North Shore Waterfalls

Gooseberry Falls, Minnesota North Shore

A Road Trip Around Lake Superior’s North Shore

One year in mid June, Jo and I decided to take a trip around the north shore of Lake Superior. One benefit of taking a late spring trip around Gitche Gumme, is due to the rain the upper Midwest typcially experiences in May and early June. The rivers emptying into Lake Superior are typically at high water levels . . . making for terrific waterfalls.

Our trip started in Duluth, Minnesota where we found a nice waterfall along Chester Creek in Chester Park. The Dan Proctor Hiking Trail runs adjacent to the creek on the east side as it tumbles down the hillside towards Lake Superior. On the west side of the creek is the Superior Hiking Trail that connects to the Duluth Lakewalk at the Rose Garden in Leif Erickson Park. Going the other direction the SHT goes to Hawk Ridge and then leaves Duluth heading toward Two Harbors, Minnesota. The Superior Hiking Trail runs the entire length of the Minnesota North shore.

chester creek waterfall duluth, mn
The normally mild Chester Creek was pretty wild in mid-June

The next day we headed towards Grand Marais finding several impressive waterfalls along the route: Gooseberry Falls, Cross River Falls, the High Falls on the Baptism River. Gooseberry State Park is a must-see stop along the Minnesota North Shore for its extensive network of stairs and walking trails completely encircling Gooseberry Falls. You can see these waterfalls and others along the Minnesota North Shore in the following slide show (click on any image to see a larger view)

Slide Show North Shore Waterfalls


  • High Falls on the Pigeon River, MN
    130 foot High Falls on the Pigeon River at the Minnesota-Ontario border
  • manitou Falls, North Shore
    Manitou Falls
  • devils kettle, North Shore
    Devils Kettle Falls in Judge Magney Park
  • Upper Gooseberry Falls, North Shore
    Upper Gooseberry Falls
  • middle gooseberry falls, noRTH SHORE
    middle gooseberry falls

Naniboujou Lodge – Historic Dining and Lodging

On our recent trip we made time to stop in the Naniboujou Lodge on the shores of Lake Superior near the entrance to Judge Magney State Park. We’ve probably passed their sign dozens of times on the way to Grand Portage or Canada. It is worth a stop for the architecture, the ambiance, and the food.

great hall naniboujou lodge
The Great Hall of Naniboujou Lodge is like a Northwoods Sistine Chapel and a spacious and welcoming place for dining.

It is a step back in time to the elegance of a 1929 northwoods gentlemen’s club. Babe Ruth, Jack Dempsey and Ring Lardner were among the notables who were charter members. The original estate was over 3000 acres and was to include a wide range of sporting facilities (tennis, golf, bathhouse, etc.) and up to 150 guest rooms. The 1929 stock market crash and resulting depression curtailed plans to expand the estate and its membership and eventually required the club to sell its properties. The original lodge, great hall, and 24 guest rooms have been preserved and operate today as a restaurant and inn. The most impressive feature of the lodge is the great hall which serves as the main dining room. The walls and twenty foot high ceiling are a mural of Cree Indian designs created by a French artist. The huge fireplace at one end of the lodge is the largest native stone fireplace in Minnesota. All the furnishings are suitably aged and fit the image of a 1930s era clubhouse and north woods inn. The menu offers a reasonable variety of choices, all with a creative twist in the recipe. The food was top quality and the price reasonable enough for a family on a budget. There is also a kids menu and pricing. The wait service was courteous and efficient – well-trained. The inn and restaurant is open from mid-May to mid-October and an abbreviated winter schedule – weekends from late December to mid-March.

Highest Lake Superior Waterfall

Further down Scenic Highway 61 is Grand Portage State Park. Be sure to stop at the Grand Portage State Park visitor center and take a short hike to High Falls, one of two waterfalls competing for the title of highest waterfall around Lake Superior. The trail to the falls is an easy half mile walk and is handicap accessible.

Next Page: We cross into Canada to travel Ontario’s North Shore of Lake Superior where more terrific waterfalls are flowing.


Links:

Minnesota North Shore State Parks

Ontario North Shore Provincial Parks

Ross

Duluth Tall Ships Festival

Magnificent sailing ships competing in the Tall Ships Challenge Race have been the occasion for a every other year Tall Ships Festival in Duluth, Minnesota. In 2022 the festival moved to Two Harbors due to construction in the Duluth Harbor. Below is an earlier article which will give you an idea of what the festival is all about. ~~~Ross

US Brig Niagara
The US Brig Niagara sails into the Duluth Harbor during the Tall Ships Festival’s Parade of Sails

Duluth Tall Ships Festival, 2013

On July 25th Duluth, Minnesota again welcomed sailing ships participating in the 2013 Tall Ships Challenge Race. Nine Tall Ships sailed into the Duluth Shipping Canal to the inner harbor they would make as their temporary port for the four days of the Tall Ships Festival. Thursday’s Parade of Sails was followed by opportunities to tour several of the ships docked along the inner harbor lake walk. Several people had advance sale tickets for day sails out into the Duluth bay on some of the other ships.

