::Nikoneer

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A short distance upstream from MN Highway 61, on the Gooseberry River, the upper falls presents two cataracts well visible from a high deck overlook. Here the placid river above the falls drops 30 feet into a roar of white. A popular path brings hikers to that "beach" of pink on the left side, just above the top of the falls, and we needed to wait a bit for a couple to leave the falls and head back into the woods. While the upper, middle, and lower falls each have their own particular beauty, we feel it is the fact that one can see all three within a mile-long loop hike from the visitor center, that makes this spot special. That being said, each of the river hikes we made on this trip--along the Gooseberry, Split Rock, Caribou, Temperance, and Pigeon rivers--have their own distinct special features. I cannot recommend visiting the North Shore enough, arriving there sometime during the last week of September through the middle of October, in order to catch the glorious falls colors the shore is famous for. 5