palisade head

A great view all the way to Shovel Point and beyond. A volcanic formation formed a billion years ago.

Ok, all I can say is it is spectacular. I looked over the edge and almost popped myself. The sheer drop to the lake made me nervous. Almost like a scary movie with a cliff and a rocky shoreline below. Well worth a look.

A nice little scenic stop while driving along the north shore. You can park & within a few steps you've got some great views. Especially beautiful in the autumn.

From the parking lot, be sure to walk to the right a short distance, then out to the stone wall. That's where you can view the Palisade head. The view is not available from the parking lot.

Great quick trip--up a bit of mountain--to a wonderful view of Lake Superior. Lots of parking; the perfect place for,great photos.

It's a beautiful drive beginning the minute you turn off the highway and only a short drive to the parking area. Once there, it really is a beautiful view of Lake Superior from a high vantage point! There were little chipmunks climbing all around the rocks too, which were cute to watch!

The location is actually 3 miles NE of Silver Bay and not in Beaver Bay like the location currently states.- There is no Fee for this.- Don't park at the the entrance just because you don't have a state park pass, drive up the narrow winding road to the parking lot at the top.- The views are breathtaking, and only steps from the parking lot. No hiking required!- STEEP Cliffs, a couple hundred feet down over this will end your life on the rocks below. There are NO guard rails, NO warning signs, and the rocks can be very slippery! Don't let your children "run around", but hold their hand, and educate them. - Watch for rock climbers and their equipment! This is a favorite spot for them and unless you are over the cliff, you might not be able to see them, so don't go kicking or throwing rocks over the edge, particularly if you see ropes. Of course, if you see ropes anchored, STAY AWAY, and keep your kids away. They don't need to trip on these.- The climbers we met were very nice and willing to chat about what they were doing.- Great place for a peaceful "pause" in your day. Spend 15 minutes or an hour.REALITY CHECK....- Again, watch your step. As the climber we spoke with explained, the people who fall, are usually those who are so "taken" by looking outward at the horizon, they forget to look down at their feet. So, look down, plant your feet, Stop walking, then look outward. *An experienced hiker lost her life here, likely because she was so taken by the beauty while here in the evening, she miss stepped. They found her car parked, and her dog was still sitting at the edge, where she had gone over.* Yet, my 7 & 9 yr old boys loved this stop and were very curious about the climbers and behaved very cautiously.

Beware, first I will start with a warning, this is not the place for unaccompanied minors, disobedient teenagers or generally clumsy people. If you leave the parking lot you will be standing on the edge of a 500ft cliff, no walls, well there is one 10'ft long one that can make you feel safe if it's not windy, but other than that it's a vertigo sufferers nightmare. That being said, for those trusted, common sense people who don't feel the need to dangle their legs over a hideously high cliff, then this place is amazing. You don't need to leave the parking lot, which does have a nice wall to sit on and take in the view BTW, but you may feel compelled to go beyond the wall, which is perfectly safe if your not running or wearing slippy shoes in the rain. This is a must stop, must see location if your traveling by, the entrance is easy to miss, but it's on the east side of highway 61 and the road leads out of the parking lot next to the road, I wouldn't even attempt to take an RV up the road, but I have seen it done, but it probably took military precision and about 10'gallons of gas to get to the top of the steeeeeep road up. The road is very narrow, only just enough room for two cars to pass, seriously I would never drive an RV up there you would just be asking for trouble.

I have been to Palisade Head three different times. When it is cold and windy you feel both the wind and the cold at the top of the cliff, so bring a coat and hold on to your hat if it's that type of day.There is parking area for maybe 8 or so vehicles at the top and another parking area right off highway 61 at the base of the road leading up the hill. On pleasant days the upper parking area can get full.The view is stunning. You can easily see shovel point at Tettegouche to the northeast as well as much of the surrounding shoreline and forest on a clear day. You can get a good, close view of the sheer cliff itself as well. If you have kids with, make sure to take proper precautions. There is a little stone wall at one of the lookout points to offer a slight sense of security, but it can feel a bit nerve-racking if you have young kids that like to run around, since much of the area has no barrier before the drop off down to Superior.Other than getting a great view of one of the most beautiful stretches of the North Shore, there isn't much else to do at Palisade Head (no camping, hiking, etc.), but it is definitely worth the stop and only requires a minimum of 15 minutes or so. You can also get a great view of Palisade Head by traveling down the road a couple miles to Tettegouche and hiking along the shore to by shovel point.

It seems more and more people are discovering the place. Nice view from the top. Great hike. In august there are berries to pick.You can see a distance if it is clear. We really enjoyed the trip

Amazing scenic area. Hang on tight to your kids, especially teens who know no fear. Great photos to email home to family who said "Really? I didn't know MN was that pretty!" Very limited parking is the only challenge.

The views! Bring rocks to throw BEFORE you go as everything that is throwable off the cliffs has been thrown already.

Up a narrow, twisty road not far from Beaver Bay is the Palisade Head. We have been stuck on the trail before when someone with a camper trailer tried to make it up and failed--so don't do that! But the view is well worth the trip--if you are a lover of heights. My husband isn't and this is not his kind of attraction. But my older kids and me happily (but carefully) scramble around the rocks and trails getting the best pictures we can. There is parking at the top (limited) and another twisty road down which turns into the entrance road at one point. But it gives you a great view of the great lake Superior. It doesn't take long--an hour is plenty of time unless you want to picnic or hike more extensively. There is no food, no stores, no bathrooms--it is a natural beauty stop.

Not much for hiking, but it's a great stop. No sense in missing it since you just drive up a road, park and walk out on the rocks to take-in the view.

A great place to view the lake, shoreline, take pictures and just soak in the scenery. Blueberries some times!