Order of Visit: High Point #39
Date Visited: June 3, 2021
Route Taken: Eagle Mountain Trail from the Eagle Mountain Trailhead (Forest Road 170) – 6.5 miles round-trip
Type of Terrain: Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area is heavily forested with several lakes. The first 2.5 miles of trail are generally flat, but the last 1/2 mile to the summit includes a steeper climb that will require good walking or hiking shoes.
Elevation: 2,301 feet
Ancestral Lands: Anishinabewaki
What’s in a name?
Eagle Mountain is such a popular name that there’s actually two of them in northeast Minnesota. The shorter of the two peaks is located near the Lutsen Mountain Ski Resort (25 miles to the south), while the higher mountain rests within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and is part of the east-west running Misquah Hills.
An expedition led by Newton H. Mitchell (Minnesota’s state geologist) and Ulysses S. “Buck” Grant, Jr. (the president’s 2nd son) measured the Misquah Hills in the 1890s before concluding it was the highest mountain range in the state. While this assessment was accurate, the party misidentified which of one of the peaks in the range was actually the tallest.
In the 1961, the Department of the Interior returned to the Boundary Waters to conduct a proper survey of the Misquah Hills, and they determined Eagle Mountain was the state’s high point. Point 2230 – the peak Mitchell and Grant’s believed to be the highest – was only the 5th tallest mountain in the range, and is 70 feet lower than Eagle Mountain.
Unfortunately, Eagle Mountain was named well before anyone realized the geographic significance of the peak. So there are no definitive state records about the origins of its moniker. Nonetheless, it’s safe to assume that it was named for America’s national bird, like the myriad of other places throughout the US named Eagle Mountain, Eagle River, or Eagle Creek.
TRIP SUMMARY
Eagle Mountain was the third state high point I was attempting on my whirlwind Great Lakes trip. I’d already snagged Mt. Arvon (Michigan’s high point) and Timm’s Hill (Wisconsin’s high point) yesterday.
Not surprisingly, my quest to visit to two high points in a single day proved to be pretty exhausting. It wasn’t the peaks themselves that were difficult. It was the hundreds of miles of driving from Chicago’s O’Hare airport, way up to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, and then back down into the middle of Wisconsin, that seemed to drained me.
That’s why I camped down near Rusch Preserve last night. It was only 10 miles south of Wisconsin’s high point, and it didn’t cost me a dime because the area is part of the Ice Age Trail, which allows backcountry camping along its route.
As comfortable at my tent was (even in the overnight rain), I was wide awake at 6:30 am. So I quickly packed up for another long day of driving today and set out for Minnesota’s high point – 300 miles to my northwest.
I was barely past the small town of Rib Lake, Wisconsin, (just 10 miles into the morning’s drive) when a deer suddenly darted out from the trees on the right side of the highway. It was crossing into the roadway before I even noticed the movement. Then it leaped right in front of my rental car as I careened down the highway at 50+ miles per hour.
I slammed on the brakes as hard as I could, but I didn’t have enough time to avoid hitting the deer. Instead, I clipped its body with the front driver’s side of the grill of my rental SUV and the animal went flying to my left before disappearing into the woods once again.
As I tried to calm my racing heart and all the adrenaline coursing though me, I pulled to the shoulder of the road to assess the damage. I could barely open my door when I stopped, and I feared the worst. Was this rogue deer going to be the end of my highpointing trip?
As it turns out, the car was still operable. There as a crack in the bumper and the deer’s body pushed the front quarter panel back and slightly out of alignment, which is what made opening the driver’s door so difficult. But, at least my trip wasn’t coming to a sudden and immediate end!
The next 290 miles were far less eventful (thank goodness). I made my way to Lake Superior – the lowest point in the state at 600′ and then drove along the Minnesota’s scenic North Shore from Duluth toward Lutsen, Minnesota.
Just beyond the Lutsen Ski Resort, I made a turn onto Caribou Drive near the town’s fire department. The paved road quickly turned into a dirt road, and I desperately hoped the road didn’t get its name because rogue caribou were waiting to jump in front of my rental car too.
After 17 miles, Caribou Road ended, and I turned right onto Forest Road 170 (FR-170). Then it was only a few more miles of dirt road to the well-marked parking area for the Eagle Mountain Trailhead.
When I arrived, the trailhead’s parking lot was filled with a surprising number of cars and trucks lining the perimeter. I hadn’t encountered anyone yesterday at my last two state high points. But, clearly Minnesota’s high point was a much more popular summer spot.
My first stop was the kiosk near the trailhead. I’d need to sign the guest register for Eagle Mountain and issue myself a one-day permit for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) wilderness – since I’d cross into the area to get to Eagle Mountain’s summit.
With those two tasks complete, I stuffed my permit into my daypack and it was time to hit the trail.
The Eagle Mountain Trail was incredible easy to follow, even though it isn’t marked with any sort of blazes on the trees. Instead, I shifted my focus to carefully watching my step. The tread on this part of the trail was covered with rocks that ranged in size from grapefruits to watermelons. Moreover, the rocks were intermixed with a bunch of tree roots ready to trip the more inattentive hikers (like me).