Tall Ships Festival Crowd
A crowd in excess of 100,000 assembled along the pier and throughout Canal Park waiting for the Parade of Sails to begin
Pride of Baltimore II Tall Ship
The Pride of Baltimore II is a replica of Commander Perry’s vessel that fought in the War of 1812
Sorlandet Tall Ship
The Norwegian sailing vessel Sorlandet was the largest Tall Ship in Duluth’s Tall Ships Festival
Sorlandet Tall Sailing Ship
Here’s a picture of the Sorlandet under full sail from a blog entry from Erin in the Tall Ships Challenge Blog

Some of the Tall Ships, like the US Brig Niagara, the Pride of Baltimore, and the Privateer Lynx are replicas of ships from the earlier 1800s – in particular the War of 1812. So in the addition to the innate beauty of a large sailing ship passing within a stone’s throw of us, when we were able to tour US Brig Niagara, we were treated to a living naval history lesson of a time early in our nation’s history. The lines for dockside tours of these ships were strung out in waits up to two or more hours so seeing more than two ships would have involved more standing around than our legs could handle so we only did the Niagara and the Peacemaker. The most popular ship for dockside tours was the magnificent SS Sorlandet, a 1925 Norwegian vessel that is the oldest full-rigged ship in the world still in operation.

On Board Ship Tours
Crowds gathered dockside to see the Tall Ships up close
The Peacemaker Sailing Ship
The Peacemaker was the most unique Tall Ship in the festival
US Brig Niagara Captain Station
The captain’s station on the US Brig Niagara is spartan befitting a replica of an 1812 era sailing ship
Pilot House Peacemaker Tall Ship
The Peacemaker’s pilot house is full of electronic gear and comfort befitting its previous life as yacht of a wealthy industrialist

The two ships we toured offered some interesting contrasts. The Brig Niagara allowed us to experience a taste of life of a sailing ship crew member 200 years ago. The captain’s console had a compass and a place to roll out navigational maps and was immediately ahead of the massive hand-operated tiller. Crew members slept on hammocks below deck where only a 4 foot high person would stand up straight. Massive ropes were coiled everywhere and 24 foot oars stored in the sidewalls. In contrast to the Niagara, the Peacemaker’s Pilot house was a modern assembly of the latest electronic navigation and communications gear with comfortable swivel chairs and upholstered couches.

The 1812 theme was continued by a group of re-enactors who have been following the Challenge Race tour ships as they visit various Great Lakes ports. They had old fashioned tents set up in Bayfront Park with exhibits of 1800s era cooking, iron working, weapons, and other artifacts from the War of 1812. Some of the re-enactors also mixed in amongst the crowd of festival tourists (see below).

Captain Hook at the Tall ships Festival
A Captain Hook-like character ventures out from the rendezvous camp to have fun with the crowd watching the ships

We arrived a day early of the festival and enjoyed near ideal weather walking around Canal Park, the Lakewalk, visiting shops, and sampling the brews of the new Canal Park Brewery. The next day, when the crowds of onlookers flooded the Lake Walk and Canal Park area, even buying a hot dog from a street vendor required waiting in line for 30 minutes!

The Duluth LakeWalk
The Duluth Lakewalk on the day before the festival began
At Canal Park Brewery
Jo and Donna at the new Canal Park Brewery

More Info on the Tall Ships

For more pictures and information, see our website pages on Duluth Tall Ships 2010 and Duluth Tall Ships 2013.

See Erin’s blog entries from her sailing and racing experiences with the Great Lakes Tall Ships Challenge Races.

The Tall Ships will be visiting other US and Canadian Ports later this month and in September. Go here for the schedule

It was a fun trip even though we got rained on the second day of the festival. We return again to Duluth in September for the KIA Duluth Drag Race and Car Show.

See our Superior Trails event schedule of other interesting things to see and do in Duluth

Ross

Duluth Drag Race & Car Show

The Duluth Drag Race and Car Show features the Nations only legalized 1/8 mile drag race on a public street. The event usually takes place every summer on Duluth’s Garfield Ave. Unfortunately due to ongoing construction of the Twin Ports Interchange (TPI) Project, the event had to be cancelled in 2021 and 22. Organizers hope to return the event in 2023. Below is an an article from an earlier race which will give you an idea of what this fun event is all about.

Kia Duluth Drag Race and Car Show

Jo and I had a chance to catch the second day of the KIA Duluth Street Drag Race classic on Sept 8, 2013. The car show portion of the event seemed at least twice as large as last year. I’ll bet there were at least 50 cars on display. And given that almost all of the 100 street racers in attendance were custom and restored cars, it was a true smorgasbord for car lovers.

Ross and Jo at the kia duluth drag race
Ross & Jo at the Drag Race

The races themselves were exciting as well as loud! Ear plugs were a hot selling item. If you click on the picture to see and larger version and then look closely at my ears in the picture of Jo and me, you’ll see them sticking out of my ears.

