Gooseberry Falls Campground

The Great Outdoors

Minnesota’s Northwoods are certainly a hiker’s and paddler’s paradise, but it’s not necessary to enter the remote countryside to enjoy the region’s beauty. One of the more popular activities in the area is to simply drive the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway. It bisects the national forest, going between Silver Bay on Lake Superior to the town of Aurora in the north-central part of the state. There are no towns along the route, just beautiful open spaces. Along the way, you can spot the Timber Arch Bridge or hike in places like Bird Lake Recreation Area and Cadotte Lake Recreation Area.Prefer two wheels to four? The North Star Route, also known as USBR 41, is just outside the campground. The bicycle path extends all the way from Minneapolis to Grand Marais, paralleling I-35 and Highway 61 for most of its length. It also passes through Grand Portage National Monument, a must-see when you book an RV in Lake County, MN. Historically one of the great British trading posts on Lake Superior, the monument preserves the building known as the Grand Hall, where much of the trading took place, along with the portage routes that early fur traders used to bypass a set of waterfalls on the nearby Pigeon River.No trip to the Northwoods would be complete without at least a few nights in the Boundary Waters, though. Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Wilderness is America’s premier canoe trail, with over a thousand lakes and hundreds of river miles to explore. Many visitors immerse themselves for weeks at a time, but you can also make short paddling trips from the town of Ely on the wilderness’s border. This is also a good place to rent a kayak if you don’t have one with you.

Exploring the City

The closest town to Gooseberry Falls is Two Harbors, a small community with a long history in shipping. If you’re just looking for a quick bite to eat near the RV campground, it has a few restaurants serving standard Midwest fare - burgers, pizza, steaks, and more. It also has one of the closest service stations to make use of when you stay in a campsite at Gooseberry Falls Campground. To learn about its maritime history, stop by the Lake County Historical Society Museum. It encompasses the nearby lighthouse, pilothouse, and assistant keeper’s house, with a self-guided tour running through each of the buildings.Drive a bit farther with your rental RV, and you’ll be treated to a cornucopia of restaurants, attractions, and nightlife opportunities in Duluth. As the center for urban living in northern Minnesota, you’ll never be short on things to do when you camp in an RV near Duluth. The city has its own nautical-themed attraction at the Lake Superior Maritime Visitor Center. It focuses on Great Lakes shipping and its economic effect on the area; it sits right next to the shipping canal, so one only needs to step outside to see the shipping in action.Don’t love boats? There’s also a fantastic scenic train tour running from downtown Duluth, through Canal Park, and up to Two Harbors. Along the way, tour guides tell you all about the rail’s role in developing northern Minnesota and Wisconsin.Not sure when to visit Duluth? One of the more exciting events in the city is the Duluth Superior Film Festival. There are dozens of independent movie screenings, musical performances, interviews with filmmakers, and plenty of great food. It really brings out the arts community and is one of the year’s biggest cultural highlights.