NPS photo

An interpreter demonstrates loading and firing a "Northwest Gun" the name given to flintlocks, generally of British builders, traded into northwestern North America.

Whether you have an hour, a day or a week to spend in the "Tip of the Arrowhead" of northeastern Minnesota, there are endless things to see and do.

Things to do if you have:

One or two hours:

• Start at The Heritage (Visitor) Center, view exhibits covering the Grand Portage community with many museum objects, watch the films and visit the bookstore. (an hour) 
• Visit three log buildings (great hall, kitchen, and canoe warehouse), four outside areas (Ojibwe village, voyageur’s encampment, dock and historic gardens (European kitchen and Ojibwe three sisters gardens)) and read wayside exhibits around the depot area. (One quick hour)

A half day:

Everything you can do in one hour plus:

• Become a Grand Portage Junior Ranger / voyageur – ask for your booklet from a ranger at the information desk in the Heritage Center or a guide in the great hall, answer the questions by querying guides around the various sites of the depot, go bock to the great hall and obtain your junior ranger badge and voyageur contract from the guide. (45 minutes to one hour)
• Hike the Mount Rose Trail (one mile round trip, take a self guided brochure highlighting geology and vegetation at 16 numbered posts along the trail) (One hour)
• Enjoy picnicking beside Lake Superior in the historic porkeater’s camp (voyageur’s who paddled from Montreal) also read the wayside exhibits in the picnic area. (One hour)
• Participate in a ranger walk or talk titles include: (30 minutes to one hour)
  • Saving the Past Through Seeds: The Historic Gardens
  • Building a Birchbark Canoe 
  • Historic Bread Baking Demonstrations in the NWCo Kitchens 
  • Why Grand Portage,? Walking Tour 
  • The North West Trade Gun: Historic Weapons Firing Demonstration 
  • "My Grandpa Had One of Those," Historic Tools and Their Uses 
  • To the Pacific by Land 1793 
  • Native American Lifeways 
  • Bagpipes and Grand Portage
  • The Art and Craft in Ojibwe Technologies 
  • Portage into the Wilderness: Walk along the Grand Portage 

View films shown in the Heritage Center:

A day:

Everything you can do in a half day plus:

• Hike the Grand Portage footpath from the depot to new Highway 61 (1 1/2 mile round trip - about one hour)

More than a day:

Everything you can do in a day plus:

• Hike the Grand Portage footpath from the stockade to Old Highway 61 8 miles round trip (eight miles round trip - three to four hours)
• Hike the Grand Portage from Old Highway 61 to Fort Charlotte (Nine miles round trip - six to eight hours)
• Hike the entire Grand Portage footpath from the stockade on Lake Superior to Fort Charlotte and back (17 miles round trip eight to 16 hours)
• Camp overnight at Fort Charlotte - obtain your backcountry permit during regular business hours from the ranger station or after hours at three registration boxes located at new Highway 61, old Highway 61 or Fort Charlotte depending upon your entrance to the Grand Portage footpath (24 hours plus)
• Visit Grand Portage State Park – See High Falls, the highest waterfalls in Minnesota – hike to Middle Falls
• Take a guided tour of Grand Portage Indian Reservation with a naturalist through Grand Portage Lodge and Casino
• Take an excursion to Isle Royale National Park for a day aboard the Wenonah or overnight or longer aboard the Voyageur II