Lake Superior's Scenic North Shore: Favorite Vacation Spot

Beautiful Lake Superior

My Lake Superior Recommendations

In this article, I'll cover the places I have visited along the north shore of Lake Superior. Keep in mind that there are many more things to do and see in this area that may not be included here, such as the zoo and the North Shore Scenic Railroad, which runs from Duluth to Two Harbors. I will most likely catch it the next time I head that way.

Duluth's Skyline Parkway

Start with a beautiful, scenic 20-mile drive along Duluth's Skyline Parkway, which offers stunning views of Duluth, Lake Superior Bay, and the shoreline. 

You can access this road right off Interstate 35 at exit 249, just before entering Duluth from the south. Set aside an hour or more, and leave time for plenty of stops along the way.

Scenic Opportunites

Scenic overlooks aren't the only thing you will see on this drive. The road winds through the edges of pine forest, over stone bridges, and along rivers, with beautiful waterfalls to admire along the way; there are also plenty of places to stop and picnic, or, if you prefer, swing down into Duluth for a bite to eat. There is a bit of residential along this path, but nothing truly distracting.

The City of Duluth

Duluth has an old, historic, industrial atmosphere. With a population of about 86,000, it is about as metropolitan as Minnesota gets north of the Twin Cities. It was named the best outdoor city in the U.S. by "Outside Magazine" in its 2014 contest.

Canal Park

Our favorite place to stop in Duluth is Canal Park Pier, Lighthouse, and Lift Bridge, where you can watch the big barges roll in and out. It's impressive to watch. 

Canal Park has a maritime museum/visitor center on the pier with information on incoming and outgoing barges, plus fascinating history and hands-on displays. Every August, Duluth hosts an event called the "Tall Ships," where you can see and tour historic ships. It draws a pretty good-sized crowd, if you don't mind that. Shops and places to eat are also within walking distance of the pier, including the infamous "Grandma's Restaurant," where the annual "Grandma's Marathon" is hosted. The marathon includes about 10,000 runners a year. In this area, you can schedule a lake cruise or, if you want to do a little fishing, book a fishing tour with a charter boat. Much information is available online, and it's best to plan these excursions in advance. 

Brighton Beach 

The first stop outside Duluth is a lovely little park on the shore with picnic areas and portable toilets. I mention this only because such amenities become less frequent the farther north you go. Beyond this point, shopping options are limited to a couple of local grocery stores and gas stations, along with some tourist shops along the way. 

At this beach, I found a beautiful piece of calcite, pictured above, just lying on large slabs of basalt, waiting to be discovered. If you like rocks, there is always something beautiful to be found along the shores of Lake Superior. I never leave a shoreline without pockets full of something. 

Scenic Highway 61

Highway 61 is a scenic 150-mile drive that doesn't disappoint for sightseeing. It begins in Duluth and stretches to the Canadian border. Plenty of overlooks and pullouts let you stop and take in the views. As you travel north, the "Big Lake," as locals call it, is on your right. To the left is a birch and pine forest with intermittent, stunning basalt cliffs and formations. A couple of tunnels, cut into the basalt cliffs, make driving easier and add visual interest. The old highway went around one of the cliffs and was considered a treacherous stretch. 

The rest of this article will showcase many of the beauties along this route. The farther north you go, the more mountainous it becomes. I have been a Minnesota native all my life, and I had no idea Minnesota had mountains until these trips up north. 

Bob Dylan wrote a song about this highway, and he grew up in this area.

Two Harbors

Thirty-five miles northeast of Duluth lies the little town of Two Harbors. With a population of about 3500, it's about as big as it gets north of Duluth. This first stop on Highway 61 has a grocery store and a few small shops that cater to tourists. 

If you're an avid rock hound, like me, you can access a beach at Agate Bay right in Two Harbors, with plenty of interesting Great Lakes material to sift through. Rock hunting can be relaxing unless you have OCD like me, get overwhelmed by all your spectacular rock options, and can't stop looking. 

