Grand Portage National Monument

Address:315 So. Broadway
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Tel: (218) 387-2788

Come visit a vital spot in the history of the fur trade, at the Grand Portage National Monument on the shore of Lake Superior in northeastern Minnesota. Located near Duluth, the Grand Portage National Monument commemorates the route used by fur traders to get from Canada's settled areas to the interior. Today, the Grand Portage National Monument offers visitors a hike of that same trail, as well as many other fascinating tours and walks.

The Grand Portage trail is an 8.5-mile path that connects from Grand Portage to Fort Charlotte on the Pigeon River. This path was originally used by European fur traders in 1729, eventually becoming a gateway to rich northern fur-bearing country in Canada. In 1802, an emerging United States pressured the North West Company to move its base of operations 50 miles north, into Canada. In 1951, the area was declared a national historic site.

Visitors to the Grand Portage National Monument can hike the 8.5-mile trail, as well as experience a stunning variety of other activities. Visitors can see a variety of historical sites in just an hour, hike the Mount Rose Trail and hear a ranger-guided tour on a variety of subjects in half a day, hike the Grand Portage footpath in around an hour, or spend more than a day in the area and hike a variety of other trails. The Heritage Center at the Grand Portage National Monument features three films: Northwest Passage (about ten minutes long), The Voyageur (20 minutes long), and The Birch Canoe Builder (30 minutes long), each giving viewers added insight into the history of the area. As there are no restaurants in the immediate vicinity of the Grand Portage National Monument, visitors should pack accordingly.

To get to the Grand Portage National Monument, take Minnesota State Highway 61 to the Grand Portage exits, then travel about one mile south.

Visit the Grand Portage National Monument and experience the beautiful legacy of the fur trade.