Gooseberry Falls

One for the list

Is it plungeworthy?

—feet tall

A waterfall on Gooseberry River.

Scale12/60

Documentation15/20

Character8/20

The details

Watercourse: Gooseberry River
Coordinates: 47.14299, -91.46768

Get directions →

About Gooseberry Falls

Gooseberry Falls is a waterfall in Minnesota, on Gooseberry River.

It's fullest after rain, and flow can drop off during dry spells — plan around recent weather.

Plungeworthy rates Gooseberry Falls 3.5/10 — one for the list. The score weighs its scale, how confidently it's mapped, and its character.

What you'll find

The North Shore's front door: the Gooseberry River stepping down Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls right at Highway 61, with a visitor center, eighteen trail miles, and Lake Superior glinting past the gorge.

Getting there

Trailhead: Gooseberry Falls State Park visitor center, Hwy 61 near Two Harbors
Parking: Large paved lot
Road: Paved highway
Hike: 0.6 mi round trip (easy to the overlooks; rock-scramble routes to river level for the sure-footed)
Heads up: Connects to the Superior Hiking Trail; the Middle Falls terrace is the classic photo.

When to go

Spring melt roars; summer wades; winter builds the ice curtains that fill Minnesota's photo feeds.

Rules & fees

Fee / pass: MN state park permit — $7/day or $35/year
Dogs: Leashed, 6-foot max
Hours: 8am–10pm year-round
Camping: 70-site campground by reservation
Warnings: Wet basalt is the park's signature hazard — the falls terraces polish slick.

Researched from MN DNR — state park permits · Wikipedia — Gooseberry Falls State Park. Conditions change — verify before you drive. Been to Gooseberry Falls recently? Post a conditions report below.

Where it is

Before you go

The pin marks the feature, not a trailhead or a legal route in. Some sit on private land or need a real hike, and conditions change with season and rain. Check local access, don't trespass, and never enter water — hot or cold — where it isn't safe.