Grand Portage National Monument

Grand Portage National Monument spans 710 acres of land that is located on the northwestern shore of Lake Superior and about seven miles south of the United States-Canada border. The national monument is also approximately 36 miles north of Grand Marias in Minnesota. 

To access the park, find your way towards MN 61, and you will soon enough find access to the main entrance to the park just a mile from the road. Today, Grand Portage National Monument is managed by the National Park Service. The park was made a national historic site on September 15, 1951, but was later re-designated to a national monument by an act of Congress on September 2, 1958.

There are several distinct features that the protected land preserves. First, as the name of the park suggests, there is a nine-mile portage was a vital link on one of the primary routes for Indians, explorers, missionaries, and fur traders who were traveling Northwest. This portage that was managed by the North West Company has been reconstructed at the eastern terminus of the Grand Portage on Lake Superior.

Besides the historical significance of the park, you will find that there are a lot of other activities that visitors can get to enjoy at the park. For instance, the park is a favorite place to hike, fish, ski, and to enjoy the view of the land through guided tours. Some of the conveniences in the park include restrooms, museum, picnic area, boat dock, and self-guided tours.

Dogs are allowed into Golden Spike National Historic Site although it should be said that some areas of the park will be restricted to dogs. For example, dogs will not be allowed into park buildings like the visitor center. For all other areas of the park that dogs can access, the dog owner should keep their pooch on a leash.