Temperance River State Park
RV Guide
Introduction
If you are looking to enjoy a fantastic park for hiking and enjoying the wonderful scenes of nature, Temperance River State Park is a great choice. It has a strategic location as it is situated near bare rock cliffs along the Lake Superior Shore, offering an alluring sight for anyone wishing to enjoy a relaxing holiday.
The park gets soothing warm breezes off the lake during the cool winter and receives cool, refreshing breezes in the summer due to its location by the shore, making the weather always fresh and comforting.
There are several things you can do at the park, including camping adjacent to Lake Superior, over viewing the Carlton Peak and enjoying the spectacular geologic formations along the Temperance Gorge. The park has a beautiful area which definitely makes it a must stop. With its waterfalls, gorge and the area overlooking the highway, it makes for a wonderful view.
The state park is 5,000+ acres, offering plenty of room for all its visitors. It is an all-in-one slice of the North Shore, featuring Lake Superior cobblestone shoreline, a river cutting through billion-years-old rock with several waterfalls, and an upland forest of birch, pine and cedar forests. The river running through this park is known to be the one and only river along the North Shore without a sand “bar” at its mouth; hence the name. A few hundred feet upstream, the persistent water force continues to carve out a deeper path in the amazing gorge, giving the visitors a spectacular sight.
The waterfalls run all year at the Temperance River State Park but they are at their peak during the spring and after rain accumulations.
RV Rentals in Temperance River State Park
Transportation
Driving
Temperance River State Park is located between the communities of Schroeder and Tofte on Highway 61 on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It has campsites, picnic areas, and hiking trails on both sides of the Temperance River.
The drive to the park is a straight shot from Minneapolis, though be prepared for a three and a half-hour drive. Take I-35N towards Duluth. Once you get through Duluth, you take Highway 61 till you see the signs for Temperance.
Parking
Public Transportation
Campgrounds and parking in Temperance River State Park
Campsites in Temperance River State Park
First-come first-served
RV Camping
There are two campgrounds, an upper and a lower campground. Some of the sites in the lower campground have a fantastic view of the lake. Most of the sites are in a shaded, wooded area.
There are 52 drive in sites, 18 are electric and located in the upper campground. There are two pull-through site and six cart-in sites. Carts are provided to haul camping gear to your site. The sites are located within easy walking distance from the parking area. Bear-proof storage lockers are available. Fresh water filling is available near the dump station but not in each individual campsite.
The camping experience at Temperance River State Park has great reviews due to the campsites full facility of accessible toilets and hot showers as well as provision of ice, fire wood, picnic tables and grill to allow visitors to enjoy their camping to the max. The spectacular view of the campsites overlooking the shore of Lake Superior has been enjoyed by many of the park campers.
Seasonal activities in Temperance River State Park
In-Season
Sight Seeing the Geology of the Parks
The park has plenty of beautiful scenery. With 22 miles of hiking trails and a rich natural habitat, there is plenty you can see in Temperance River State Park.
The waterfalls are one of the most valuable attractions of the park. The park has three waterfalls; two cut gorges just north of the highway and one tumbles into the mouth just south of the Highway 61.
You can enjoy hiking the popular riverside trails by parking along Highway 61 and following the trail signs. This trail is particularly known for its high drop-offs, rushing rivers, and at times slippery pathways. It therefore may not be suitable for children or pets.
You can also enjoy various natural scenery by the river lagoon, the low wet lands or the high dry lands. The vegetation in the park is diverse and well developed. This provides numerous opportunities for wild life watching as well as breathing fresh air and dazzling your eyes with the sight of the forest.
Snow Based Activities
During the winter, you can enjoy activities like skiing and snowshoeing. The park offers a spread of slicked and un-groomed trails that are suitable for winter season, packed with adrenaline winter fun.
You can also go snowmobiling. Numerous trails connect with the temperance State park, providing snowmobiles access to river banks, waterfalls and much more.The trail features entry points, rest areas, parking areas, and bridges to give you a well rounded snowmobiling experience.
There are over 22,000 miles of groomed snowmobile trails, with over 21,000 miles maintained. Venture out for an afternoon expedition on the snow sheets. You can spot lots of winter wildlife along your hike, or you can simply enjoy the moment and the feeling of swooshing against the snow!
Ice Fishing
Ice fishing can be a fun way to spend a winter afternoon. The park has several spots that you can rent with heated ice houses and pre-drilled holes. Don't let a little ice stop you from catching the perfect fish. Temperance state parks offer nice ice fishing programs for hands-on experience. There is quite the variety of fish population that you can catch during your fishing adventure.
Off-Season
Bird Watching
Temperance State Parks is a haven for birds and birdwatchers alike. Bird habitats around Minnesota and everywhere in the world are declining, and as a result, so are many bird species and populations. The state parks provide and preserve a much-needed variety and diversity of habitats for birds.This makes the park a safe haven for birds to nest in and for bird watchers to enjoy a diverse species of birds in their natural habitat.
Biking
Temperance River state park is a wonderful state park to enjoy biking as the challenging elevations as well as the beautiful forest scenery provides an interesting biking experiences to both local and visiting bikers. Local bikers are also aiming to start biking trails by the shore to encompass a wider variety of natural scenery along the biking trails.
Rock Climbing
It is time to conquer your fear of heights with this recent addition to the park, Carlton Peak. Carlton Peak offers a yet more action packed variety of fun based activities that you can carry out in the park. The climbs are in the range of 60-80 feet range. You are required to get a climbing permit from the park visitor center, however, you can get it for free.
