Eagle Mountain (Minnesota)
Encyclopedia
Eagle Mountain is the highest natural point in Minnesota
, at 2301 feet (701.3 m). It is located in northern Cook County
and is in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
and Superior National Forest
in the Misquah Hills
, northwest of the community of Grand Marais
. It is a Minnesota State Historic Site.
Eagle Mountain is only about 15 miles (24.1 km) from Minnesota's lowest point, Lake Superior
, at 607 feet (185 m). It is part of the Canadian Shield
. Confusingly, there is another, much shorter, peak named Eagle Mountain in northern Minnesota. The shorter peak is part of the Lutsen Mountains
ski resort
.
The hike to the summit can be made in about two and a half hours. The distance to the peak is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) with an elevation gain of 550 feet (168 m) the trail is rocky and moderately strenuous. Whale Lake
is located about halfway along the trail and offers two campsites to hikers. The peak of the mountain is marked with a plaque. As the peak is located in a national wilderness area
, a permit is required. Self-issued permits are available at any Superior National Forest ranger station or at the trailhead.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, at 2301 feet (701.3 m). It is located in northern Cook County
Cook County, Minnesota
Northern Minnesota offers extreme winter weather. While the averages are low, the extremes provide more details. A third of the year is below freezing . Of those days, 21 are below zero degrees Fahrenheit .-External links:...
and is in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness , is a wilderness area within the Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota under the administration of the U.S. Forest Service...
and Superior National Forest
Superior National Forest
Superior National Forest, part of the United States National Forest system, is located in the Arrowhead Region of the state of Minnesota between the Canada – United States border and the north shore of Lake Superior...
in the Misquah Hills
Misquah Hills
The Misquah Hills are a range of large hills or small mountains in northeastern Minnesota, in the United States. They are located in or near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness within Superior National Forest...
, northwest of the community of Grand Marais
Grand Marais, Minnesota
Grand Marais is a city in Cook County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,351 at the 2010 census. It is also the county seat of Cook County...
. It is a Minnesota State Historic Site.
Eagle Mountain is only about 15 miles (24.1 km) from Minnesota's lowest point, Lake Superior
Lake Superior
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
, at 607 feet (185 m). It is part of the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
. Confusingly, there is another, much shorter, peak named Eagle Mountain in northern Minnesota. The shorter peak is part of the Lutsen Mountains
Lutsen Mountains
Lutsen Mountains is a downhill and cross-country ski and snowboard area located on the North Shore region in Cook County, Minnesota, USA.Lutsen is one of the northernmost ski areas in the United States outside of Alaska. It is located in the rugged Sawtooth Mountains, part of the Superior...
ski resort
Ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing and other winter sports. In Europe a ski resort is a town or village in a ski area - a mountainous area, where there are ski trails and supporting services such as hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, equipment rental and a ski lift system...
.
The hike to the summit can be made in about two and a half hours. The distance to the peak is about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) with an elevation gain of 550 feet (168 m) the trail is rocky and moderately strenuous. Whale Lake
Whale Lake
Whale Lake is a lake in Cook County in what is known as the Arrowhead Region of northern Minnesota. It is within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of the Superior National Forest, at the base of Eagle Mountain, Minnesota's highest point...
is located about halfway along the trail and offers two campsites to hikers. The peak of the mountain is marked with a plaque. As the peak is located in a national wilderness area
National Wilderness Preservation System
The National Wilderness Preservation System of the United States protects federally managed land areas designated for preservation in their natural condition. It was established by the Wilderness Act upon the signature of President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 3, 1964...
, a permit is required. Self-issued permits are available at any Superior National Forest ranger station or at the trailhead.