Caribou Falls


May 2017

State: Minnesota

Location: Lake County

Height: 40

Crest: 10

Water Source: Caribou River

Waypoint: 47.46889N 91.03194W

Summary: An impressive, nearly wild waterfall reached by a short hike. This is one of the better waterfalls on Minnesota's north shore and far less visited than most of the nearby waterfalls.

Caribou Falls is located on the Caribou River between Little Marias and Taconite Harbor. The falls is a half mile from Highway 61. The trail begins at the Caribou Falls State Wayside, a small roadside rest area. There is room for about a dozen cars to park here.

The trail follows the river upstream. It is fairly level, but towards the end it climbs high above the river. A long set of stairs will take you down to the base of the falls. I visited it the falls when the water was high, so there were not a lot of accessible vantage points. In lower water I imagine it is possible to explore area around the base of the falls.

This is an impressive waterfall. The pictures do not really do it justice. The cliffs on either side of the falls are high and sheer. The fact that the waterfall is not as heavily visited as the waterfalls in the nearby state parks adds to its charm.

[North Shore] Nearby Falls

There are a lot waterfalls along Minnesota's north shore. The closest ones to Caribou Falls are Cross River Falls, Temperance River Gorge, and Cascade River Falls to the north, Illgen Falls, Baptism High Falls, Beaver River Falls, and Goose Berry Falls to the south. One of the closest waterfalls is Manitou Cascades, but getting to it requires a roundabout drive and a mile plus hike.

Photo Gallery





View from stairs

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Last Modified: Friday, 23-Jun-2017 16:48:41 MDT.

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