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Tettegouche State Park
State Park Information
State Park Overview
Nature of the Area
Established in 1979 to preserve an outstanding example of the North Shore Highlands Biocultural Region, the 9,346 acres of Tettegouche State Park contain a unique combination of natural features rugged, semi-mountainous terrain, one mile of Lake Superior shoreline, six inland lakes, cascading rivers and waterfalls and
an undisturbed northern hardwood forest. Nature lovers adore this park! Hiking trails along the Baptism River provide views of many falls and cascades including High Falls, the spectacular 60-foot waterfall. In addition - section of the Superior Hiking Trail runs through the park. Inland, the birch-aspen forests of the shore are replaced by maple, yellow birch, basswood, white spruce and red oak.
The north shore of Lake Superior is a combination of rock cliffs, pebble beaches and
bold headlands. The landscape owes its character to the erosion of bedrock by running water and glaciers. Glacial action resulted in thin soils, scoured lake basins and
numerous rock outcroppings. The North Shore drainage pattern is one of short, steep rivers with many waterfalls and deeply eroded gorges. Some present day features, however -re the result of much older geologic processes. About 1.1 billion years ago, North America began to spread apart along a rift that extended from what is now Lake Superior all the way to Kansas. The deep basaltic lava that poured out of this rift formed virtually all of the bedrock of the North Shore. Removal of lava from beneath what is now Lake Superior caused the flows to tilt to the southeast. Spectacular examples of these lava flows are Palisade Head and Shovel Point.
The wide variety of plant communities in the park supports more than 40 species of mammals. Most commonly seen are white-tailed deer, snowshoe hare, red squirrel and beaver. Less commonly observed are moose, black bear, red fox and
river otter. Occasionally, coyote, fisher pine marten, northern flying squirrel and
even the timber wolf are seen. Northeastern Minnesota is recognized as one of the better areas in the nation to find rare birds. Diversity of habitat, geography and proximity to Lake Superior combine to produce a variety of bird life at Tettegouche. In all, 140 species have been identified. Kinglets, spruce grouse and
many northern warblers nest in bogs and coniferous forests in the summer. In fall, hawk migration along the shore of Lake Superior numbers in the tens of thousands. Winter is an excellent time to see northern owls, woodpeckers, finches and
unusual water birds. The park is home to peregrine falcons.
History of the Area
More Info
Tettegouche State Park