I must note that although I find many beautiful things on the shores, I rarely find agates. Rocky fields and gravel pits are a better bet if that is what you are looking for. Don't be shy about bringing waders and a grabber to look deeper into the water. Keep in mind that the water gets deep rapidly, and waves can be ocean-like and unpredictable. Wading in it isn't good. 

Along those lines, Lake Superior is ridiculously cold, with an average water temperature of 40 degrees. It's plain frigid, even in the summer. Wading in it for only a few minutes is limb-numbing. Swimming isn't usually on the menu. 

Cabin Up Time

Between Two Harbors and Silver Bay, my husband and I like to cabin up. It's central to most of the things we want to do and see. We've tried a couple of places, Gooseberry Cabins and Castle Haven Cabins, both cozy and reasonably priced. 

We like this venue because it's great for rainy-day puzzle time, if needed, and it saves on meals since we can cook instead of eating out. Both sit right on the lake and are in Castle Danger Township.

Lake Superior Views

I can't tell you how pleasant and relaxing it is to hear the lake lapping at night or even crashing against the rocks so violently that the cabin shakes like thunder during a storm. From this point, the Wisconsin side of the lake is barely visible. It's also a great spot to watch the barges come and go throughout the day, as shown in the photo at the start of this section. 

All the Gooseberry cabins, and some of the Castle Haven cabins, are situated so you can have a fire right on the Basalt slabs that sit right on the lake. We also like this spot because it's between the two grocery stores. One is in Two Harbors to the south, and one is in Silver Bay to the north. It's about a 12- to 15-minute drive either way. 

Gooseberry Falls State Park

Gooseberry Falls is just one mile north of the cabins and features a lovely set of waterfalls and trails. The walk from the parking area to the falls is short, but longer trails run along the river if you want a longer adventure. The trail loops back to the starting point. 

These falls were named after the Gooseberry bush, which grows commonly in this region. The fruit is edible, but State Parks prohibit disturbing or removing any natural feature in the Park. This prohibition includes rock collecting. 

Minnesota State Parks

Minnesota State Parks have done an excellent job of providing easy visitor access to the sights they offer. The trails are well-groomed and maintained, as shown in the accompanying photo in this section. The visitor centers in Minnesota State Parks are educational and cover topics such as history, wildlife, and landscapes. For that reason, I don't mind buying State Park stickers for both my vehicles.

Bears

Just to let you know, Northern Minnesota has the highest black bear population in the lower continental United States. I only know this because, much to my husband's annoyance, I am terrified of bears and needed to know everything about them during our travels. 

My husband made a sad attempt to reassure me that they would be nowhere near the more heavily trafficked areas we would be visiting. Still, when we arrived at Gooseberry, we found the sign posted on the Park bulletin board, only a mile from where we were staying and from the nearby woods we were wandering in. I am pretty sure I smelled one on a trail we hiked.

Split Rock

Split Rock Lighthouse, right off Scenic 61, is an interesting stop if you enjoy a bit of history. It was built after a series of wrecks in the early 1900s. 

Split Rock: The Lower View

Split Rock is a pay-to-get-in place. Tour guides will walk you through the site's historical features. Or you can look around if you prefer. I prefer to wander on my own and take in things like the classic, iconic view from the top of this section. The photo was taken from the ground level. The trip down consists of 170 steps. It is not for the faint of heart. Needless to say, the way back up is grueling. There are benches on a couple of landings if you need them. Other than that, there aren't many hiking trails at this park. 

Beaver Bay and Silver Bay

Beaver Bay and Silver Bay are your second-best gas and food options, about 30 miles from Two Harbors. 

The Beaver Bay Agate shop is easy to spot right off the highway. It is the oldest rock shop in the United States and features a rock museum that displays some of the most impressive specimens from around the world. 

Beaver Falls is right off the road, too. There is a place to pull over, and you can hike down to a small beach with lots of rock material or just admire the view. It is privately owned and clearly marked as such. The owners ask only that you not litter and leave it as you found it. 

Miscellaneous Pit Stops 

Silver Bay is famous for its taconite processing plant, which sits right on Lake Superior. It also has a scenic overlook. We found a little church to attend while we were there, met a lovely couple named Wally and Barbara to hang out with on future visits, and got some inside info on gravel pits we can visit for rock hunting. In the fall, when the foliage bursts with the most intense hues, it is stunning to drive along the few winding, hilly highways in this area.