Here’s a few photos from the event, followed by a video of the race.

Duluth Car Show
Despite the roaring flames this customized 1940 Studebaker Coupe wasn’t in the race but was a strong contestant in the car show. Owned by Steve Carlton of Duluth
KIA Duluth Drag Race
But this 1969 Chevelle piloted by Ryan Humes of Superior, Wisconsin was in the race and recorded two wins before being eliminated
Kia duluth drag race
This sharp customized 1951 International Pickup is owned by Matt Johnson of Duluth. This baby can really scoot, finishing under 7 seconds. But unfortunately Matt got eliminated in the first round.
KIA Duluth Drag Race
This chopped 1930 Model A Coupe is owned and raced by David Karcher of Taylor Falls, MN. Dave was a semi-final winner in his class

Here’s a video I put together. Keep your finger on the volume control because it is loud!

We have some more photos and links to the drag race website on our Duluth Drag Race page on our SuperiorTrails.com website. So go there for more info.

If you want to go to this race and car show event next year check back on our SuperiorTrails Drag Race page. We’ll post race info there when we get it.

Ross

Rock On Agate Festival

7th Annual Rock On! With Lake Superior Agates Festival . . . and Lake Superior Rock Hound convention.

Muskallonge Park Beach
Beach rocks covering Muskallonge State Park’s Lake Superior beach

While the weather was cooler than normal and overcast at night, shortly after the opening bell of the show at 10 am each day, the sunshine appeared. Two rows of campsites were filled with exhibitors and vendors for the two day show. Most had agates, gemstones, and unusual Lake Superior rocks on display. Many of the vendors offered artisan creations using agates, gemstones, and polished rocks as part of their art or product. As before a nice backdrop to touring the show were the pleasant tunes provided by musicians and singers Gordon Fergin and the Sunshine Band (Edwin and Augusta Birdsley).

Oiled Lake Superior Agates
Jeff King’s collection. Note for aspiring agate hunters. Some of the rocks in the photo don’t look like much. That’s because they are upside down hiding their agate features. Jeff did this as a show & tell for agate hunting newbies.

Another part of the show involves festival attendees casting a ballot for “Best of Show” among the vendors who were exhibiting their collections. A friend of mine, exhibitor Jeff King, displayed some of his biggest specimens all of which were collected on Lake Superior beaches between Grand Marais, MI and Whitefish Point. These guys aren’t as shiny as some because they are not polished – just oiled. (see picture to the right)

Rock and Agate Hunting on the beach wasn’t as productive as last year. Jo found two, for sure Agate specimens, and a few more that are “maybes” but last year she found five Lake Superior Agates. However, even when we don’t find much in the way of agates or unusual stones for polishing, we still enjoy walking along the Lake Superior’s beaches scanning the water and shoreline for that elusive find. The crisp Lake Superior breeze, the lapping of the waves on the shoreline, and the exercise is therapy for the soul. We always come back with something to add to our collection, but even if not, the “hunt” itself is reward enough.

Because we always spend some time on the beach agate and rock hunting, we never get to attend all the talks, presentations, and demonstrations so we are glad some were repeated from last year. One of the presentations I always enjoy is by Agate Lady Karen Brzys of the Grand Marais Agate Museum. She has a new DVD out on “How to Find Agates” that we’ll be getting. Karen believes you can train your eye and your mind to be much more effective and efficient in finding agates along the lakeshore. We shall see if it works as I do need help!

Information on Attending the Agate Festival

If you plan on attending a future Rock On Agate Festival, here’s a few things to know to help your planning.

Lodging. While earlier shows were at Muskallonge State Park, more recently the event has moved to Grand Marais, Michigan. The Woodland Park campground has about 150 campsites. About 120 sites are set up with utilities for RVs (Tents are OK too) and about 25 tent-only sites. While Woodland Park offers some advance reservations, the majority of the sites are offered on a first come, first served basis. If you haven’t grabbed one of the early reservation sites, we recommend you arrive a day or two earlier to better ensure you get a site. If you can’t get in there, and you need electric hookups, try the Seney Township park 25 miles South of Grand Marais.

If you are not in an RV, go here for lodging in the Grand Marais area.

Daily Schedule. Saturday has the most presentations and is the busiest of the two days. Some of Saturday’s presentations are repeated on Sunday and a few presentations are only on Sunday. If you aren’t staying in the park, the less crowded day for parking would be Sunday, but there will be more things going on on Saturday. We found many of the demonstrations, presentations and talks were repeats of the previous year’s show so looking at the 2013-14 Schedule of Events will give you a good idea of what to expect.

Rock On Agate Festival Events
Presentations, Events, and Demonstrations at the Rock On Festival

Agate Festival Pictures

Here’s a slide show of pictures from an earlier Rock On Agate event to give you a taste of the show.


