Cook County Full of Fun

     What does Cook County have to brag about? Quite a few things actually. The CCEVB put together a list to show just how awesome Cook County is.

Cook County: Assets and “Ests”

World’s largest lake Cook County hugs the shore of Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes and the largest freshwater lake in the world (by surface area). All the other Great Lakes plus three more the size of Lake Erie could fit inside Lake Superior.

Million-acre wilderness The Gunflint Trail is the scenic gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which covers over a million square acres.

Scenic Byways Two of the eight scenic byways in Minnesota are part of Cook County: the Gunflint Trail and the North Shore Scenic Drive. The North Shore Scenic Drive is designated as an All-American Road, the only byway in the Upper Midwest with this honor.

Minnesota’s highest point The ancient Sawtooth Mountains ripple through Cook County, among them Eagle Mountain, the highest peak in the state at 2,301 feet above sea level.

Minnesota’s highest waterfall At 120 feet, the High Falls of the Pigeon River in Grand Portage State Park is Minnesota’s highest waterfall.

Biggest, tallest downhill ski area in the Midwest Lutsen Mountains spans four mountains, 92 runs, five terrain parks, and 1,088’ of vertical, spread over 1,000 square acres. 

Largest Nordic ski trail system in the country In the winter, Cook County sports over 400 km of groomed cross-country ski trails—the largest such system in North America.

National Geographic Top 50 National Geographic named the BWCAW one of the top 50 places to visit before you die.

Grand Portage National Monument Grand Portage National Monument highlights the cultural history and traditions of the north woods, including the voyageur era and the famed 9-mile Grand Portage.

Four state parks Cook County has four scenic state parks: Temperance River, Cascade River, Judge C.R. Magney, and Grand Portage.

Lodge and casino Grand Portage Lodge and Casino offers on-site lodging, gaming, snowmobiling and more.

Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center At the end of the Gunflint Trail, Chik-Wauk Musem and Nature Center showcases the cultural and natural history of the area.

Tofte Commercial Fishing Museum Learn the history of commercial fishing in the Cook County area at this museum.

Cook County Historical Society Museum in Grand Marais and Johnson Heritage Post Art Gallery