Minnesota's Best Trail Overlooks The Cleanest Lake In America With Cliffs, Waterfalls, And Shoreline

Minnesota is a hiker's paradise, blessed with an array of ecosystems from prairies and waterfalls to sprawling lakes and dense woodland. You can find more than 1,700 hiking trails throughout the state, including various routes around Minnesota's gorgeous Brainerd Lakes area and within the underrated Blue Mounds State Park, full of prairies and bison herds. But when it comes to finding the best trail in Minnesota, you need look no further than Palisade Head, an easy 1-mile trek that offers unparalleled views of Lake Superior, the cleanest lake in America, stretching across multiple states.

The Palisade Head trail begins right off Voyageur Highway, about 3 miles from the small city of Silver Bay. Simply park at the trailhead and walk down Palisade Head Road to the main area. During the summer, you can drive along the paved route, but this can be a bit of a pain for hikers who have to share the pathway with vehicles. Come winter, the road usually ices over or is covered in snow, so the trail is only accessible on foot. It quickly becomes an adventurous and far more challenging route, best traversed using snowshoes or shoes with microspikes. Your effort will be rewarded with those same incredible views from Palisade Head overlooking Lake Superior.

Palisade Head is an impressive rock formation located in Tettegouche State Park, formed over 1 billion years ago after a volcano erupted in the area. At its highest point, you can stand about 300 feet above Lake Superior, gazing out across the placid water all the way to Idaho's Sawtooth Mountain Range on a clear day. The trail to this ancient headland has a 4.5-star rating on AllTrails and is popular for being very accessible, taking only 30 to 60 minutes to complete. Views like this don't often come so easily.

While walking to Palisade Head only takes one hour, there's still plenty to see within the surrounding Tettegouche State Park. Two gorgeous waterfalls are only a 10-minute drive from the Palisade Head Trailhead. Cascading into Baptism River, both Two Step Falls and High Falls are worth the extra drive and walk. You can park near the Baptism River Campground, then walk just over 1 mile to High Falls, the tallest waterfall in Minnesota. Or there's the much shorter 0.2-mile trek to Two Step Falls.

The time you visit Palisade Head can drastically change your experience. Summer is busier, with cars on the trail, while winter is rugged and challenging with snowy or icy conditions (but it offers more privacy and serenity). You may also find it difficult to get a space in the small parking area during peak season, so it's best to arrive early. As the Lake Superior view is the main draw for this hike, avoid visiting if there's any chance of fog, which can almost eliminate your views entirely. You'll often see rock climbers scaling the sheer headland when the weather's fair.

Palisade Head is a manageable day trip from Duluth in Minnesota or Superior in Wisconsin — the drive takes just over one hour from either city. If you want to stay longer, you'll find various campsites within Tettegouche State Park. The cabins are particularly idyllic, offering rustic housing on the shore of Mic Mac Lake with porches and fireplaces. One campground positions you near Baptism River and the aforementioned waterfalls, while the other offers more privacy near the shore of Lake Superior. Either way, you'll be well-positioned to enjoy tranquil nature hikes and cool off with rejuvenating freshwater swims.