Palisade Head rises from the waves of Lake Superior as a dramatic remnant of Minnesota's geological past, formed by eruptions of molten lava more than a billion years ago and then shaped by ages of weathering and glacier scouring. This North Shore landmark, along with Shovel Point to the northeast, sometimes called the Little Palisade, consists of rills of igneous rhyolite overlying softer basalt and undercut by the eroding waves of North America's largest lake. Known to early lake travelers and surveyors, Palisade Head became a major scenic attraction after the North Shore highway was completed in 1924 and brought large numbers of tourists and campers. Today its flat cliff face challenges rock climbers, and its summit offers sweeping views of the jagged Sawtooth Range and, on clear days, the Apostle Islands 30 miles away.