Last updated August 3, 2026
North of Grand Marais, the North Shore empties out. Highway 61 runs another forty-odd miles to the Canadian border with hardly a town on it, and the stops along that stretch are some of the most distinctive on the whole shore: a river that vanishes into a hole, a painted dining room from the 1920s, a rebuilt fur-trade depot, the tallest waterfall in the state, and a ferry dock where a national park sits out on the horizon. This is the day for the far north.
The drive up
Fuel, coffee, and then forty quiet miles
The day starts through Grand Marais, about 20 to 25 minutes from the lodge, and it is the last real town you will see. Get fuel and coffee there, because beyond the harbor the highway settles into forest and lake and stays that way to the border. The emptiness is the point; give the day room to be slow.
Devil's Kettle and Naniboujou
The first stops, about 35 to 40 minutes up
Judge C.R. Magney State Park holds Devil's Kettle, the waterfall where half the Brule River drops into a pothole. The hike in is about 1.1 miles with a long staircase, and it is covered properly in the waterfalls guide.
Across the highway sits Naniboujou Lodge, a 1920s club lodge whose dining room is painted floor to ceiling in a Cree-inspired design. It is one of the North Shore's singular rooms, and lunch there turns a waterfall hike into a full outing. The dining room serves meals seasonally, roughly May into October plus winter weekends, so check current hours before you build a day around it.
Grand Portage
The depot, the falls, and the view from Mount Josephine
Grand Portage National Monument is a reconstructed North West Company fur-trade depot and heritage center, on the site of the historic portage of roughly 8.5 miles that carried canoe traffic around the falls of the Pigeon River. The Ojibwe community here hosts Rendezvous Days each August, one of the events worth planning a trip around; see the events guide.
A few minutes on, Grand Portage State Park holds the High Falls of the Pigeon River, at about 120 feet the tallest waterfall in Minnesota, and the one state park with no vehicle permit needed. The waterfalls guide has the details. Just up the highway from the village, the Mount Josephine wayside looks out over Wauswaugoning Bay and the islands, one of the best pull-over views on the shore.
Isle Royale, out on the water
A national park by ferry
From the Grand Portage marina, Grand Portage–Isle Royale Transportation Lines runs ferries to Isle Royale National Park. In 2026 the Voyageur II sails May 9 to September 24 on a circumnavigating service around the island, and the Sea Hunter III runs June 10 to September 5 to Windigo. In high season a day trip to Windigo is possible: out in the morning, a few hours on the island, back the same evening. Reservations are strongly recommended, at isleroyaleboats.com, and the lake decides the schedule, so hold the plan loosely.
Thunder Bay, Ontario
The international option
Thunder Bay is a full-day trip in its own right, about two hours from the lodge plus the border crossing at Pigeon River. You will need a passport, and it is worth checking current border requirements before you commit. For most stays the far shore's best day ends at Grand Portage; save Thunder Bay for a longer visit or a reason.
Drive times, heading north
| Stop | Drive from the lodge | | --- | --- | | Grand Marais | ~20–25 min | | Judge C.R. Magney / Naniboujou | ~35–40 min | | Grand Portage National Monument | about 1 hr 10 min, roughly | | Grand Portage State Park (High Falls) | ~1 hr+ | | Mount Josephine wayside | a few minutes past the village | | Thunder Bay, ON | about 2 hrs, plus the border crossing |
✓ Times derived from the lodge's verified Highway 61 anchors and hedged; ferry seasons per Grand Portage–Isle Royale Transportation Lines for 2026. Check current schedules and border requirements before the long drives.
Common questions
Can you do Isle Royale as a day trip from Lutsen?
In high season, yes, though it makes a long day. Grand Portage–Isle Royale Transportation Lines runs ferries from Grand Portage, about an hour or a bit more north of Nordhus Lodge, and a day trip to Windigo is possible when the schedule allows: out in the morning, a few hours on the island, back the same evening. In 2026 the Voyageur II sails May 9 to September 24 and the Sea Hunter III runs June 10 to September 5. Reservations are strongly recommended, at isleroyaleboats.com.
Do you need a passport on the North Shore?
Only if you cross into Canada. Everything on the Minnesota side, including Grand Portage and the High Falls, needs no passport at all. For Thunder Bay, Ontario, about two hours north plus the crossing at Pigeon River, bring a passport and check current border requirements before you go.
What is Naniboujou Lodge?
Naniboujou is a 1920s lodge on Highway 61 north of Grand Marais, across from Judge C.R. Magney State Park, known for a dining room painted floor to ceiling in a Cree-inspired design. It is one of the North Shore's singular rooms and a favorite lunch stop on a far-north day. The dining room serves seasonally, roughly May into October plus winter weekends, so check current hours before driving up.
How far is Grand Portage from Nordhus Lodge?
Roughly an hour and ten minutes north on Highway 61, past Grand Marais. The National Monument and the marina sit in the village of Grand Portage, and Grand Portage State Park, with the High Falls, is a few minutes beyond, right at the Canadian border.
Is the High Falls worth the drive?
Yes. At about 120 feet it is the tallest waterfall in Minnesota, reached by a short accessible boardwalk, and the park is the one Minnesota state park that is free to enter, with no vehicle permit needed. Pair it with the Grand Portage National Monument and Naniboujou on the way up and the drive earns itself several times over.