Winter is in full swing on the North Shore and Gunflint Trail. Despite a warm-up during the Christmas holiday week, cross-country ski trails on the Gunflint Trail remain in excellent condition according to first-hand reports on SkinnySki.com, a self-reporting trail conditions website.
12/28/2024
12/18/2024
Saunas are a hot topic this season! Have you tried one yet? To inspire you, check out this recent article in The New York Times about the benefits of sauna culture and Lake Superior featuring Grand Marais MN's very own Sisu and Löyly Nordic Sauna. 👏🌊
Explore Minnesota
On a 750-mile road trip through the heart of sauna culture in the United States, a writer searches for the perfect combination of steam, heat and cold.
12/12/2024
🌠TONIGHT!
4:00 PM at Studio 21 - we kick off the Dark Sky Festival with a presentation and book signing of National Geographic 's new book, 100 Nights of a Lifetime: The World's Ultimate Adventure After Dark, by author Stephanie Vermillion. *Also featuring a Dark Sky Theme Book Pop-Up by Drury Lane books!*
7:00 PM Join us in learning about Light Pollution with a mini presentation and panel with some of the areas Dark Sky experts/enthusiasts!
Check out the FULL Dark Sky Festival Schedule - 🪐NASA will be here Friday & Saturday, Star Tribune is is in town and hosting a panel on Astro tourism up at Gunflint Lodge and Outfitters Saturday night, and MUCH MUCH more!
All day long, catch the documentary “Northern Nights, Starry Skies.” A visually stunning celebration of our spectacular starry skies above the world’s largest designated Dark Sky sanctuary. Ojibwe, Dakota cultural astronomers and other experts share the wonders of the heavens. The documentary,...
12/11/2024
Second grooming early this morning! All trails we groom are now open. Check Bearskin’s snow report for reports on their side. Lodge hours are currently 9am-4pm. See you on the trails!
12/11/2024
12/04/2024
We are just one week away from the 6th annual Dark Sky Festival! You won't want to miss this year's event featuring NASA, UMD Planetarium, Night Sky Walks, panel on Astro tourism with Star Tribune's Bob Timmons, and more. It all kicks off next week: December 12-14, 2024.
Shout out to our sponsor the Star Tribune for their partnership in programming and outreach.
All day long, catch the documentary “Northern Nights, Starry Skies.” A visually stunning celebration of our spectacular starry skies above the world’s largest designated Dark Sky sanctuary. Ojibwe, Dakota cultural astronomers and other experts share the wonders of the heavens. The documentary,...
12/03/2024
Woot woot!
11/29/2024
Oh Ole Night is here!
Join us in downtown Grand Marais for the annual community holiday parade- starts at 5:30pm and is followed by the tree lighting & fireworks over the harbor.
Want to be a part of the parade? All you need to do is show up at 5pm in the Senior Center parking lot.
It's a festive Scandinavian time of year! Head to downtown Grand Marais for the annual community holiday parade. We are continuing our theme of “Oh...
11/27/2024
Visit Cook County MN has teamed up with the Star Tribune for this year's Annual Dark Sky Festival
Dec. 12-14
🪐NASA - presentation and activity!
🌌Geminids meteor shower!
🔭Telescope viewing!
💫Night Sky Photography & Astro-tourism
📖Book release & signing of National Geographic's new book, 100 Nights of a Lifetime, by Stephanie Vermillion
🌟Local presentations and much, much more!
All day long, catch the documentary “Northern Nights, Starry Skies.” A visually stunning celebration of our spectacular starry skies above the...
11/24/2024
Hovland Arts Festival this Saturday, November 30th.
Don't forget to mark your calendars for the Hovland Winter Art Show, as always, the Saturday after Thanksgiving at Hovland Town Hall. November...
11/20/2024
Oh Ole Night is almost here!
Join us in downtown Grand Marais for the annual community holiday parade- starts at 5:30pm and is followed by the tree lighting & fireworks over the harbor.
It's a festive Scandinavian time of year! Head to downtown Grand Marais for the annual community holiday parade. We are continuing our theme of “Oh...
11/19/2024
This Weekend! Up on the Yonder Holiday Market is BACK for the 2024 holiday season, Saturday, November 23 from 11 am - 5 pm!
Local Artists - Drink, Eat, Shop!
