cross river

You can pull over and park, and the take a quick walk to the bridge to view the dramatic falls just off Highway 61. If you have more time you can drive down to take a look at Father Baraboo Cross.

High water time, but still had good pockets with a challenging current. One of the better Brook Trout rivers in that area.

You can park your car in the wayside rest and find a restroom with pit toilets right there, the easiest waterfall to see along Highway 61 (just walk over to the bridge and look to your left and there it is), go across Highway 61 and a wonderful bakery, and the Cross River Heritage Center which is one of my favorite museums along the North Shore await you. When you are done with these things, I highly recommend getting in your car and going just a very short distance north to the cutoff to the Father Baraga Cross. Park in the parking lot at the very end of the road and look back in the direction of Duluth and you will see the short trail leading to the cross. The sign will explain the significance of the cross and how the river was named Cross River. In Summer there are quite a few wild flowers in the area as well as several species of birds. When I was just there in early June no wild flowers were out yet. There is a huge rock you can sit and and listen to the waves on Lake Superior and watch Cross River enter Lake Superior. This spot is rarely busy, yet I think it is one of the most relaxing and peaceful spots to stop and spend time enjoying the sights and sounds of nature and Lake Superior.If you visit all the spots mentioned, you can be done in under two hours depending on whether or not you hurry through the Heritage Center. This also a good spot on a rainy day as you don't have to walk far or spend much time outside. It is also a great spot for anyone with mobility issues to get a great view of a waterfall with a minimum of walking, no steps, and an entirely paved area.

There is a wayside rest by the falls that is worth a stop to see the falls. The toilet is a clean pit toilet but the view from the bridge is beautiful. Across the street is Schroeder Baking Company which serves great coffee and bakery items. Be sure and drive down to the lake where Fr. Baraga's Cross is. It is a pretty view.

worthy of pictures, easily seen from car but you can also get out. Easy parking and easy on/off of hwy 61.

A bathroom break that turned into over an hour of exploring the area, last year on MEA 2011 weekend. We heard the roar of the falls and had to run over and see it. Naturally we then visited the Coffee shop across the highway and bumped into the locals and chatted for a while, bought some great coffee and postcards. Checked out the museum and adjacent resort, leaving with smiles.

Seeking a rest stop on our drive along Lake Superior’s North Shore, we discovered a delightful gem on Highway 61 in Schroeder, Minnesota: the Cross River Heritage Center. It is located 53 miles north of Two Harbors. There is an outstanding museum (free admission) with exhibits and artifacts telling the history of the area and the logging industry. The friendly and knowledgeable staff also have travel information, and there is a delightful gift shop with items created by local artists and craftspeople. (It’s a non-profit, and the prices of the items are very reasonable.) The area surrounding the building is beautifully landscaped with flowers, walks, and benches, and the picturesque waterfalls are across the street. Next door is a bakery and a post office.

The highway goes directly over the falls, and the stairs lakeside only go partway down (it is a deep gorge), so it is impossible to get a great photo. But it is still worth a stop. In the spring and when they've had plenty of rain, you can feel the spray off the falls on your face when you stand on the bridge. This river was named after missionary Fr. Baraga erected a cross at the mouth of the river after a safe journey across Lake Superior. Just north of the pull-off is a small sign indicating that a new marble cross was erected down at the mouth of the river. Take Baraga Cross Road (slowly - several homes are here) down to the end. You can just park there or pull into the access at the left. The north part of the property is a mostly secluded rock beach - great spot for rock hounds like me! and a grassy area with some picnic tables. Just below that is a small boat ramp. Then to the right is an interesting rock outcropping you can climb on, and a level gravel walkway to the new marble monument. Even if you are not interested in Fr. Baraga, you can see where the Cross River empties into Lake Superior.There are new latrines (non-flush) at the pull-off and port-a-potties (at least in the summer) at the park. These were appreciated, because there aren't many places along that part of Rte. 61.

The only way to view the Cross River Falls is from the highway.