The Minnesota DNR in Grand Marais

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) handles most of what people do outdoors around Grand Marais: fishing and hunting licenses, the state parks on Highway 61, the boat launch in the harbor, snowmobile and ATV registration, and the rules that keep invasive species out of inland lakes. It does not run the Boundary Waters or the national forest campgrounds. Those belong to the Forest Service.

Fees are as of 2026. Confirm on the linked page before you pay.

Phone numbers and offices

Fisheries is the only DNR office listed in Grand Marais itself. Its staff manage 727 fishing lakes and 1,200 miles of rivers and streams in Cook County, including Saganaga Lake, the North Shore steelhead streams and the east end of the Boundary Waters.

Wildlife, forestry and the parks and trails district work out of the Two Harbors office. The wildlife staff there cover Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties, manage the deer and bear seasons and advise on problem bears, wolves and moose.

The Information Center answers general questions by phone from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday. The office locator has every local office.

Fishing and hunting licenses

You can buy a fishing or hunting license two ways:

• Online at the DNR's license sales page. The DNR warns buyers to use only its own site.
• In person from a license agent. Find one on the agent map and call ahead. As of September 30, 2026, the map showed only two license agents in Cook County, both outfitters up the Gunflint Trail, and none in town. Buy online before you drive up.

Common fishing licenses, before the $1 agent fee:

Nonresidents can also buy a 7-day license for $43. Licenses run from March 1 through the end of February. A nonresident under 16 can fish under a parent's or guardian's license instead of buying a youth license. The trout and salmon stamp is required on waters the regulations designate for it and whenever you keep trout elsewhere. The 72-hour license is exempt. Read the current fishing regulations before you fish Lake Superior or the streams that run into it.

Hunting licenses, lottery applications and harvest registration for deer, bear and turkey go through the same system. The full list is on the licenses page.

State parks near Grand Marais

Cascade River State Park

The park is 10 miles southwest of town at Highway 61 milepost 101. It has 18 miles of hiking trails, 40 drive-in campsites (21 with electricity), five backpack sites and two group camps. A few drive-in sites are plowed and open through the winter, and the park grooms 17 miles of ski trails, which require a Great Minnesota Ski Pass. The office is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Judge C.R. Magney State Park

The park is 14 miles northeast of town. It is the one with Devil's Kettle, where half of the Brule River pours into a huge pothole. There are nine miles of trails and 27 rustic drive-in campsites with no electricity. There is no office. Staff are on site daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day, and Cascade River handles questions the rest of the year. The campground closes in mid-October (October 18 in 2026) and reopens in spring. Trails stay open, but the road may not be plowed right after a storm.

Grand Portage State Park

The park is about 36 miles from Grand Marais, just before the border station. It is day use only and free. No vehicle permit is needed. A paved, wheelchair-accessible trail, one mile round trip, leads to the 120-foot High Falls of the Pigeon River, the tallest waterfall in Minnesota. The park lies within the Grand Portage Reservation. The State and the Grand Portage Band established it together in 1989, on land held in trust for the Band and leased to the state. The visitor center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Grand Portage guide has more.

Permits and reservations

A vehicle permit costs $7 for one day or $35 for a year and is required at Cascade River and Judge C.R. Magney. Buy it online or at a staffed ranger station. If the office is closed, pay online from the pay station and put the confirmation number on your dashboard.

Drive-in campsites are $20 to $35 a night and backpack sites at Cascade River are $22, plus tax. Electricity adds $10.

Reserve up to 120 days ahead at mndnr.gov/reservations or 866-857-2757. The fee is $8 online or $10 by phone, and nothing for a same-day reservation. The DNR recommends reservations for summer and fall.

Parks are open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

State forest campgrounds

The DNR also runs four small, primitive campgrounds inland, managed through Judge C.R. Magney State Park.

Each site has a cleared pad, a fire ring and a table. There is no garbage service, so pack everything out. McFarland Lake sits at the end of the Arrowhead Trail (County Road 16) beside the Boundary Waters and the Border Route Trail.

These campgrounds were free until 2026. They now cost $17 a night, and you pay before you occupy a site, on the day you arrive. Pay online through Yodel while you still have a signal, or at a state park ranger station during open hours. Sites are first come, first served. Call Cascade River State Park at 218-387-6000 with questions.

Boat launches and public water access

The DNR built the public launch on the east side of Grand Marais harbor with the city. It has two concrete ramps, two docks, paved parking for 40 vehicles with trailers and portable restrooms. The ramp is short, with a drop-off at the end, so do not back in too far. The Grand Marais access page has the details, and the DNR's water access maps show the inland accesses. For the harbor itself, see Boating and Lake Superior.

Invasive species rules

These are state law at every access.

• Clean all aquatic plants and prohibited invasive species off the boat, trailer and gear before you leave the access.
• Drain the bilge, livewell, baitwell and motor, and pull the drain plug. It must stay out while you drive.
• Dispose of unwanted bait, including minnows, leeches and worms, in the trash. To keep bait, refill the container with bottled or tap water.

You may not transport lake or river water, launch with prohibited species attached or release bait into the water. Between lakes the DNR recommends drying the boat for at least five days, or rinsing with water at 120°F for two minutes. The full rules are at Clean In Clean Out.

Snowmobiles and ATVs

The C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Trail runs 146 miles from Duluth to Grand Marais and is groomed weekly for snowmobiles in winter. A short stretch, 6.6 miles, is open to ATVs. The DNR's trail page has maps.

• Snowmobile registration is $113.50 for three years for trail use. Register or renew at a deputy registrar (where you license a car), or renew online.
• Snowmobiles not registered in Minnesota need a state trail pass, $51, valid November 1 through June 30.
• ATVs must be registered with the DNR. It costs $68.50 to register a new machine. Nonresidents riding state or grant-in-aid trails need a nonresident ATV trail pass, $31 a year, unless the machine is registered in Minnesota.

Registration questions go to 651-296-2316 or 800-285-2000.

Conservation officers and the TIP line

Conservation officers are the DNR's enforcement officers for natural resource laws. Cook County is covered by officers assigned to Grand Marais stations. The DNR's officer locator shows who covers a given spot, and the Information Center can put you in touch.

To report poaching or another violation in progress, call the Turn In Poachers line at 800-652-9093, any hour, or key #TIP on a cell phone. You can stay anonymous by phone or in the MNTip app. Give the county and the nearest town. For an emergency, call 911.