Temperance River State Park (Blog Hike #316)

Trail: Superior Hiking Trail through Temperance River Gorge

Hike Location: Temperance River State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of Schroeder, MN (47.55524, -90.87356)
Length: 1.4 miles

Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Dates Hiked: July 2010, July 2017
Overview: An out-and-back hike with a few steep steps and views into sheer-walled Temperance River gorge.

Park Information: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00268#homepage

Hike Route Map: http://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=431093
Photo Highlight:

Directions to the trailhead: Parking for this trailhead is in a paved perpendicular parking area at SR 61’s crossing of the Temperance River just north of Schroeder.

The hike: The name Temperance may sound echoes in your mind from the Prohibition era, but the origin of this park’s name goes back much further than that.  The Ojibwa people (more commonly known as the Chippewa people) called this stream the Deep Hollow River for reasons you will see on this hike.  The name Temperance first appeared in an 1864 report by Thomas Clark.  Clark gave this stream such a name because, unlike other rivers on the North Shore, this one had no bar at its mouth on Lake Superior.

            At only 200 acres, Temperance River State Park is one of the smallest state parks along the North Shore.  Packed into these 200 acres are a 55-site campground, the Temperance River (a designated trout steam), and 8 miles of hiking trails.  Even better, the park offers access to the Superior National Forest trail system including the Superior Hiking Trail.  The hike described here takes you along the Temperance River starting in the park and ending in the national forest.

Asphalt trail leaving trailhead

            The hike starts at the northeast corner of the parking area along SR 61.  The trail starts as an asphalt trail, but it soon turns to dirt.  A wide shallow section of the river can be seen immediately to the left, but soon the gorge appears with its tight, sheer rock walls.  This gorge looks different from other gorges in the area, and that’s because it was formed differently.  Rather than water gradually eroding rock, this gorge formed as a series of potholes in the riverbed.  Over time, the potholes eroded together to form one continuous gorge.  Where the mouth of the gorge is today there was once a waterfall at the end of a string of potholes.  Today, you can barely see the waterfall inside the darkness of the gorge.  As you walk along the gorge, imagine what the area must have looked like many years ago before the gorge was formed.

Mouth of Temperance River gorge

            The gorge is only about 15 feet wide, and the river takes up the entire width.  Thus, the trail has to go up to the rim, which it does on some steep wooden steps.  At the top of the steps, the trail heads across bare rock (an ancient lava flow) guided by some cairns, or piles of stones.  There are few handrails along the rim, and it is a sheer 25 foot drop to the river, so take care on this section of trail.

Cairn on trail across lava flow

            At 0.15 miles, you reach an overlook of Hidden Falls, the waterfall you could barely see from the mouth of the gorge.  The waterfall is only about 15 feet high, but the large volume of water and tight quarters of the gorge give it a real roar.  Continuing upstream from the waterfall, the river remains below you and to the left in the gorge as you continue to climb gradually on the rim.

Hidden Falls

            0.2 miles into the hike, you come to an intersection with the paved Gitchi-Gami Trail, which goes right and left.  Our hike continues straight to stay along the river, heading upstream.  You soon pass a couple more overlooks, one of which gives a nice view of a smaller waterfall in the gorge.  At 0.4 miles, you reach the head of the gorge, where another nice, small waterfall can be seen at a final overlook.

            Past this waterfall, the riverbed becomes rocky as it widens and becomes calmer.  Nice birch-aspen forest can be seen all around now, and you have unceremoniously passed from the state park into the national forest.  From here, the trail takes on a wilder feel, as the crowds have been left behind at the gorge, and the treadway features more rocks and roots.

Wider, calmer river

            You can decide where you want to turn around.  In another 0.5 miles, after climbing a short but steep set of wooden steps, you will arrive at another waterfall.  Unfortunately, this waterfall can usually be heard but not seen from the trail, as trees prevent a clear view.  The trail on which you are traveling does not form a loop, so at some point you will need to turn around and retrace your steps to the parking area to complete the hike.