Grand Portage National Monument
Grand Portage National Monument
The monument is located in northeastern Minnesota’s “Tip of the Arrowhead” within Grand Portage Indian Reservation, Grand Portage village, Cook County, Minnesota
Grand Portage National Monument is an outdoor adventure that you won’t want to miss for your next family vacation. With so much to do in this national monument and the surrounding areas, you will not lack for adventure travel opportunities. There is history galore on the fur trade and the Ojibwe Indians, canoeing and kayaking, camping, wilderness exploration, backpacking, hiking, fishing, and unique winter festivals that will make this a special family adventure vacation. Check below for great Grand Portage National Monument information.
Uniqueness
Located on the magnificent north shore and within the boreal forest of Lake Superior in northeastern Minnesota, Grand Portage National Monument preserves a vital center of 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st century fur trade activity and Anishinaabeg (Ojibwe) heritage. The monument is enclosed entirely within Grand Portage Indian Reservation, which Anishinaabeg families have called home for centuries. Kitchi Onigaming, “the Great Carrying Place” or Grand Portage, connected the summer headquarters compound of the North West and other French and English fur trade businesses on Lake Superior to smaller posts located on the Pigeon River eight and one-half miles away which also linked to the pays d’en haut, the up-country of northwest North America.
At the historic site overlooking Lake Superior, a stockade wall, and a great hall and kitchen complex have been reconstructed over their original archeological footprints. Nearby, a canoe warehouse protects vessels on exhibit, crafted from birch, cedar and spruce raw materials, which were so essential for travel along the east-west fur trade routes. The Grand Portage became a major gateway into the interior of North America for exploration, trade and commerce. It linked Lake Superior and Montreal with westward systems of lakes, rivers and interior trading posts which eventually reached the Arctic Beaufort Sea and the Pacific Ocean. During the late 18th century, Grand Portage served as the inland headquarters for the North West Company and was the location for a summer rendezvous involving Indian families, French voyageurs, Scottish clerks, pays d’en haut wintering partners and Montreal and London agents. Reopened in 1951 as Grand Portage National Historic Site, designated a National Monument in 1958, it has nearly 710 acres. Today as yesterday, the people, the cultures and the land have much to share.
Voyageurs National Park is about 300 miles west of Grand Portage in northern Minnesota. The “Voyageur’s Highway” passed through Rainy Lake, today bordering Voyageurs National Park. A canoe laden with trade goods bound west voyaged about 12 days from Grand Portage to Rainy Lake.
The annual Grand Portage Rendezvous Days and Pow-Wow occurs the second full weekend of August every year. The Rendezvous is presented for the purpose of re-creating and interpreting the annual fur trade rendezvous held during the 1700s and early 1800s. Monument staff and many volunteers present an historic encampment, demonstrations and competitive activities of skill and strength. This event is designed to improve public appreciation and understanding of important events at Grand Portage that influenced the history and exploration of North America. The “Winter Frolic” takes place during the same weekend as the January Grand Portage Passage Sled Dog Race and showcases winter life at the Northwest Company depot with many hands-on activities for all ages. Snowshoeing, historic sled-dog demonstrations, horse drawn sleigh rides and the popular snow snake toss are just a few of the events one can participate in. Come warm yourself by the fire with a hot beverage and see what this national monument has to offer your family vacation!
The national monument offers many outdoor vacation options such as backpacking, fishing, bird watching, camping, nature walks, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, wildlife viewing, and extensive historical sites.
From Saturday of Memorial weekend through Monday of Columbus Holiday, Grand Portage National Monument is open daily 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The Grand Portage, Mount Rose Trail and hiking trails outside the stockade are open year round from dawn until dusk. The Headquarters, located in the old coast guard building in Grand Marais, is open year round from 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Grand Portage National Monument Historic Site Museum is open from late May through mid-October. Fort Charlotte is open all year. It is located by the Pigeon River and can be reached by hiking eight and one-half miles from the historic stockade along the Grand Portage or four miles from the crossing at Old Highway 61.
Access from the parking lot to the reconstructed great hall and kitchen is possible via an identified access route and ramp. The bookstore, interpretive exhibits, hands-on displays, video programs and ranger conducted interpretive activities that are offered in these buildings are accessible. The canoe warehouse has an accessible ramp, but it is not connected to an identified accessible pathway. Interpretive exhibits, displays and programs presented inside are accessible. Restrooms are partially accessible but are not connected to an accessible pathway. The ranger station, adjacent to the parking lot, has an accessible ramp. The parking lot has two identified, van-accessible parking spaces with “safety zones.” Two wheelchairs are available free of charge to use during your visit. The wheelchairs are located in the ranger station and in the great hall. Please ask park staff for assistance.
