I love taking pictures of our area, but every so often I get the urge to hit the road and discover new sites. This summer I learned of a unique place that I'm excited to share with you.
Did you know you can rent a cabin on a waterfall right here in Minnesota? I found out about it from a friend, Kari, who honeymooned there with her husband, Seth. He runs the website Highway Highlights which has incredible travel information about locations in Minnesota and other destinations.
Within hours of hearing about the cabin, I booked our spot at the Illgen Falls Cabin in Tettegouche State Park. My family and I weren't sure what to expect but we were not disappointed. It has two bedrooms, a kitchen, modern bathroom, a living room and even a deck with a grill. It was wonderful!
As much as we loved the cabin, we couldn't wait to see the waterfall. Illgen Falls is one of four waterfalls in Tettegouche State Park and is over 40 feet high. It is easy to access by a walkway from the cabin to the top of the falls. It was stunning and we spent quite a while exploring the waterfall and surrounding area.
The falls were magical and so was the rest of the state park. It is located right on the north shore of Lake Superior by Silver Bay and is home to many stunning sights.
One of the most spectacular is Palisade Head, a large rock formation that forms dramatic cliffs several hundred feet above water level. You can actually walk right to the edge at the top and look over the side. I took this photo from the top but it doesn't do it justice because I was too scared to get closer to the edge!
Another breathtaking view is that of Shovel Point. It is also a cliff that juts into Lake Superior and you can follow trails to it or even climb it:
The park has walking and hiking trails throughout and we especially enjoyed the one that led to the mouth of the Baptism River. Here is the view when you begin your hike:
Then you follow a trail down to where the river flows into Lake Superior and it is simply stunning.
As you can see, everyone here was skipping rocks. Everyone. The area is filled with smooth, flat stones that skip across the water perfectly.
I built this cairn from the rocks while everyone around me was skipping stones. See the splash out in the water?
We followed as many trails as our time allowed. My favorite, however, was the one that led us here:
This cove gave us the perfect view of Lake Superior on a calm day. It, too, had skipping stones as well as large rocks and boulders perfect for climbing and exploring. I could have stayed here all day.
I'm certainly thankful for Kari and Seth for the wonderful information about this beautiful place. I took hundreds of photos while we were there and we've already booked our stay again for next year. Be sure to check out their website to learn more about this and other unique places to explore.
I'm heading back to Lake Superior this weekend for more adventures. I'd love to see your travel photos, too, and hear about the interesting places you've explored. You can send me a note here and you may even be featured in my blog or on my Facebook page. Happy travels!