  • Best of Show Agates
    A number of vendors competed for the “best of show” award for their agate collections as well as had collections for sale.
  • Agates for sale
    Lots of unpolished Agates for sale from 50 cents on up. Hundreds, perhaps thousands to choose from . . . offered by several vendors.
  • Agate Jewelry
    Jo admiring Jennifer Lasslett’s custom jewelry fashioned with Lake Superior Agates. You can see more of her stuff at: www.etsy.com/shop/SuperiorPendantsPlus
  • Karen Brzyz, the Agate Lady
    The display booth of Karen Brzyz, the Agate Lady from the Grand Marais Agate Museum. She also gave a presentation on training your eye and mind to be a successful agate hunter.
  • Grinding and Polishing Agates
    Rock On Fest volunteer Terry House offered demonstrations on and complimentary polishing of rocks and minerals.
  • Learning About Geodes
    Steve Tchozeski gave an excellent talk and demonstration on the formation and identification of Geodes
  • Fish Management & Biology
    Not everything at the Fest is about Agates and Rocks. Here Cory Kovacs and Carl Christiansen gave an interesting talk and demonstration on fish biology and fish management.

Agate Hunting, Polishing, Rock Hound Links:

Here’s a few pages on beach rock, agate collecting and rock polishing from our Rock Hound pages on SuperiorTrails.com

Ross

Fall Color Minnesota North Shore

Scenic Fall Color Report along Minnesota’s North Shore of Lake Superior While this fall color travelogue was originally published a few years ago, it presents a reasonably typical experience for fall color leaf peppers during the last week in September. Ross here reporting from the Red Mug Coffee House in Superior, Wisconsin on Sunday, September … Read more

Lake Superior Rocks & Agates

Finding Lake Superior Agates on the beach

Lake Superior Agate and Rock Picking Beaches

Agate Hunting and Rock Picking Black River Harbor beach

Walking Lake Superior beaches searching for the treasured Lake Superior Agate is a favorite past time of many people vacationing around the big lake. Veteran rock pickers and agate hunters have their favorite beaches, some of which are kept secret. Among my favorites are Little Girls Point and Black River Harbor in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula near the border with Wisconsin. Black River Harbor’s beach is where I found my first agate (see above picture) and Little Girl’s Point has I believe the largest variety of rocks and gemstones anywhere around Lake Superior. If you aren’t lucky enough to find an agate at LGP, you will for sure find some attractive rocks for polishing.

Little Girls Point is a Gogebic County park that has camping, including electric hookups, and picnicing facilities. Its beach is miles long and unpopulated. The water’s edge of the beach is shallow enough for swimming and there are sandy sections amongst the rocks for people who just want to sun bathe or do a picnic on the beach. But I’d say the major activity of day users and campers is rock picking because there must be millions of rocks along the shoreline and in the water adjacent to the beach. Every time there is a storm or high winds, new rocks get washed up on the beach. So yesterday you might have thought you thoroughly searched a section of beach, but today wind and surf have made it a “new” beach with fresh rocks.

Little Girls Point Beach
Picking rocks and looking for a Lake Superior Agate along the beach at Little Girls Point County Park near Ironwood, Michigan

How you find Agates on the Beach

Some rock pickers, me among them, like to walk the edge of the water looking for agates and potential gemstones. I get some good exercise from the walk and in bending over often to inspect specimens I get some stretching exercise as well. The Lake Superior breeze is cool and crisp, as is the water. I’ll bring a mesh or plastic bag for my specimens and generally walk until I am getting tired, then I begin the return trip. In general walking with the sun at your back allows you to see the rocks a little better. Going over the same territory, out and back, you get a different view of the rocks because of the sun and sometimes I find a good specimen that I missed on the way out. I’ll also focus more on the rocks in shallow water on the way out and then more on the rocks in the sand at the water’s edge on the way back (or visa-versa).

Agates and Rocks from Lake Superior
Some agates (foreground) and other rocks picked from Lake Superior and polished

Another type of rock pickers are excavators. They find a spot on the beach that looks like a good place to find agates or other rare stones and plop themselves down with a bucket and small sand shovel and start digging. At Little Girls Point I think you could dig down at least two feet and still be excavating rocks. This method is less tiring and easier on your back. And it can be quite effective, particularly if you’ve learned to spot rock characteristics that favor the appearance of agates.

Recently I’ve tried a combination of the above methods with some success. As I said I really enjoy the stroll along the beach so that will continue to be my primary rock hunting style. However now when I come across an area with a number of quartz or quartzite rocks, I’ll stop and spend some time excavating and examining the rocks more closely. The two agatized rocks pictured above were found by this method.

Here’s a Google Map showing the location of Little Girls Point Beach and two other nearby excellent Lake Superior rock picking beaches.

3 Great Rock Picking Beaches

View Rock Picking Beaches – Ironwood Michigan in a larger map

Interested in learning more about rock picking along Lake Superior? Go to my SuperiorTrails website for agate & rock picking books and links and learn more about identifying Lake Superior beach rocks and agates

Lake Superior Agate Festival

See our post on the Lake Superior Agate Festival Rock On with Lake Superior Agates.

