It crosses the Brule and continues north-northwest along Swamper Creek, gradually arcing westward and running along the northern shore of Poplar Lake.

[2] In the 1920s, local business owners paid for some improvements to the road; by 1957, it was paved from Grand Marais to Hungry Jack Lake.

[2] The Ham Lake Fire of spring 2007 severely impacted the Upper Gunflint Trail, burning over 40,000 acres (160 km2) in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Ontario's Quetico Provincial Park.

The fire drew national attention and a visit from Governor Tim Pawlenty, who inspected the damage first-hand.

[7] The Ojibwa built a village that is now Grand Marais, which became a trading post and a center for logging and commercial fishing.