Soul Centered Photography: Cascade River State park, June 2021

Monday, June 21, 2021

Cascade River State park, June 2021

A short and pleasant visit at Cascade River State park in mid June, 2021 - along the north shore of Lake Superior, Minnesota.

I arrived at the campground in the early afternoon and went for a hike to Lookout Mountain. Along the trail through the forest I saw wild roses and a group of Pink Ladyslippers. On the top I was rewarded with a grand view towards Lake Superior!

In the evening I enjoyed sitting at a campfire. My friendly neighbors helped me getting the fire going!! Their kindness warmed my heart.

As it was a clear night I decided to go to the shoreline to spend some time stargazing. Never have I seen Lake Superior this calm! It is difficult to put into words what I felt that night - sitting on a rock and looking into infinite space made me feel very small. Then Saturn rose above the horizon, leaving a trail of light in the water. A night that I will remember for a long time.

The next morning I spent exploring the Cascade River, taking photos from different view points.

After a short visit to Grand Marais it was time to head home again. The Lupins were in full bloom all along Hwy 61. They put on quite a show this year.

Enjoy the photos and as always, thanks for viewing.

Click on the photos for a larger view.

Susanne

Some information about the State Park:

Aptly named, the Cascade River flows down one ledge after another for a total drop of 900 feet in the last three miles of its journey to Lake Superior. The park setting is a boreal hardwood-conifer forest of aspen, birch, fir, spruce and cedar. Visitors can stand on the footbridge that spans the river, or at any of the viewing spots above the river, and feel the vibration of the rushing torrent of water as it cascades down a volcanic canyon.

Its geologic history is what really makes the dramatic landscapes of the North Shore and Cascade River State Park. It started 1.1 billion years ago, when the ancient continental bedrock split apart and became covered with molten lava which welled up from below the Earth’s crust. This formed nearly all the bedrock underlying the North Shore, including this park. Soon after this intense volcanism stopped, streams deposited sediment over the lava beds. Much later, starting about 2 million years ago, great glaciers from the north scoured the area several times, leaving the present Lake Superior basin. Erosive forces, especially the rivers and lake waves, are still in action today. The Cascade River, one of the largest of the North Shore rivers, is constantly deepening its gorge as it cuts down through the ancient basalt lava flows.