When I think about waterfalls, I don’t often think about individual favorites, but often groups of falls within proximity to each other. And Gooseberry Falls State Park is a perfect example of this. It might not be my favorite set of falls, but there are a number of them on the Gooseberry River, AND they are surrounded by a number of other beautiful waterfalls along the North Shore of Minnesota.
Middle Gooseberry Falls is somewhat difficult to separate from its relative, Lower Falls. I believe there might be a way to “hike” down to the base of Middle Falls to get a better view, but I’m not 100% sure. Instead, you can get a pretty complete view of both Middle and Lower Falls together from a viewpoint further downstream. I don’t remember if the view was from the north bank of the river or while crossing the river on one of the bridges. Both falls together are impressive. Gooseberry Falls State Park is pretty popular, though, so choose your visit wisely. In early May, it was bustling, so I can’t imagine the summer months! (Trying to visit a few years later in August, we couldn’t find a parking spot…)
Directions:
- From MN-61, turn into the entrance for Gooseberry Falls State Park.
- Head to the parking area for the visitor’s center, where you will be able to easily access the falls. There does not appear to be a fee to enter this park.
- Follow the trail down to the first group of falls, which includes Lower and Middle Falls.
Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 25′
Length of Hike: 1 mile round-trip
Both Middle and Lower Gooseberry Falls in May 2010
Where in the World is Middle Gooseberry Falls?
The Waterfall Record 