Lake Superior---WOW!

[RoscoeRules]

I’ve lived in IL my whole life and have never seen Lake Superior until this last Saturday. It was a 12 hr / 591 mile ride from Peoria, IL to Silver Bay, MN where I stayed in a motel just for one night. The scenery was spectacular on Rt 61 north of Duluth which included two tunnels through cliff faces, here’s one of them (http://www.photo-wi.com/gallery2/v/Minnesota/Silver_Creek_Cliff_Tunnel/). Lighthouses and car-sized boulders all along the shore with gigantic rock formations on the other side of the road make this trip a photographer’s heaven.
Already made reservations in a hotel in Canal Park in Duluth for next June to stay a week. Great ride!

[stpete]

Will be traveling there on sep. 7 of this year for few days, I hope it's not snowing by that time.

[Beemer01]

Of course you're riding on Highway 61, make famous by Minnesota's own Bob Dylan.

You haven't lived until you explore Gooseberry Falls, tour the Splitrock lighthouse, stand atop Palasade Head... and have pie at Betty's Pies.

Further up is the charming town of Grand Marais and the Canadian Boarder. Take time to find agates on any of the many beaches, be careful though the water... is always cold.

Be sure to visit Aerostich in Duluth, too.

[2beers]

Our eldest daughter goes to Northern Mich University in Marquette. The waves were big and saw two kids almost get washed into the lake. They got wet but that is all.

[Gilly]

I thought NMU was in Houghton??
Am now thinking about heading up that way (MN coast). If we are just going up and turning around, how far north would you go? Any advice on places to stay, etc?

Gilly

[k75karol]

I thought NMU was in Houghton??
Am now thinking about heading up that way (MN coast). If we are just going up and turning around, how far north would you go? Any advice on places to stay, etc?

Gilly

Grand Marais has a great City Campground if you're planning to camp. The provincial parcs are also fantastic. My favorite is Rossport. The circle is one of my favorite rides, and I haven't done it for a couple of years.

[edjones]

A friend and I are thinking about riding up to Duluth the first week of October,
following the coast of Lake Superior. Possibly on the Thunder Bay.

Just looking for some feedback about which route to take (coming from North Central Missouri), and what we might expect weather wise. Comments are appreciated.

[Squatch]

I thought NMU was in Houghton??
Am now thinking about heading up that way (MN coast). If we are just going up and turning around, how far north would you go? Any advice on places to stay, etc?

Gilly

Michigan Tech is in Houghton.... and so is Keewenaw Brewing Company.... yum....:drink

[RoscoeRules]

I would go at least as far as Silver Bay. I stayed at Whispering Pines Motel ($75.00) and it was just OK, but clean. It's located at the junction of Rt 61 and Rt 1, 5 miles north of Silver Bay. Take a camera because there are bazillions of photo ops on Rt 61. There are plenty of other places to say in the area that I passed that looked good, like in Two Harbors. I wished I lived closer------and my butt does too.



I thought NMU was in Houghton??
Am now thinking about heading up that way (MN coast). If we are just going up and turning around, how far north would you go? Any advice on places to stay, etc?

Gilly

[Zygmund]

Take a side trip to Ely if you get the chance, enjoy!

:thumb

[nrpetersen]

A friend and I are thinking about riding up to Duluth the first week of October,
following the coast of Lake Superior. Possibly on the Thunder Bay.

Just looking for some feedback about which route to take Best route up is via I-35 where the entrance to Duluth is spectacular. In Duluth, there is a wonderful sand spit and park out past Canal Park almost to the Sky Harbor airport where you can wade in Lake Superior (brrrr!). Be careful - there is some poison ivy farther out on the spit. Gawk at the Glensheen mansion (& others too) on London Road, and take the scenic bypass road along the lake to Two Harbors.

The hwy 61 route to the Canadian border is scenic all the way to the border, but there isn't much beyond in Canada until you get east of Thunder Bay. In MN on US61 check out the do-nut shop and the Ben Franklin store in Grand Marais, Cascade, Temperance, and Gooseberry Falls Parks. Drive up Gunfllint trail a few miles & look for moose especially where it first crosses the Brule river. Don't go to the end though.

There's good camping at a campground about 4 miles back from the lake on MN 1 where it crosses the Baptism river, at Temperance river (full on weekends), Cascade, at the Grand Marais city park, and even about 20 miles NE of Grand Marais (Judge CRMagney park) There are also more primitive campgrounds on misc trails back from the lake. Return via US61 to Duluth & then take MN 23 back to I-35. There should still be a Danish Bakery at Askov MN.

Tobies or the Grand Casino at Hinckley are good eating.

This is a favorite area. There's still lots more. How many days you got?

[k75karol]

A friend and I are thinking about riding up to Duluth the first week of October,
following the coast of Lake Superior. Possibly on the Thunder Bay.

Just looking for some feedback about which route to take (coming from North Central Missouri), and what we might expect weather wise. Comments are appreciated.

If you go as far as Thunder Bay, go a bit further, and check out Ouimet Canyon. Park and walk (short) to the canyon. spectacular view.

on Your way home to MO, the Great River Road is always a scenic ride.