Lake Shumway

Savannah Portage was a vital land link between the St. Louis River and the Mississippi River watersheds and it was used for centuries by the native Americans before the white man arrived in mass in the 1760’s to trade furs. The portage joined the heavily traveled canoe route from Lake Superior to the Upper Mississippi via a savannah, which means open grassland with an expanse of marsh grass. Savannah Portage State Park is named for this six mile portage and it has a system of trails and backcountry campsites within its boundaries. This hike around Lake Shumway is one of the numerous hiking opportunities in the park and it is an easy and enjoyable walk starting and ending at the park campground.