Despite the rocky and root-filled terrain, the trail was flat for the majority of my hike and it was warmed than I expected it to be in early June.
I passed about a dozen hikers heading back toward me before I even got to Minnesota’s infamous Boundary Waters Canoe Area. These folks clearly gotten an earlier start. But then again, I suppose most of them didn’t have to drive all the way from Wisconsin this morning.
Once in the BWCA, the mosquitos started to become a bit more noticeable. I’d worn a long-sleeve shirt and long pants to cover myself up, but they definitely weren’t as bad as Mt. Arvon had been. Heck, I didn’t even pull my headset out of my daypack.
As I walked across some boards through a boggy area, I could see a two more hikers with their dog up ahead. Unlike me, they’d worn shorts and t-shirts, and they seemed to be having a terrible time with the bugs devouring their exposed skin.
As I neared, the lady desperately asked me if I had some mosquito repellent. They’d left their bottle back in the car, and were seriously regretting that decision. After obliging with their request and watching them liberally douse their bare arms and legs with some picaridin, I was on my way once again.
I wished them good luck and set off toward Whale Lake, which I knew to be a key junction of the trail where I needed to turn left. If I continued walking straight ahead past the lake, I’d be heading out toward Brule Lake and deeper into the BCWA.
Luckily, the trail junction was well-marked with a clear sign. So I made my turn toward Eagle Mountain and the trail began to climb in earnest from this point on.
The next half mile was where nearly all the elevation gain on this trip would come, and the conditions were now rockier and wetter. It was only 400′ of climbing, but it sure felt steep on my achy, car-weary legs.
Near the top, I hit a lookout and the views were 100% worth the effort. I could see for miles and the horizon was filled with gorgeous shades of blues and greens. This would have been the perfect spot for a picnic lunch if I’d arrived a few hours earlier!
Beyond the lookout, the trail leveled off and the tread transitioned to a flat rock surface. This made the trail harder to follow. However, I could tell there was still an area off to my right that was higher in elevation than me, so I made a bee line in that direction and eventually found a dirt trail again.
Atop the summit there was a large boulder with a giant black plaque providing some of the geologic details of Minnesota’s Misquah Hills along with Mitchell/Roosevelt’s mistaken identification of the state high point.
Just behind the plaque sat the metal survey monument. I’ll admit, tt was one of the more unique markers that I’ve come across thus far. It had a silhouette of the state imprinted into the face along with an inscription noting that it’s the highest point in the state! Pretty cool!
After taking my summit photos, I didn’t have a whole lot of reasons to linger on Eagle Mountain. It was mid afternoon and I still had a 1.5 hours drive back down the North Shore to Gooseberry Falls State Park – where I had a camping reservation waiting for me this evening.
Yet, as I turned back to make my way back to the car, I was treated to some even more spectacular view of some of the lake in the Boundary Waters.
People can say whatever they want about the frigid Minnesota winters or the funny Midwestern accent (think Fargo), but that scenery was a feast for the eyes!
Back down at the junction for Whale Lake, I ran into the couple with the dog once again and they asked for one more spritz of mosquito repellent. I was more than happy to share – especially since I’m usually the one in their shoes getting assaulted by bugs.
Back at the car, I realized this was my 39th state high point. My next one would take me into the 40s!! Now, that’s something to celebrate.
DETAILS
When to Visit: This hike is recommended in the between June-September because of its remote, northern location. Mosquitos can be a major problem after the snow melts, so visitors should come prepared with long sleeves, pants, and a bug head net, especially if you visit in June or July.
Getting There: Eagle Mountain is located 115 miles northwest of Duluth, Minnesota in the remote Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Although there are two trailheads hikers can use (Brule Lake Trailhead and Eagle Mountain Trailhead), most visitors opt to hike in on the shorter Eagle Mountain Trail.
Entrance Fees: None. However, all visitors are required to complete a self-issued BWCA wilderness permit from the box at the trailhead. If day hiking, the permit is free.
Parking: The Eagle Mountain Trailhead has a very large dirt lot just off Forest Road-170 the can accommodate at least 15-20 cars. Overnight parking is allowed and there is a pit toilet at the parking lot.
Accessibility: This high point requires a 6.5 mile (roundtrip) hike that will require good stamina. The first 2.75 miles of the trail is a very gradual climb, but the trail is covered in rocks and tree roots. The final 0.5 mile is steeper and rockier.
Bonus: Eagle Mountain is just a stone’s throw from the Superior Hiking Trail – one of America’s National Scenic Trails. This 310-mile long trail, is marked with blue blazes and and parallels Lake Superior’s coast line from the BWCA down to a Jay Cooke State Park. Trailheads access the Superior Hiking Trail every 3-11 miles, so it’s suitable for day hikes.
Resources:
- An Overview of Eagle Mountain (Summit Post)
- Map of Eagle Mountain Trail (US Forest Service)
- Eagle Mountain Trail (U.S. Forest Service)