George H. Crosby Manitou State Park

Location

7616 Lake Country Rd
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Policies

Max stay

14 nights

About

Waterfalls cascade through a volcanic canyon surrounded by majestic forest in this North Country wilderness park. Park trails are steep and challenging, but reward hikers with spectacular views as they carve through a forest of fir, cedar, spruce and northern hardwoods. Campsites are secluded, and all require you to backpack in. Brown, rainbow and brook trout reside in Benson Lake, as do splake, a brook/lake trout hybrid. Geology About 1.1 billion years ago volcanoes spewed fiery lava, which cooled and built up in thick layers, forming the bedrock along most of the North Shore. Much later, glaciers scraped and dislodged the rock as they moved down from the north. As the melting glacier retreated, it left deposits of rock and soil on top of the scoured bedrock. Between the many glacial advances, streams on the land gradually eroded through these deposits and into the bedrock. Today, the rough, tumbling waters of the Manitou River continue to sculpt the gorge through which it flows. Wildlife This is a rugged, wilderness park where bears, wolves, moose and deer share the trails with hikers. The park is home to many species of birds and small animals, including snowshoe hare, red squirrels, Canada jays, sharp-shinned hawks and beaver. Two large birds that hikers often see feeding along the trail are the ruffed and spruce grouse. Learn more about the birds and mammals, amphibians and reptiles of the North Shore. Naturalist There is no naturalist on staff at this park. History The park was a donation from George H. Crosby, a mining magnate who was involved in the development of both the Mesabi and Cuyuna iron ranges. The state eagerly accepted the gift of this 3,320-acre tract on the Manitou River and formally established it as a state park in 1955. From the beginning, the decision was made to limit development of this park. Instead of the customary drive-in campground, primitive campsites are scattered throughout the park and accessible only by foot trail. George H. Crosby Manitou State Park was the first park in the system to be designed primarily for backpackers, and it remains a backpack-only park today. Landscape In addition to waterfalls and Benson Lake, the park has a wilderness of fir, cedar, spruce and northern hardwoods to explore. The beautiful old-growth stands are protected by the Natural Area Registry . Read more about the North Shore wildflowers , trees and shrubs you can find in the park.