Ontario North Shore Waterfalls

Augasaban Falls, Terrace Bay Ontario

Best Waterfalls – Ontario leg of Lake Superior Circle Drive

Traveling clockwise on the Lake Superior Circle Tour from the Minnesota North Shore, you cross the border into Canada at the Pigeon River. But before you cross be sure to stop at the Minnesota Grand Portage State Park visitor center to take a short hike to High Falls, one of two waterfalls competing for the title of highest waterfall around Lake Superior. The trail to the falls is an easy half mile walk and is handicap accessible. See pictures of High Falls on our post featuring Minnesota North Shore Waterfalls.

Once into Ontario, you’ll have a chance to see the other waterfall claiming to be the Lake Superior’s highest: Kakabeka Falls, which is in Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park, 18 miles west of Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Along the Ontario North Shore of Lake Superior are two more outstanding waterfalls: Rainbow Falls, and Aguasaban Falls (pictured at the top of this page). All three waterfalls are shown in the following slide show (click on any image to see a larger view).

Waterfall Slide Show


  • top of kakabeka Falls, Ontario
    The top of Kakabeka Falls
  • kakabeka Falls, Ontario
    The mist was thick from the roaring Kakabeka Falls near Thunder Bay Ontario
  • top of rainbow falls as it leaves Whitesand Lake, Ontario
    The beginning of Rainbow Falls at Whitesand Lake
  • rainbow falls rapids downstream, Ontario
    Looking downstream from rainbow falls bridge
  • last cascade of Rainbow Falls, ontario
    The last cascade of Rainbow Falls
  • lower aguasaban falls, ontario
    lower aguasaban falls view from the bridge
  • lower aguasaban falls, Ontario
    lower aguasaban falls below the bridge.

As you continue East around Ontario’s section of Lake Superior there are more waterfalls along the eastern shoreline. However on our recent trip this section hadn’t received the amount of rainfall that the northern shoreline had, in fact it was pretty dry. So we took a pass on trekking in to see these falls. However four of them (Magpie High Falls, Silver Falls, Sand River Falls, and Chippewa Falls) can be seen on our Eastern Shore SuperiorTrails web page.

The entire Ontario section of the Lake Superior Circle Route is about 500 miles. While it could be done in one day, we recommend taking at least two or three days to allow time to see some of the villages along the route (Rossport is our favorite), scenic lookouts along the route and visit some of the several of the Ontario Provincial Parks along the route.

Campground Links:

Minnesota North Shore State Parks

Ontario North Shore Provincial Parks

Ross

Rock Picking – Black River Harbor

rock picking black river harbor

Rock Picking Trip – Black River Harbor & Little Girls Point One late July I took my niece Kristi and her family to Black River Harbor, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, to show them the campground, hiking trails, waterfalls, and do some Lake Superior rock picking. I was under orders from Ross to find an agate … Read more

Raspberry Island Lighthouse

Raspberry Island Lighthouse Apostle Islands

Raspberry Island Lighthouse Tour – Apostle Islands The Raspberry Island Lighthouse is one of six lighthouses in the Apostle Islands. Three of them are open to the public for guided tours; we elected to tour the one at Raspberry Island offered by Apostle Islands Cruise Service in conjunction with the Apostle Islands National Park Service. … Read more

Ashland RV Park

Ashland Kreher RV Park

On the Lake Superior Circle Tour Scenic Drive When we are RVing around Lake Superior, one of our favorite campgrounds is the lakeside park in Ashland, Wisconsin. Kreher Park is an Ashland municipal campground offering 33 RV ONLY sites with electric and water hookups. Located on Chequamegon Bay of Lake Superior, the park also offers … Read more

Holiday Winter Events Duluth North Shore

bentleyville christmas lights show

Holiday, Winter Events and Travel Attractions in Duluth and Minnesota Lake Superior North Shore

We’ve just posted in SuperiorTrails.com our calendar of interesting events and attractions along the North Shore for the Holiday and upcoming Winter.

BentleyVille Christmas Lights Duluth, MN
A fantastic winter holiday wonderland in lights – Bentleyville Christmas Lights Village

Among the top Holiday Events in Duluth, the premier Christmas and Holiday event is the BentleyVille Tour of Lights Christmas Lights Village. It is a terrific holiday activity for families and people of all ages.  Duluth changes its Bayfront Park into a Christmas and Holiday Village with a gazzilion scenes artistically created with steel and colored lights (over 3 million lights). At the center of the village is a 12 story Christmas Tree (see picture). There is no admission charge (although donations are accepted) and there is free hot chocolate and other Christmas goodies offered. But this year it is a drive-through event vs. walking. The village is open from November 21st to December 27th.

