Temperance River State Park
Encyclopedia
Temperance River State Park is a state park
of Minnesota
, USA, just north of the town of Schroeder
on Highway 61
on the North Shore
of Lake Superior
. It has campsites, picnic areas, and hiking
trails on both sides of the Temperance River
.
In the 1930s, the Civilian Conservation Corps
built several overlooks at certain places along the riverside. In 1957, the state organized 539 acres (2.2 km²) of land into Temperance River State Park.
.
The Superior Hiking Trail
passes through the park, following the river gorge before climbing to the top of Carlton Peak
, nearly 1000 feet (304.8 m) above Lake Superior.
State park
State parks are parks or other protected areas managed at the federated state level within those nations which use "state" as a political subdivision. State parks are typically established by a state to preserve a location on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, or recreational...
of 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...
, USA, just north of the town of Schroeder
Schroeder Township, Minnesota
Schroeder Township is one of the three townships of Cook County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 187 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
on Highway 61
Minnesota State Highway 61
Minnesota State Highway 61 is a highway in northeast Minnesota, which runs from the junction of Interstate Highway 35 and Minnesota 61 in Duluth and continues northeast to its northern terminus at the U.S.-Canadian border near Grand Portage...
on the North Shore
North Shore (Lake Superior)
The North Shore of Lake Superior runs from Duluth, Minnesota, United States, at the southwestern end of the lake, to Thunder Bay and Nipigon, Ontario, Canada, in the north to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, in the east...
of 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...
. It has campsites, picnic areas, and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails on both sides of the Temperance River
Temperance River
The Temperance River is a river in northern Minnesota, which drains into Lake Superior along its north shore just south of Tofte. It flows out of Brule Lake in Cook County towards its mouth within Temperance River State Park. Its name is supposedly a pun on its lack of a sand bar.-Name:The...
.
History
The Temperance River area was first permanently inhabited by Europeans in the 1830s. Settlers had to decide what to name various geographical features. When the geographical surveyors came through the area in 1864, they noticed that one particular river ran into water which was so deep that no sand bar formed at the mouth. Because there was no "bar" that river was named "Temperance."In the 1930s, 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...
built several overlooks at certain places along the riverside. In 1957, the state organized 539 acres (2.2 km²) of land into Temperance River State Park.
Attractions
Temperance River has two campgrounds, one on each side of the river. Both campgrounds are closer to Lake superior than most state park campgrounds near the lake. Besides the "bar-less" mouth of the river, Temperance River has three waterfalls which can be reached by footpath. The park is also one of four Minnesota state parks to allow rock climbing, along with nearby Tettegouche State ParkTettegouche State Park
Tettegouche State Park is a Minnesota state park on the north shore of Lake Superior 58 miles northeast of Duluth in Lake County on scenic Minnesota Highway 61. The park's name stems from the Tettegouche Club, an association of local businessmen which purchased the park in 1910 from the...
.
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...
passes through the park, following the river gorge before climbing to the top of Carlton Peak
Carlton Peak
Carlton Peak is a summit in the Sawtooth Mountains in southern Tofte Township, Cook County, in northeastern Minnesota in the United States. In 1848 Reuben B. Carlton of Fond du Lac, Minnesota ascended the peak with Col. Charles Whittlesey, who was participating in a geological survey expedition...
, nearly 1000 feet (304.8 m) above Lake Superior.