.

How to Get There

The closest large city to the Gooseberry Falls and Split Rock Lighthouse State Parks is Duluth, Minnesota.  The parks are approximately 41 miles, or a 45-minute drive, from the Duluth area. 

If you would like to stay in a large city with a large airport, the closest city would be the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area.  The parks are approximately 200 miles, or a 3 hour and 15-minute drive, from the Minneapolis and St. Paul International Airport.

View Larger Map

City\Destination	Distance	Drive Time
Mackinac Island, MI	460 miles	8hrs 15min
Door County, WI	424 miles	6hrs 30min
Apostle Islands, WI	131 miles	2hrs 30min
Milwaukee, WI	447 miles	6hrs 50min
Turnip Rock, MI	881 miles	15hrs 5min
Detroit, MI	804 miles	12hrs 20min
Chicago, IL	519 miles	8hrs
Minneapolis, MN	201 miles	3hrs 10min
Superior, WI	55 miles	1hr
Winnipeg, MB	410 miles	7hrs 15min
Green Bay, WI	380 miles	6hrs

Directions

If you are planning on visiting the Apostle Islands from either Duluth, Superior, or Minneapolis, I have provided some directions to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park below for you to follow.

Top Things to Do in the Area

There are a lot of great things to do on the North Shore, as the shores of Lake Superior in Northern Minnesota are called locally.  Duluth is a fantastic and beautiful city that is full of surprises, and the coast of Lake Superior and the state parks near its shores are a blast to explore. 

There are also a number of incredible things to see along the shoreline of Lake Superior across the border in Wisconsin. One of my favorite spots just over the border is the Apostle Islands.

This is one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the entire American Great Lakes region. It is popular amongst hikers and kayakers. For more information on the Apostle Islands, please check out my Apostle Islands Guide linked below.

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

Along with the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse near Acadia National Park in Maine and the Heceta Head Lighthouse on the coast of Oregon , I believe the Split Rock Lighthouse on the shores of Lake Superior in Minnesota is among the most beautiful lighthouses in the United States.  It is absolutely stunning.

The park also includes plenty of trails that you can use for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing.  With some fantastic views of Lake Superior, the trails are some of the most beautiful I have seen in the Great Lakes Region.

UPDATE: The Split Rock Lighthouse State Park no longer supports self-payment options. If you are planning to visit the park, you will need to pay your park fees electronically. For more information on paying your park fees, please see the Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas website.

• Split Rock Lighthouse State Park – Maps
• Split Rock Lighthouse State Park – Trails
• Split Rock Lighthouse State Park – Recreational Facilities
• Split Rock Lighthouse State Park – TripAdvisor Reviews

Split Rock Lighthouse Summer Park Map

Split Rock Lighthouse Winter Map

Gooseberry Falls State Park

With equally spectacular Lake Superior coastline as the Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, the Gooseberry Falls State Park is another gem of the Minnesota state park system.  Aside from its beautiful coastline, the Gooseberry Falls State Park is also known for its amazing waterfalls, beautiful river gorge, and fantastic forests.

The Gooseberry Falls are a collection of 3 sets of waterfalls, known as the Upper Falls, the Middle Falls, and the Lower Falls.  And for those who aren’t afraid of a little adventure, a hike or snow shoe along a trail upstream will lead you to the beautiful falls known as the Fifth Falls.

For those who love to be active outdoors, there are a lot of fantastic trails in the park for hiking, snow shoeing, and cross-country skiing.  In fact, you can take the trails right to the bottom of the Middle and Lower Falls to get some fantastic pictures.  Just make sure you watch your step as the rocks can get very slippery.

UPDATE: The Gooseberry Falls State Park no longer supports self-payment options. If you are planning to visit the park, you will need to pay your park fees electronically. For more information on paying your park fees, please see the Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas website.

