Vermilion River

The Vermilion River flows 42 miles north from Lake Vermilion to Crane Lake. With few accesses and numerous rapids, this river is best for experienced paddlers.

For more information visit the Vermillion River State Water Trail site.

Trails

There are two trails along the river, the Vermilion Gorge Trail, a 1.5 mile trail that can be hiked in 3 hours and the Vermilion Falls Trail, a short .25 mile round trip hike, both near Crane Lake.

History

The Vermilion River and Crane Lake have a rich and colorful history. As you hike along the trail, imagine that you are walking back through time from contemporary Crane Lake to Rene Bourassa’s 1736 Trading Post at the mouth of the river. 

Interpretive signs describe the logging era of the early 1900’s, the Lake Vermilion Gold Rush in the 1920’s, and two centuries of fur trade along the Voyageurs Highway. Crane Lake was part of the 3,000 mile waterway connecting Montreal to Lake Athabasca.

Vermilion Falls

Vermilion Falls is a torrent of water cascading through a 10-foot wide chasm in the granite. It is part of the Vermilion River which runs north 40 miles from Lake Vermilion and empties into Crane Lake through the Vermilion Gorge.