This cache is located in Grand Portage State Park, part of Minnesota's State Parks system located near the unincorporated community of Grand Portage in Cook County, MN. Unlike most parks, this park doubles as a rest area. As such, there is no cost for entry or parking. The Park is open daily from 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. This Park is day-use only, and camping is not allowed.
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Right at the extreme northeastern tip of Minnesota, you will find Grand Portage State Park. The park was established in 1989 through the cooperative efforts of the State of Minnesota and the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe). Within the Park is the tallest waterfall in Minnesota, the High Falls on the Pigeon River. Falling 120 feet on the river's winding way to Lake Superior, it posed a serious problem to river travel. This required the creation of a 9-mile trail to bypass the falls, known as The Grand Portage (now a National Monument).
The Park encompasses and is also flanked by several glacial ridges, which are abundant in this area of the state. The Middle Falls trail will take you to the top of one of these ridges. A small spur trail from there takes you to the highest point in the park, where this cache is located. From there, you can both look north into Canada as well as south towards Wauswaugoning Bay. On clear days, it's possible to see Isle Royale far in the distance, over 20 miles away!
The hike to this cache is about moderate. The first half-mile to the cache from the parking lot is on the High Falls trail, which is paved and thus very easy. The remainder of the hike is along the Middle Falls trail, which can be tough at times. There are many spots where you must watch your footing amongst scattered tree roots and rocks, but there are also some makeshift benches to take a breather. You will eventually run into a map of the park alongside a fork in the trail. Take a right onto the spur trail to the overlook as noted by the map. The round-trip hike to this cache and back is approximately 2.5 miles, with about a 350-foot gain in elevation.
I have labeled this cache as "Not available in winter" due to the tough nature of the hike, which may be amplified with snow and ice. However, if you are truly dedicated, it is possible to find in the winter until the snow gets multiple feet deep.
There is no cell phone service for a long way in any direction, so be sure to save any waypoints you might need before you travel. Rest assured, it is definitely worth the effort. Be sure to bring your camera with you -- photos are welcome. Have fun and stay safe.
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A massive thank you (chi-miigwech) to Travis Novitsky and the other staff of Grand Portage State Park who were very useful with the suggestions for the geocache placement process and for the approval of this one. The proper paperwork has been filled out and the Park has it on file.