Larger print, audiotape and Braille formatted materials of the park’s interpretive handouts and brochures are provided within three working days notice. Language interpreters may also be provided with a notice of three working days. Please contact the park’s Accessibility Coordinator or the Chief of Interpretation.
Video programs, hands-on exhibits in the Great Hall, conducted interpretive programs and walking the Grand Portage and Mount Rose Trails are all recommended activities. These programs range in length from 20 to 60 minutes. Enjoy a meal by Grand Portage Bay in the picnic area located just east of the palisade. Allow from one to two hours to visit the reconstructed palisade area and hike up Mount Rose Trail. Allocate from a half to a full day for hiking all or portions of the eight and one-half mile Grand Portage. Kids ages 7 to 13 can become a Junior Ranger. It’s free and the kids learn important facts about the monument.
Based on archeological excavations and research from 1938 through the present, the reconstructed buildings have been furnished in the period of the late 1700′s. Technology from the time can be viewed in an Ojibwe Village and Voyageur Encampment staffed by National Park Rangers. The great hall and kitchen buildings contain reproduction furnishings similar to those used by late 18th century North West Company business partners, clerks, voyageur guides and Ojibwe families. In a room of the great hall from June until September, Ojibwe artisans create and sell beaded designs and birch bark basketry popular to Indian people of the Lake Superior region. Video programs are presented upon request throughout the day and are open-captioned. Also offered are these facilities: palisade, main gatehouse, Canoe Warehouse, historic gardens, fur press exhibit, dock (Isle Royale passenger ferry), restrooms, picnic area, ranger station office, Mount Rose Trail, the Grand Portage, Fort Charlotte site and campground. Visitation to the monument is greatest in July/August and lower in May/October. During 2004, 62,567 people visited.
The Great Hall has many unique displays offering an adventure into this distinctive historical area. In the Grand Room of the Great Hall, place settings are arranged for voyageur guides, interpreters, clerks, wintering partners and agents of the Northwest Company. Four corner rooms are utilized for a furnished partner’s bedroom, Grand Portage Ojibwe cultural center, video presentations and a book sales outlet for the cooperating association, Eastern National Parks and Monuments. At a trade table, visitors have the opportunity to handle beaver, muskrat, fox, timber wolf and bison furs and common European trade items such as flintlock muskets, tobacco, woolen cloth and fire steels. Housed just outside the stockade in the canoe warehouse, are beautiful examples of Maitre, du Nord freight and Anishinaabe wild rice harvesting canoes constructed from birch bark, cedar and spruce raw materials.
Pedestrian paths lead visitors to the reconstructed structures and satellite facilities. Picnic tables are available by crossing a foot bridge at the mouth of Grand Portage Creek or driving east on County Road 17 across the Works Progress Administration (WPA) stone bridge and parking along a gravel road adjacent to the lakeside picnic grounds. The Mount Rose Trail is a paved pedestrian path with spectacular views to Grand Portage Bay and Isle Royale National Park. The Grand Portage footpath can be accessed at three main points: across from the vehicle parking lot at the fort, off Minnesota State Highway 61 and up County Road 17 to Old Highway 61 where a small parking area bisects the portage. The site of Fort Charlotte, with two backcountry campsites, may be accessed by hiking the Grand Portage. Fort Charlotte may also be reached by canoeing or kayaking via Boundary Waters Canoe Area through South Fowl Lake, Fowl Portage and about eight miles down the Pigeon River. As you can seem there are plenty of family adventure vacation activities.
Regularly scheduled, conducted interpretive programs are presented around the historical site from mid-June through Labor Day. Topics and times vary throughout the week. Subjects of the programs frequently include: historic cooking and baking, Ojibwe craft demonstrations, historic black powder musket firings, lever fur press operation, historic gardens and conducted walking tours. During the winter, the Grand Portage is available for snowshoeing and cross country skiing but closed to motorized vehicles such as snowmobiles and all terrain vehicles. The Grand Portage is also closed to horses and mountain bicycles.
On a hot sultry day in mid-July 1802, partners of the most successful fur trade company in North America, the North West Company, met in their majestic Great Hall at Grand Portage and voted to move their summer headquarters from the protected shores of Lake Superior’s Grand Portage Bay 50 miles north to the mouth of the Kaministquia River. Almost from the time the vigorous Anglo-Scot Nor’Westers had organized at Grand Portage in the mid 1780’s an emerging United States wanted them out. The July vote would mean that 18 buildings constructed from native squared spruce, pine and birch and over 2,000 cedar pickets surrounding them would be torn down, transported north in company schooners and used in constructing the new Fort William far from U.S. soil. Their activities at Grand Portage are commemorated at the monument today.
