Upper Gunflint River
- 0.7 mi
- round trip
- 63 ft
- climb
- Out and back
- route
- May, Jul–Sep
- best months
Is Upper Gunflint River open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Superior National Forest. It doesn't name Upper Gunflint River, so check the source for the area it covers.
Post Wildfire Closures, Effective October 1, 2026
Agency closure covering Superior National Forest · Order 09-09-00-26-11 · USFS · Superior National Forest
Forest Road Improvement Projects
Agency alert covering Superior National Forest · USFS · Superior National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Superior National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Upper Gunflint River is a 0.73-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 63 feet of elevation gain.
Local outfitters
- NorWester Lodge and Canoe Outfitters14 mi away
- Sawtooth Outfitters35 mi away
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- Nearby · Upper Gunflint Highlands · Upper Gunflint Ham Lake · Upper Gunflint North Star
Best time to go · May, Jul–Sep
Best time to visit Upper Gunflint River
Best months: May and July–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
15° / -6°
8 wet · 8 snow
Feb
20° / -5°
6 wet · 6 snow
Mar
33° / 8°
7 wet · 5 snow
Apr
47° / 24°
8 wet · 3 snow
May
61° / 38°
11 wet · 1 snow
Jun
71° / 49°
13 wet
Jul
76° / 54°
11 wet
Aug
74° / 52°
11 wet
Sep
64° / 45°
11 wet
Oct
49° / 33°
12 wet · 2 snow
Nov
34° / 21°
10 wet · 5 snow
Dec
21° / 4°
9 wet · 8 snow
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Gunflint Lake 10 Nw, MN, 6.6 mi away at 1,455 ft. We don't have this place's elevation, so higher spots nearby can run cooler. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Closures we've recorded since August 2026
Forest-wide Fire Restrictions
Superior National Forest · Order dated July 12, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Aug 25, 2026 · Forest Service
Keep exploring — more snow worth the drive
SKI
Upper Gunflint Highlands
Next door
2.00-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 344 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Upper Gunflint Ham Lake
Next door
1.94-mile loop with 153 ft gain at Upper Gunflint Ham Lake, Minnesota
SKI
Upper Gunflint North Star
~3 min drive
6.57-mile loop in Minnesota with 338 ft elevation gain.
SKI
Lonely Lake Ski Trail
~8 min drive
An out-and-back cross-country ski trail in Ontario, Canada.
SKI
Upper Gunflint Rabbit Run
~1 min drive
1.07-mile out-and-back route in Minnesota with 208 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Upper Gunflint Short Cut
~1 min drive
1.46-mile loop trail in Minnesota with 59 ft gain and 104 ft loss.
SKI
Upper Gunflint Lonely Lake
~4 min drive
9.24-mile loop trail in Minnesota with 1,166 ft elevation gain.
SKI
Cgt-Beaver Dam Small Loop
~32 min drive
4.14-mile loop trail in Minnesota with 158 ft elevation gain.
SKI
Upper Gunflint Aspen Rabbit
~1 min drive
0.79-mile out-and-back ski trail in Minnesota with 36 ft of elevation gain.
SKI
Upper Gunflint Cut Across
~2 min drive
2.78-mile loop in Minnesota with 140 ft gain and 165 ft loss.
