Grand Portage State Forest
Encyclopedia
The Grand Portage State Forest is a state forest
located near the town of Hovland
in Cook County
, in extreme northeastern Minnesota
. The forest encloses Judge C. R. Magney State Park
, Swamp River Wildlife Management Area, Hovland Woods Scientific and Natural Area, and Spring Beauty Hardwoods Scientific and Natural Area. It borders the Grand Portage Indian Reservation
to the east, the Superior National Forest
to the west, and Ontario
to the north. The forest is named after the Grand Portage
, a historic trade route between the Great Lakes and the Northwest.
timber, and pulpwood
from the black and white spruce found in the forest. Cut pulpwood was usually rafted
on Lake Superior
to pulp mill
s in Wisconsin
. Wildfires historically played a large part in the formation of the forest's woods. In 1910, a wildfire burned through much of the southeast portion of the forest, and in 1936, 10000 acres (4,046.9 ha) of the central part of the forest were burned.
The state forest was established in 1933. By June of that year, passage of the Emergency Conservation Work Act and creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps
led to establishment of CCC Camp S-62 in Hovland by Company 722. For the next four years, under the direct of State Forest Service personnel, the company planted trees, fought wildfires, and built roads, fire towers, buildings, and recreational facilities on the forest.
of the state, the forest has a number of regional trails. The Border Route Trail
follows the Pigeon River, which is the northern limit of the forest and forms the international border
between the United States
and Canada
. This trail connects with the Superior Hiking Trail
in the northeastern portion of the forest.
The abundance of lakes in the forest make fishing and water recreation
very popular. There are nine boat launches in the forest, including one at McFarland Lake in the northernmost area of the forest, which serves as the easternmost entrance to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
. Other outdoor recreational activities include picnicking; 30 miles (48.3 km) of designated hiking trails, 40 miles (64.4 km) for snowmobiling, and over 60 miles (96.6 km) for cross-country skiing
. Backcountry camping is offered as an alternative to camping at the three established campgrounds.
State forest
A state forest is a forest that is administered or protected by some agency of a sovereign state.The precise application of the term varies by jurisdiction...
located near the town of Hovland
Hovland, Minnesota
Hovland is an unincorporated community in Cook County, Minnesota, United States.The community is located between Grand Marais and Grand Portage on Chicago Bay of Lake Superior. Minnesota State Highway 61 runs through the community....
in 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:...
, in extreme northeastern Minnesota
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...
. The forest encloses Judge C. R. Magney State Park
Judge C. R. Magney State Park
Judge C. R. Magney State Park is a state park of Minnesota, USA, on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It was named for Clarence R. Magney, a former mayor of Duluth and judge on the Minnesota Supreme Court, who was instrumental in getting 11 state parks and scenic waysides established along the...
, Swamp River Wildlife Management Area, Hovland Woods Scientific and Natural Area, and Spring Beauty Hardwoods Scientific and Natural Area. It borders the Grand Portage Indian Reservation
Grand Portage Indian Reservation
The Grand Portage Indian Reservation is located in Cook County near the tip of Minnesota's Arrowhead Region in the extreme northeast part of the state. The community was considered part of the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa, but is not a party to the treaties that group signed...
to the east, the 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...
to the west, and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
to the north. The forest is named after the Grand Portage
Grand Portage National Monument
Grand Portage National Monument is a United States National Monument located on the north shore of Lake Superior in northeastern Minnesota that preserves a vital center of fur trade activity and Anishinaabeg Ojibwe heritage....
, a historic trade route between the Great Lakes and the Northwest.
History
The area was extensively logged in the early 20th century, and abandoned logging camps can still be found throughout the forest. The Pigeon River Company, the Hughes Brothers Timber Company, and the George W. Mead Company were responsible for the harvest of millions of board feet of White Pine and Northern White CedarThuja occidentalis
Thuja occidentalis is an evergreen coniferous tree, in the cypress family Cupressaceae, which is widely cultivated for use as an ornamental plant known as American Arbor Vitae. The endemic occurrence of this species is a northeastern distribution in North America...
timber, and pulpwood
Pulpwood
Pulpwood refers to timber with the principal use of making wood pulp for paper production.-Applications:* Trees raised specifically for pulp production account for 16% of world pulp production, old growth forests 9% and second- and third- and more generation forests account for the balance...
from the black and white spruce found in the forest. Cut pulpwood was usually rafted
Timber rafting
Timber rafting is a log transportation method in which logs are tied together into rafts and drifted or pulled across a water body or down a flatter river. It is arguably the second cheapest method of transportation of timber, next after log driving...
on 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...
to pulp mill
Pulp mill
A pulp mill is a manufacturing facility that converts wood chips or other plant fibre source into a thick fibre board which can be shipped to a paper mill for further processing. Pulp can be manufactured using mechanical, semi-chemical or fully chemical methods...
s in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Wildfires historically played a large part in the formation of the forest's woods. In 1910, a wildfire burned through much of the southeast portion of the forest, and in 1936, 10000 acres (4,046.9 ha) of the central part of the forest were burned.
The state forest was established in 1933. By June of that year, passage of the Emergency Conservation Work Act and creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
led to establishment of CCC Camp S-62 in Hovland by Company 722. For the next four years, under the direct of State Forest Service personnel, the company planted trees, fought wildfires, and built roads, fire towers, buildings, and recreational facilities on the forest.
Recreation
Located in the Arrowhead RegionArrowhead Region
The Arrowhead Region is located in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Minnesota, so called because of its pointed shape. The predominantly rural region encompasses of land area and comprises Carlton, Cook, Lake and St. Louis Counties. Its population at the 2000 census was 248,425 residents...
of the state, the forest has a number of regional trails. The Border Route Trail
Border Route Trail
The Border Route Trail is a long hiking trail that crosses the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in the far northeast corner of Minnesota and follows the international border between Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. It connects with the Superior Hiking Trail on its eastern terminus and with...
follows the Pigeon River, which is the northern limit of the forest and forms the international border
International Border
The India–Pakistan Border , known locally as the International Border , is the international boundary between India and Pakistan that demarcates the Indian states of Punjab, Rajasthan and Gujarat from the Pakistani provinces of Punjab and Sindh. Pakistan borders India in the east. The border...
between the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. This trail connects with the Superior Hiking Trail
Superior Hiking Trail
The Superior Hiking Trail, also known as The “SHT,” is a 275-mile long footpath in Northeastern Minnesota, which for most of its length follows the ridgeline overlooking Lake Superior. The path is 18-inches wide and is set in the middle of a 4 foot clearing. The footpath travels through forests of...
in the northeastern portion of the forest.
The abundance of lakes in the forest make fishing and water recreation
Surface water sports
The following is a list of surface water sports; these are sports which are performed atop a body of water.-Discing:Discing consists of standing on a circular wooden disc and being towed behind the boat. The disc supports the rider by means of spreading the weight out evenly across the water...
very popular. There are nine boat launches in the forest, including one at McFarland Lake in the northernmost area of the forest, which serves as the easternmost entrance to 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...
. Other outdoor recreational activities include picnicking; 30 miles (48.3 km) of designated hiking trails, 40 miles (64.4 km) for snowmobiling, and over 60 miles (96.6 km) for cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
. Backcountry camping is offered as an alternative to camping at the three established campgrounds.