immerse in culture: sacred sites & living history Explore Minnesota’s cultural roots by visiting sacred sites, historical monuments and vibrant communities celebrating past and present. Experience Native American heritage, Nordic traditions and East Asian influences, each offering a unique perspective on the state’s cultural mosaic. LIVING HISTORY AT GRAND PORTAGE NATIONAL MONUMENT Along Lake Superior, the Grand Portage National Monument celebrates the fur trade and the Ojibwe way of life. At the visitor center, engage in virtual trading that captures how families survived the winter and watch costumed interpreters at the historic fort explain aspects of the fur era. Operated by the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the National Park Service, this is the first National Park Service unit to be co-managed with a Tribal Nation. Walk in the footsteps of the Ojibwe/ Anishinaabe and the fur-carrying voyageurs on the 8.5-mile (13.7 km) Grand Portage trail, a designated Minnesota State Historic Site that bypasses High Falls on the Pigeon River between Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. Nearby, see hundreds of petroglyphs and pictographs on the rock ledges and cliffs in northern Minnesota’s Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness – part of the homeland of the Ojibwe/Anishinaabe, who traveled the waterways in birch bark canoes. THE STORIED SITES OF JEFFERS PETROGLYPHS & PIPESTONE NATIONAL MONUMENT Minnesota’s recorded history begins at Jeffers Petroglyphs Historic Site in the southwest corner of the state, where Native Americans have traced life stories in rock carvings for thousands of years. Explore the rocky pathways or take a guided tour to illuminate the site’s storied history. Drive the 90 minutes from Jeffers to the Great Pipestone Quarries, now known as Pipestone National Monument. The quarries are a sacred site for Native Americans, and the soft reddish pipestone (or Catlinite) was a coveted item for trade, first among Indigenous Tribes and later with colonial settlers. Appreciate the natural beauty and cultural richness as you explore the exhibits, trails and sites. Pipestone National Monument 56 | EXPLORE MINNESOTA .COM
Explore Minnesota Travel Guide 2026 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide: Page 56