On the weekends, an event that is especially popular with the kids is the North Shore Scenic Railway’s Christmas City Express (ala Polar Express) train between the Duluth Depot (decorated as the North Pole) and Fitgers Brewhouse complex. The Depot is just across the expressway from Bentleyville so you can park near Fitgers to do some shopping or dining and then ride the train to Bentleyville and return later. Another treat for kids is Santa arrives on the Christmas City Express to set up shop in the Fitgers Inn Mall to meet the kids and find out their Christmas wishes. (see the video below)

Duluth Christmas City Express Video


Another popular Duluth Holiday attraction is the Glensheen Mansion Christmas Tours where you step back in time in a re-creation of how all the rooms in the mansion were opulently decorated for the holidays. The weekend tours start November 17th and run through January 6th. Glensheen also hosts a special Holiday Bazaar the first weekend in December creating an outdoor village on the grounds of the estate with over 40 artisans & merchants setting up shop.

The first year we attended the Bentleyville Show there was snow on the ground so we also took in some snowshoe hiking at one of Duluth’s parks. If you are a winter sports enthusiast, there are several good hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoe trails within the city of Duluth. There are also two city run ski hills (Spirit Mountain and Chester Bowl) for downhill skiing and snowboarding. See our Winter Events & Links page for more info.

John Beargrease Sled Dog Race
Tim Calhoun of Tomahawk, WI was an early leader in this John Beargrease race and was a winner of the UP200, Michigan’s largest sled dog race.

Another popular winter event in Duluth (and in fact along the entire Minnesota North Shore of Lake Superior) is the annual John Beargrease Sled Dog Race, which is the longest Sled Dog Race in the lower 48 states (around 400 miles from Duluth to the Canadian border and back). For some of the racers this is a warm-up for the famous Alaskan Iditarod Sled Race. Other racers are working their way up to some day compete in the Iditarod. You can watch the race from several intersections and check-in points along the route. Most popular are the starting and finishing lines but you will often get an even closer look at the racers at one of the viewing points along the route. The race runs over four days and runs 24 hours a day, although racers are required to take a minimum # of hours of rest stops. When we attended the race we also brought our snowshoes along and did some of the several great snowshoe and cross-country trails that dot the North Shore.

We’ve listed other recommended events at our North Shore Winter Events Calendar. You can also check out the Duluth Chamber Events Calendar for other travel attractions.

Happy Trails,

Roscoe

Wisconsin Lake Superior Ice Caves

The Bayfield Ice Caves

Touring the ice sculptures of the Bayfield Lake Superior Ice Caves was easily the most popular 2014 & 2015 winter event around Lake Superior. In 2016 and since that time, the Lake Superior Ice was not safe enough to allow travel to the Ice Caves and Formations.

But the winter Lake Superior Region Weather Forecast provides hope that travel to the Sea Cave formations will be possible, perhaps as early as Feb 1.

Bayfield Ice Caves
Ty Daniels tool this shot in 2014 from the inside of one of the ice caves
Bayfield Lake Superior Ice Caves
Jo in front of one of the many ice cave sculptures done by Mother Nature

In 2014, For the first time in 5 years the ice on Lake Superior around the Bayfield Peninsula and the Apostle Islands was thick enough for people to safely hike out to the unique ice sculptures that form in the caves formed in lake shore bluffs the Apostle Islands National Park mainland. See some photos and directions to the Ice Caves from our last visit – Wisconsin Lake Superior Ice Caves.

Tips on Visiting the Ice Caves

If you go up to Bayfield to see this display of Mother Nature sculptures, here’s a few tips for you.

While at times snowshoes would be helpful to travel to the caves, it is likely when you go thousands of people have already trekked out across the ice and snow to the see the caves. So expect the trail to be quite tamped down. (However if it snows heavily just before you go, this may change.) So if you have ice cleats that clamp on your boots, bring them along. Or wear whatever boots you have that will give you decent traction on ice or snow. If you’ve got some ski poles or hiking sticks, bring them.

Also pack a beverage and some energy or granola bars. I figure the hike across the ice to the caves is about a mile and the hike along the caves could be almost a mile. So figure at least four miles round trip and extra time to explore the caves means you’ll be out there a few hours. And this amount of time also means a bathroom break prior to your trek wouldn’t hurt either (Because of the high bluffs the caves are formed in, you can’t sneak off into the woods for a pottie stop!).

Directions to the Ice Caves

The Ice Caves are accessed from the Meyers Beach unit of the Apostle Islands National Park. The road to the beach is off Highway 13 four miles east of Cornucopia, Wisconsin or 17 miles Northwest of Bayfield, Wisconsin. There are places to eat and get grocery items at both locations. Here is a link to our  Lake Superior Region Snow & Weather Reports page for information on traveling.

Lodging. You’ll want to Google for motel accommodations in Bayfield, Washburn, and Ashland as your best bets for finding a place to stay. If all what is available is booked, it is feasible to get lodging in Superior, Wisconsin as via Hwy 13 it is about 60 miles to the Ice Caves from Superior. There are spots between Ashland and Superior that are closer – like Iron River and Brule – but my guess is if Ashland – Bayfield motels are filled for your desired dates, these would be filled as well. Make your reservations as early as you can.