• Gooseberry Falls State Park – Maps
• Gooseberry Falls State Park – Trails
• Gooseberry Falls State Park – Recreation Facilities
• Gooseberry Falls State Park – TripAdvisor Reviews

Gooseberry Falls State Park Summer Map

View Larger Map

Gooseberry Falls State Park Winter Map

View Larger Map

Visit Duluth

Duluth is a fascinating city in that in some ways it feels like a big city (it has a population just shy of 90,000 people), but in many other ways feels very much like a small town.  Duluth is also remarkable in that it is much like San Francisco as it was built upon coastal bluffs that make the city very hilly.  Trust me, you don’t want to be driving a stick shift in Duluth during the slippery winter months.

Fun Things to Do in Duluth

If you decide to visit the North Shore to see the beautiful Lake Superior coastline and gorgeous state parks, we highly recommend a stop in Duluth for some sight-seeing.  Below is a list of some of our favorite things to do and see in Duluth, Minnesota.

• The Lift Bridge
• The Duluth Ship Canal
• Canal Park
• Lake Superior Shoreline
• Spirit Mountain Skiing
• Great Lakes Aquarium
• North Shore Scenic Railroad

If you are looking for a really great place to eat in Duluth, we would highly recommend checking out Grandma’s Saloon and Grill.  Minnesota is known for its wild rice soup, and Grandma’s has some of the best around.  It’s also located in a very fun area of Duluth and has a pretty fun atmosphere at the restaurant.  Nothing like some great food and a hot drink after exploring the North Shore!

If you are interested in stopping in Duluth during your visit to explore, I have included some resources below to help you plan your visit.

• Duluth, Minnesota – Maps
• Duluth, Minnesota – Visitor Guide
• Duluth, Minnesota – Restaurant Reviews

Best Time to Visit

When you decide to visit the Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls in Northern Minnesota will largely depend on what you want to see and do during your visit.

Summer (June thru August)

During the summer, the falls are absolutely breathtaking, and it is really fun to camp out around the state parks. There are also a lot of trails for hiking in the area that you can take advantage of. However, you don’t really have the place to yourself during the summer months.

Winter (November thru March)

During the winter, the falls are a completely different type of beautiful with the snowfall and ice. The trails that you can hike on during the summer months are also great for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing during the winter months, which is just as much fun. However, you obviously aren’t able to get out on the water or in the water during the winter months.

Spring (April thru May) and Autumn (September thru October)

The spring and autumn months may be my favorite times to visit the area as the temperatures during the daytime are much warmer than during the winter. However, it is still very cold in early spring and late autumn, so you should plan on dressing in layers and have a warm jacket with you for early morning and in the evening.

For an idea of what to expect in terms of temperatures and precipitation levels throughout the year, I have provided some charts for the average temperatures and precipitation for Duluth, Minnesota for you to review below.

Average Temperature (°F)

Average Precipitation (Inches)

Where to Stay

Campgrounds

When visiting the national parks, monuments, and other areas of interest in the United States, it is a really neat experience to camp out during your visit.  Some of the best campgrounds in America can be found inside the country’s national parks, monuments, recreation areas, and state parks like Split Rock and Gooseberry Falls. 

This is especially true in Northern Minnesota. The remoteness and ruggedness of this area make it a wonderful place to go camping. If you are interested in camping out during your visit, I have included a map and list of some recommended campgrounds for you to review below.

View Larger Map

Hotels

If camping is not your speed, you need not worry as there are a variety of good hotels for you to choose from in the area as well. In fact, the city of Duluth is fairly close to the parks and is a great place to tour when you aren’t exploring the falls and the lighthouse.

If you are in the process of planning your trip to Northern Minnesota to see the Split Rock Lighthouse and Gooseberry Falls, then you are in luck. I have included a map and list of recommended hotels in Duluth, Minnesota and nearby Superior, Wisconsin for you to review below.

View Larger Map

Photo Gallery

In case you are interested in seeing more of this fantastic area, below is a gallery of some of the other amazing pictures we were able to take while visiting.  With the beauty in this area, the pictures practically take themselves.

If you would like to view some more of my top photos from this trip, as well as photos from some of my many other travel adventures, make sure you are following me on Instagram as well!

FOLLOW ME!

• Instagram

Don’t Forget to Subscribe to My Adventures!