Weather conditions change frequently, due to the site’s location on the north shore of Lake Superior. Cool onshore lake breezes are common in spring, summer and fall along with an occasional shower. Summer inland temperatures can reach into the 80’s and 90’s but are usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler by Lake Superior. Winter weather can be very cold and windy, with consecutive days of sub-zero temperatures, followed by calm sunny moderate temperatures in the 20’s and 30’s. Dress in appropriate layers.
Mosquitoes, gnats and black flies are abundant during spring and summer months especially in the backcountry. Those planning to hike the Grand Portage during this time are encouraged to bring layers of impenetrable clothing and a mosquito net. Insect repellents containing DEET placed directly on the outer clothing layers can be effective for several hours. Or you could try out the new insect repellent clothing. The voyageur’s choice of repellent, bear grease and skunk oil, will probably deter the swarms as well as your neighbors for some time! During especially wet periods, rubber or pack boots are recommended as portions of the portage pass through ankle deep mud and water.
Backcountry campers should remember this backpacking checklist: tent, repair kit, sleeping bag and mat, food, cooking pots/eating utensils, water purifier/filtering system, collapsible water bottle, 1-2 quart water bottle, insect repellent, adequate layered, warm clothing, good hiking boots, backpack, topographical map, first aid kit, compass, matches, fire starter, garbage bags to haul out what you bring in, possible camp stove (although campfires are allowed), signal whistle, sunscreen, sunglasses, multipurpose tool, and flashlight with extra batteries and bulb.
Remember that the animals are wild and should be kept that way. Do not feed or harass the animals.
Entrance fees for families are $6.00 – day. For individuals, it is $3.00-day, for those 17 through 61 years of age. Credit cards are not accepted for the payment of entrance fees, however, personal and travelers checks paid to the National Park Service are welcomed. Voluntary donations are accepted from the public which help support and enhance interpretation and new exhibits at the monument. The latest use of visitor donated funds was the production of four exhibit panels about the history of dog sled use by Indian people through time. These panels were placed on display in the great hall during the January 2000 “Winter Frolic” celebration.
Located at Fort Charlotte are two primitive campsites. You will need to hike from four to eight and one-half miles to reach the western end of the Grand Portage near Fort Charlotte. Each campsite can accommodate up to 10 campers and has a picnic table and fire ring. A pit toilet is located between the campsites. Water from the Pigeon River or Snow Creek is not potable; it should be treated with a purifier, filtered or boiled for at least five minutes. Pet owners are responsible for keeping their pets under control. Leave No Trace practices suggest that parties pack out all their own garbage and even add an extra item or so. For campfires, please use only dead and down wood not live trees. Leave Fort Charlotte better for, future visitors, than you found it! There is no charge for backcountry camping, but a Backcountry Camping Permit is required. These can be obtained and completed at three self-registration boxes located along the Grand Portage. Park staff may also issue permits at the ranger station during normal operating hours. There are no other camping areas in the monument.
Grand Portage Indian Reservation, Grand Portage State Forest, Superior National Forest, and Isle Royale National Park are all close while Voyageurs National Park is about 300 miles west of Grand Portage in northern Minnesota. Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is located on Wisconsin’s Bayfield Peninsula about 80 miles northeast of Duluth, Minnesota. An archipelago of 22 islands lies off the tip of the peninsula in the sparkling blue waters of Lake Superior. Old Fort William, Grand Portage’s reconstructed “sister” site, is located approximately 45 miles north in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Fort William became the North West Company’s inland headquarters once Grand Portage was abandoned in 1803.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International airport is a major U. S. hub for passengers flying to the Midwest. Connecting flights can be accessed from Minneapolis to Duluth, Minnesota or Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. To reach Grand Portage, Minnesota, private ground transportation is recommended either by private or rental vehicle.
Grand Portage National Monument is about 150 miles northeast of Duluth, Minnesota and 50 miles southwest of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada along the beautiful north shore of Lake Superior. The historic site is ½ to 1 mile south of the west and east exits from Minnesota State Highway 61 in the village of Grand Portage.
Bus transportation is available from the cities of Duluth, Minnesota and Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
Approximate Mileage from the following major cities to Grand Portage National Monument:
By Car:
Duluth, MN – 151.32miles
Shovel Lake, MN – 240.76 miles
Minneapolis, Mn – 305.01 miles
Grand Forks, ND – 415.38 miles
Thunder Bay, MI – 641.50 miles
Chicago, IL – 620.68 miles
By Plane:
Minneapolis-Saint Paul International airport to Grand Portage – 303.96 miles
Grand Portage National Monument, Headquarters: P.O. Box 668, 315 So., Broadway, Grand Marais, MN 55604-0668
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Historic Site: P.O. Box 426, 211 Mile Creek Road, Grand Portage, MN 55605
Headquarters (TDD) 218-387-2788
Historic Site – Ranger Station 218-475-2202
Historic Site – Eastern National Bookstore 218-475-2317