We hope to see the caves again this year. Maybe we’ll see you there.

More Ice Cave Photos and Directions on Visiting the Ice Caves

Ross

Snow Report – Wisconsin, Minnesota, Upper Peninsula

Snow Across Minnesota, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula

Winter in Wisconsin – looking off the deck of our house

Dateline January 10, 2016. Resort, pub owners, restaurants, convenience stores – all sorts of businesses across Minnesota’s North Shore, Northern Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula are happy folks because they’ve finally had some snow and normally cold weather.

Joining in the merriment are winter recreation enthusiasts – snowmobilers, snowshoe hikers, cross-country skiers, and the like who have been looking forward to going “up north” to enjoy their favorite winter hobby. With the recent spell of very cold weather, ice fisherman should be happy too.

Snow storms have swept across the entire Lake Superior region. Recent snow is good news for the annual John Beargrease Sled Dog Race being held the last week in January. Ashland and Bayfield are getting more snow, setting things up nicely for the Apostle Islands Sled Dog Race being held the first weekend in February. Jo and I attended this popular Bayfield Area Sled Dog Race a few years ago and enjoyed watching the competition. In the Upper Peninsula from the Porcupine Mountains to Houghton and the Keweenaw have received several inches of snow. Ditto for Marquette, Michigan, which will be hosting the UP 200 Sled Dog Race in mid-February. Also happy are the folks in nearby Trenary, Michigan who are hosting the 23rd annual Outhouse Race the last Saturday in February.

Snow Report Lake Superior
Snow Depth around Lake Superior, Jan 10. 2016

Snow conditions for winter sports east of Marquette all the way to Sault Ste. Marie are good. These good  winter recreation conditions continue to exist all the way around Lake Superior into Ontario from the Soo to Wawa to Red Rock/Nipigon. See the January NOAA Snow Report Map for Lake Superior Region shown here. From Thunder Bay, Ontario down across the US border to Grand Marais, Minnesota there are good conditions for x-c skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and most winter sports. The region is expected to receive snow showers several days of the coming week and temperatures are cold enough to hold the snow.

If you like winter in the northland, looks like you’ll have the conditions to enjoy it. See our Lake Superior Snow Report & Winter Recreation page for links to the latest weather reports and conditions on snowshoe, skiing, and snowmobiling trails. When they are open, the Bayfield Lake Superior Sea and Ice Caves (see pix at top of the page) are the number one winter attraction around Lake Superior.

PS In 2013 Jo and I attended the UP 200 Sled Dog Race (see our report and pictures). Maybe this year we’ll catch that Trenary Outhouse Race?

Roscoe

Rittenhouse Inn Review | Bayfield, Wisconsin

Rittenhouse Inn

Dining and Lodging at the Rittenhouse Inn
Bayfield, WI

Rittenhouse Inn Lobby
The lobby of the Rittenhouse Inn with its 2 story Christmas Tree.

Few visitors to Bayfield escape noticing the historic Rittenhouse Inn on the main Highway 13 road into downtown (Rittenhouse Avenue). Perched high on the hill about five blocks up from the harbor, its size, beauty and Victorian architecture evokes “wows” and more erudite exclamations. In addition to being Bayfield’s only 4 star hotel, it is also known for its fine cusine. It has been on our “bucket list” to spend a night or two there for some time.

The opportunity to make good on our pledge came on a Thanksgiving weekend in 2015 with Jo’s sister Donna and her husband Dan. Previously we had done Thanksgiving weekends at four other historic hotels stretching along the Great River Road Scenic Drive from Galena, Illinois to Stillwater, Minnesota. The Rittenhouse Inn Thanksgiving Weekend will be the first of perhaps several historic hotel Thanksgivings we’ll have along the Lake Superior Circle Drive.

Rittenhouse Inn Review

Rittenhouse Inn Dining
Thanksgiving Menu at the Rittenhouse Inn Bayfield, WI

The dinner itself was fantastic. The historic hotels we’ve previously stayed at offered a Thanksgiving Buffet. The Rittenhouse Inn meal was a five course extravaganza with a choice of two soups, two salads, four specialty entrees, and four desserts plus a Sorbet before the Entree. (See pictures and more details at our Rittenshouse Inn Dining Review here).

Staying overnight at the Rittenhouse was also a bit different than we had experienced at other historic inns. The Rittenhouse, being a mansion B&B versus a larger hotel, was more intimate and held truer to the theme of “stepping back in time” to staying at a Victorian Inn. The only piece of “modern technology” in the rooms were a small clock radio. No TV, no microwave, no fridge, no phone, no desk for our laptop, and no bar or lounge in the facility (but craft beers and bottles of wine were available from the kitchen or wait staff to take back to your room.) We were pleased to discover there was one concession to the 21st century – a strong wireless Internet connection. (See our slide show tour of Rittenhouse Inn Rooms here).

