Banning State Park

A wild ride on the Kettle River at Banning State Park.

Hell's Gate is the most spectacular of the stretches of rapids that draw kayakers to Banning State Park and the Kettle River, Minnesota's first designated Scenic Wild River.

Depending on water levels and location, rapids are rated from Class II to Class IV. The river's many kettle formations - potholes carved into the sandstone by ancient glaciers - add interest to the trip.

While kayakers dare the energies of Blueberry Slide, Mother's Delight, Dragon Tooth and Ghostown Rapids, canoeists paddle in the tamer waters upstream and downstream.

Hikers and skiers may enjoy many other natural features, including waterfalls, a natural arch, and a colorful sandstone valley and cliffs.

An abandoned sandstone quarry is all that remains of the town of Banning, which flourished here briefly in the mid-1800s. When builders began turning to steel, the demand for Banning's sandstone blocks dwindled and the town died. Patches of the Military Road that once carried stage coaches from Point Douglas to Superior, Wis., are another reminder.

Banning has 17 miles of trails for hiking, 12 for skiing, and six for snowmobiling. There are interpretive displays in the visitor center, and a kiosk tells the history of the Military Road.

Banning has 33 drive-in campsites, one backpack site and four canoe sites. There is one camper cabin available for rental.