Palisade Head

A little past Silver Bay, you can drive up a rock formation for a stunning panoramic view of the Lake and cliffs. It is just past Palisade Baptist Church and easy to miss if you aren't paying attention. A large cell tower at the top can also help you spot it. Hold on to your little ones in this area, as there isn't much fencing or guardrails. The cliffs are a 300-foot sheer drop-off where hikers and tourists have fallen and died. 

We were privileged to witness a deer rescue here on one of our trips. The deer was somehow trapped at the bottom of the cliff and was found by a rock wall climber who helped with the recovery. The video is included below this section—apologies for my poor video-taking skills. Watching it full screen helps. 

The second thumbnail photo shows a rock wall climber. Tettegouche State Park, which we will be visiting next, is one of three Minnesota State Parks that offer rock wall climbing tours.

The video above shows a deer being rescued at the base of Palisade Head. The event occurred in 2012 on one of our visits.

Tettegouche State Park

Tettegouche State Park is just a hop, skip, and jump from Palisade Head, and its peninsula can be seen in the background of the photo in the above section. The peninsula is known as Shovel Point and offers relatively easy hiking with cliff vistas. 

Tettegouche's claim to fame is the High Falls of the Baptism River. This waterfall drops 70 ft. It is the highest waterfall entirely within Minnesota. The High Falls of the pigeon river in Grand Portage is taller, but Canada also shares part of it. 

The Baptism River drops a total of 700 ft before reaching Lake Superior. 

The Baptism River

It is a good mile-and-a-half hike from the Park Pavilion to see these falls, with a couple of cute little intermissions: Cascade and Two Step Falls along the way. The trail is mildly rugged in places. Plan on trekking over roots and rocks, with some significant incline. This park has 23 miles of hiking trails and four waterfalls along the Baptism River. 

It's a Sign

The cross in the river in the photo above was captured while I was trying to get a shot of the High Falls, seen at the top of this section. I took a quick pic of the river behind me and didn't notice the cross until I got back to the cabin and scrolled through the day's journey.

The Cross River 

This river and falls are near Schroeder, Minnesota, and part of a wayside rest right off Highway 61. Over the bridge, at the mouth of the Cross River, a turnoff leads to a small park. A monument to missionary Fredrick Baraga is located here. Baraga was a Roman Catholic priest in the mid-1800s. He was said to have placed a wooden cross there as thanks to God for surviving a treacherous journey across the lake during one of his missionary tours to Native Americans in the region. The video below provides a more detailed history than what's written on the granite cross and offers some great images of this area's highlights. 

The north side of this park offers water access, plus a picnic area and a spectacular rock beach. The rock layer here is about 3 feet deep before you reach the water. The tourist population thins as we head north.

Temperance River State Park

As for rivers along 61, this one is my ultimate favorite. The gorges in Temperance are deep and beautiful, with hidden falls. The trail through the gorges is short and steep but not extremely difficult to hike. Winter visits may require a little bottom sliding.

You can get plenty of excellent views of the Temperance River right off the road if you're not in the mood for uphill hiking. The park extends on both sides of the highway and is equally unique and picturesque. We visited at the end of winter, with snow on the ground, and saw bear tracks on the opposite side of the river. 

A note on winter visits: the parks are technically closed, and trails aren't groomed for hiking because of snow removal. I fell twice on icy patches. Snowshoe hiking and cross-country skiing are encouraged, and trails are designated for them. Bathroom facilities are also closed in the winter. In case you haven't noticed, bathroom access is essential to me. 

The Spiritual Component

I can't help but pull together the themes of these three rivers: Baptism, Cross, and Temperance. The progressive significance of these names is thought-provoking and will provide the spiritual component of this article. I cannot go anywhere without seeing a lesson in it. 

Beginning with the Baptism River, "Baptism" symbolizes a life "consecrated to God" and testifies to our repentance of sin before God.