Rittenhouse Inn Sitting Room
Jo and Donna relaxing in the second floor sitting room of the Rittenhouse Inn

Great food, unique and comfortable lodging, and great service made for a memorable and romantic weekend.

Ross

Links:

Rittenhouse Inn
Bayfield Holiday Activities
Bayfield Area Winter Events

 

Duluth-Superior Events

What’s Happening this summer in Duluth-Superior?

Beginning the weekend of June 14 – 16, there will be almost 10 consecutive weekends of festivals in Duluth, Minnesota.

Grandma's Marathon Champion Mary Akor
Grandma’s Marathon Women’s Champion Mary Akor heads towards the finish line

Always the highlight of the summer in Duluth is Grandma’s Marathon. Being held this year on June 22nd, this will be the 37th running of the marathon. The race attracts some of the top marathon runners in the world as well as over 10,000 more average Joe and Jane runners challenging themselves. Festivities begin June 20th and include other runs in addition to the regular 26.2 mile marathon. There’s a half-marathon, a couple of 5K runs, a run/walk, a youth race plus live entertainment, food, and fun activities for all ages. Jo and I caught the 2008 race and enjoyed the whole experience. You can see our report and photos from the 2008 Grandma’s Marathon here. Also see Grandma’s Marathon Website for more details on activities during the 3 day event.

The following weekend, June 29 – 30th, will be the Park Point Art Fair. This event has been going on even longer than Grandma’s Marathon. This will be the 43rd fair. Park Point is a long, narrow sandy isthmus of a peninsula that separates Lake Superior from the Bay of the St. Louis river. In addition to the artists and artisans displaying their works there will be music and food and some kids activities. Park Point Art Fair Website

Next up the following weekend will be the Duluth Fourth Fest at Bayfront Festival Park, on the 4th of July naturally. Fireworks, entertainment, rides, etc. More food, more music, more beer. The day before there will be a concert by Hairball, a rock-n-roll retro group who recreates a number of heavy metal rock groups from a few decades ago. The next weekend on Saturday July 6th is the Twin Ports Bridge Fest, a unique community event with music and showcase exhibits. Events include a water ceremony included in Saturday’s festival admission along with all the other activities and entertainment, highlighted by The Kingston Trio, Cloud Cult, Mason Jennings and activities for the whole family. Just a few days later, more food, music, and now some shopping thrown in when Downtown Sidewalk Days runs from July 10th through the 12th. More information on the Sidewalk Festival here.

Next up to bat is the All Pints North BrewFest on July 13th, followed by the popular Reggae & World Music Festival on July 20th, again being held at Bayfront Festival Park.

The US Brig Niagara is a reconstruction of the original ship captained by Commodore Perry

The most exciting event of the summer promises to be a return of the Tall Ships to Duluth for the 2013 Tall Ships Duluth Festival held from July 24th to July 30th. We were there the last time the Tall Ships were in Duluth, in 2010, and it was really neat to see these historic vessels sailing into the Duluth harbor. We took pictures and reported on the 2010 Tall Ships Festival in SuperiorTrails.com and are planning to return for this summer’s Tall Ships Fest. Last time there were 9 sailing ships in port; this year at least 10 are expected. Some of these ships will be participating in the Great Lakes Tall Ships Challenge Races being held this summer.

Lake Superior Dragon Boat Race
Three teams head for the finish in the Lake Superior Dragonboat Race & Festival, held at Barkers Island, Superior, Wisconsin

The following weekend is the Bayfront Jam Mus ic Festival on August 2- 4th. Headlining the Sunday show will be Steve Martin and the Steep Canyon Rangers. A week later Duluth welcomes the 25th Bayfront Blues Festival, August 9 – 11th, held, of course, at Bayfront Festival Park. More info here on the Blues Festival. A week later Bayfront hosts Art in Bayfront Park on August 17th and 18th.

August 23 – 24th
That following weekend, you can cross the bridge over to Superior, Wisconsin and watch the Lake Superior Dragonboat Races. The race is held in a protected bay on the south side of Barkers Island. The island is the site of the festival part of the race. Yes, more music, entertainment, food and beverages. We’ve been to the race two times and it is a fun weekend. You can see our report and photos from an earlier Dragonboat Race here.  For more on Superior, Wi see our SuperiorTrails.com website or check out the events calendar in the Superior-Douglas County website.

September 7 – 8th
We’ll be heading north to Duluth the first weekend in September to attend the KIA Duluth Street Drag Race and Car Show. This is a really fun event because it is like an old-fashioned street race with the starter simply waving a flag and lots of souped up muscle cars (show and go) as well as sleepers that look like grandpa’s family sedan yet under the hood are sumethin’ else (no show, but all go).

Lots of fun in Duluth this summer. Go see our SuperiorTrails website for more ideas on things to see and do in Duluth.

Happy Traveling,

Roscoe – roscoetrails@gmail.com