Up on the Yonder Holiday Market is BACK for the 2024 holiday season, Saturday, November 23 from 11 am - 5 pm! Local Artists - Drink, Eat, Shop!...
11/13/2024
🕵🏽♀️Put your detective skills to the test for an all-inclusive weekend away at Gunflint Lodge and Outfitters Murder Mystery on the Gunflint Trail! For more info check out:
Put your detective skills to the test this November surrounded by the beauty of the Northwoods with an all-inclusive weekend stay! The mystery...
11/12/2024
Celebrate crafts, customs, and stories inspired by the North House Folk School's annual Winterers' Gathering & Arctic Film Festival, Friday, November 22nd - Sunday November 24th!
Celebrate the crafts, customs, and stories that have been inspired by winter at North House Folk School's annual Winterers’ Gathering & Arctic...
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Videos
Right on cue, storm season has arrived! Big waves came crashing into the Grand Marais MN harbor this afternoon. Here is just a little bit of that magic.
We received a LOT of rain last night, with reports of between 3-7” of rainfall!
This means, the waterfalls are incredible!!! It also means you may encounter washouts on some roads or driveways or delays contacting your resorts as many are busy cleaning up debris or fixing communications systems. Please travel with caution, observe all closure signs, check MN511 for updates, and enjoy the waterfalls.
https://511mn.org/@-91.80436,47.12746,9?show=metroTrafficMap,roadReports,weatherWarningsAreaEvents,stationsAlert,otherStateInfo
Historic unveiling of the Manidoo-bimaadagaakowinii-ziibi River
Congratulations to Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and Minnesota Department of Transportation on this historic unveiling of the first dual language MNDOT sign with indigenous language outside of reservation boundaries.
As you drive east of Grand Marais along Highway 61, look for the new signage by the Manidoo-bimaadagaakowinii-ziibi River!
Snow has arrived and it has us thinking about Hygge Festival, which returns Feb. 3-14. ❄️🔥☕
Make your plans to join us for the festival and enjoy a fireplace tour, mulled wine, outdoor activities, local artist and vendor markets, cozy accommodations and so much more.
See the full schedule: https://www.visitcookcounty.com/hyggefestival/
Cook County is located at the northeastern tip of Minnesota’s Arrowhead, with Lake Superior’s north shore on one side and the Sawtooth Mountains and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) on the other. The nearest large city is Duluth, Minnesota. We may be in northern Minnesota, but we’re easy to find and get to. Cook County, Minnesota is only four-and-a-half hours north of the Twin Cities. We’re also easy to reach from the Iron Range, Chicago, Thunder Bay, Madison and other areas in the Upper Midwest and beyond.
Lutsen-Tofte-Schroeder, Minnesota
Strung along the Lake Superior shore like beads on a necklace, the communities of Lutsen, Tofte and Schroeder serve as the southern gateway to Cook County, Minnesota. This region is the perfect vacation destination, whether you’re looking for romance, adventure, relaxation or family fun. It all happens here, where the great Lake Superior meets the ancient Sawtooth Mountain Range. There’s always something new to explore.
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Artsy and quirky, the North Shore harbor village of Grand Marais welcomes creatives, families and adventure-seekers alike. The accolades almost speak for themselves. Grand Marais has been named America’s Coolest Small Town (Budget Travel Magazine), Top 10 Beach Getaways (Outside Magazine), and Next Great Adventure Town (National Geographic Adventure Magazine). In Grand Marais you’ll meet some of the most friendly, creative and talented people – both visitors and locals alike.
The Gunflint Trail outside of Grand Marais, Minnesota
Shhh, is that a moose? Uncover the history and allure of this 57-mile National Scenic Byway at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) and Canada’s Quetico National Park. We all romanticize about a quaint, little lodge in the woods. But on the Gunflint Trail, it’s real. The log lodge, the grand resort, the shimmering lakes and a million acres of pristine Minnesota forest. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Grand Portage, Minnesota
At the very tip of Minnesota’s Arrowhead, about 45 minutes northeast of Grand Marais, sits the community of Grand Portage. Grand Portage is a place of enduring tradition and vibrant culture. Home to the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, this community is one of the earliest Ojibwe settlements in Minnesota. Grand Portage has been a legendary meeting place for centuries – and after one visit you’ll understand why.