... the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: 

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 

‘Prepare the way of the Lord; 

Make His paths straight. 

Every valley shall be filled 

And every mountain and hill brought low; 

The crooked places shall be made straight 

And the rough ways smooth; 

And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’" 

— Luke 3:2-6

Then comes the Cross River.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. 

— Matthew 16:24

Baptism and death to self-life should result in a life of Temperance.

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

— 2 Peter 1:2-4

The Devil Track River follows these three, which also images a similar chain of events in the life of Christ in His wilderness temptation immediately following His Baptism, exemplifying for us a faith tried and true.

Lutsen

At Lutsen, the North Shore's flavor shifts slightly as the terrain becomes more mountainous. My husband loves to ski here. On one visit, he talked me into a gondola ride up the mountain. Convincing me was no simple task, since heights are just as unpleasant to me as bears are. However, the sights I beheld far outweighed any fears I might have had. 

Grand Marais

CNN Travel named Grand Marais, Minnesota, the "coolest small town" in America. This little town has great local eateries, craft shops, art, and tourist shops. I highly recommend "My Sister's Place" for a bite to eat. They have 24 burgers to choose from, and they were featured on an episode of "Bizarre Foods" on the Travel Channel. The Walleye is divine, and if you want to hear a Minnesota accent, this is where you'll find it. A DNR office and a Border Patrol station are in Grand Marais.

Five Mile Beach

Not too far past, Devil Track River features a five-mile rock beach for rock lovers. This beach is accessed from the road by simply pulling over. There are no turnoffs.

Grand Portage National Monument

Creeping farther north is the small historic town of Grand Portage, home to Grand Portage National Monument, which lies within the Ojibwe Indian Reservation. 

Right off 61 is an educational center offering indoor and outdoor historical exhibits and reenactments of early settlements and the fur trade. 

The Ojibwe named this place Gitchi Onigaming, meaning "the carrying place." American Indians, explorers, and fur traders used this area's trails and waterways to transport goods and avoid the difficulty of navigating parts of the Pigeon River, including the High Falls. 

Stop in for a great interactive experience with a bit of Minnesota history. As always, the drive on 61 is breathtakingly scenic. 

The High Falls of the Pigeon River

The High Falls of the Pigeon River, on the Minnesota-Ontario border, is well worth the trip. Cell service drops out entirely about 20 miles before you arrive. The phone silence makes for a much more pleasant, undistracted experience. 

On the way to this destination, the terrain transitions from hills to small mountains; one I would love to explore further one day is Mount Josephine near Grand Portage. 

The beauty of this park is that it is accessible to everyone. It is an easy one-mile hike on a paved path for a full frontal view of the falls. The hike is nothing shabby, either, as tall pines dripping with moss densely populate the area bordering the trail. This park includes a visitor center.

Facts About Lake Superior

I will conclude with some interesting Lake Superior facts you may or may not have known, as recorded by Al Batt in the Albert Lea Tribune dated Saturday, October 10, 2009, along with the spiritual application. 

"It is the largest freshwater lake in the world. It covers 31,829 square miles, is 483 feet deep on average with the deepest point of 1,332 feet, is 350 miles long, and contains 3 quadrillion gallons of water. The other four Great Lakes plus an extra three Lake Eries could fit into Lake Superior. The water in Lake Superior could flood the United States to a depth of a foot"

Connection Between God and Lake Superior

Like this big lake, God is a far superior source of fresh, life-giving water. All other sources are temporary, insufficient, and far inferior. Our God is El Shaddai—the All-Sufficient God. The God who is enough. He is the greatest and most superior source of provision in the universe. 

The Edmund Fitzgerald

I leave you with a bit of sunset and Gordon Lightfoot's song recounting the famous 1975 Lake Superior wreck of the "American Pride" / The Edmund Fitzgerald, as Lightfoot called it. Historically, it was the largest ship on the Great Lakes, and it sank during a severe winter storm with hurricane-force winds that produced waves up to 35 feet high. Twenty-nine men lost their lives in this tragic event. The captain's last words were as follows.

"We are holding our own."

© 2016 Tamarajo