Johnson Falls

Cook County, Minnesota

Your visit at a glance

Waterfall height: Not recorded
Location: Cook County, Minnesota
Access status: Canoe-access trail documented; entry point parking and permit details unverified
The walk: About 1 mile return on foot, after a canoe trip
Ground & access: Unmaintained but well-used trail with mud, some fallen trees, and a steeper section near the falls.

Johnson Falls, MN
Photo credit
Photo: Kulvich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Johnson Falls is reached by canoe in the Boundary Waters. Friends of the Boundary Waters describes a day trip from Caribou Lake: a 25-rod portage to Little Caribou Lake, then an 80-rod portage into Pine Lake. On the western shore of Pine Lake, at the portage landing toward Canoe Lake, the Johnson Falls Trail starts on the right. BWCAwild says the walk to both lower and upper falls takes about 30 minutes. Return the same way.

Plan your visit

Canoe to the Pine Lake portage landing, then the Johnson Falls Trail on foot

Friends of the Boundary Waters calls the foot trail a half-mile trail, so about 1 mile return. The canoe approach to Pine Lake is separate and not included.

Unmaintained but well-used trail with mud, some fallen trees, and a steeper section near the falls.

Where to start

There is no road access to the trailhead. Parking depends on the BWCA entry point used; the Friends route starts at East Bearskin Lake (Entry Point 64), and BWCAwild names Pine Lake (Entry Point 68) as nearest. Entry point parking was not checked.

Timing & water

Paddling access only when lakes are open water. BWCAwild visited in October 2022. Current conditions unverified.

Before you go

The falls are in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which requires a BWCA permit. The permit type and any fee for this trip were not verified.

Visitor information

Visit sources

More waterfalls nearby

Within 40 straight-line miles. Road and trail distances will differ.

Explore Minnesota

Waterfall location

Cook County, Minnesota.

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