Aug 15, Sunday
Red Pine Campground
We had an easy drive along Hwy 2 until we got to Duluth. We connected to Hwy 53 and crossed the John A. Blatnik Bridge across St Louis Bay. This bridge is 7,975 feet long and rises nearly 120 feet above the water to accommodate the seaway shipping channel. This was not a happy moment for Lisa. Duluth is also built on a steep 700-foot hill we had to drive up. Our campground was only 30 minutes from Duluth.
We arrived at the campground around 12:30 and set up in site #59, an unshaded flat gravel site next to some small ponds. We had full hookups to set up quickly and then headed toward Duluth.
Enger Park
Our first stop was to get some gas, and then we headed to Enger Park.
Enger Park is on the steep hillside overlooking Duluth on a site that once was called Grand Mountain. The land was bought with money donated by a local furniture dealer, Bert Enger, and a tower was built in 1936 in his honor. This tower is now a popular overlook.
We parked at the base of a small steep hill below the tower and took the rough trail up to the tower. I climbed the 105 steps to the top of the 80-foot tower while Lisa stayed at the base. The views of Duluth from the top of the tower and its base were incredible. We could see the entire city of Duluth, MN, and Superior, WI, and the huge port below us. Seeing how large the port was fascinated me. Duluth is the busiest port in the Great Lakes and the farthest inland port that ocean-going ships can travel. Though we could see plenty of warehouses and grain silos, iron still represents over 50% of what is shipped from the port.
Skyline Parkway
We then drove down the Skyline Parkway, which follows the hilltop overlooking Duluth, giving us more birds-eye views of Duluth. At North Lake Drive, we descended the steep hill toward the lake and headed to Canal Park.
Canal Park
Canal Park sits along the canal that cuts through the largest freshwater sandbar in the world. An aerial bridge spans the canal to connect the sandbar. It was a very busy shopping and entertainment area, but we were able to find a parking spot. We then walked down to the tip of the park where the Lake Superior Maritime Museum, the Aerial Lift Bridge, and the North Pier lighthouse were located. They had several fountains along the way where children were playing.
We first visited the Maritime Museum, managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. It was free and full of exhibits about commercial shipping, the Duluth Ship Canal, and the Aerial Lift Bridge. It also had three replica cabins and pilothouse from ships, a two-story steam engine, and 50 scale models of ships.
When we left the museum, we walked to the end of the pier to look at the North Pier Lighthouse. The 43-foot tower was constructed and lit in 1910. While there, we watched a crane dredge the canal’s entrance near the Superior Entry Lighthouse on the other side of the canal.
While walking around, we saw the Aerial Lift Bridge go up and down. I learned later that we could have walked across it. I now regret we didn’t.
We walked on a short section of their 7.5-mile Lakewalk along Lake Superior. They had a small display showing some pictures of how a 2019 storm tore up the Lakewalk and how it was being rebuilt.
On our walk back to the truck, we passed a store giving a demonstration on glass blowing. I also had to play in one of the fountains myself.
Thirsty Pagan Brewing
We decided to go to the Thirsty Pagan Brewing in Superior, WI, for dinner. We took the back roads to Superior, which took us through some dock areas.
The brewery was located in an old Soo Lines Train Depot. We sat in the main bar area and ordered a flight of beers. We had that for dinner since they were noted for having good pizza. After dinner, we stayed long enough to listen to a couple of songs from a musical duo playing that evening before heading out.
Camper
When we returned, I chose a route that would take us over the other large bridge in Duluth, the Richard I Bong Memorial Bridge, which takes Hwy 2 across St Louis Bay. The bridge is about 11,800 feet long, sits about 8,300 feet over the St Louis Bay, and has a serpentine shape. We followed Hwy 2 until we took Ugstad Rd into Hermantown, stopping at their Walmart. When we left Walmart, we took Hwy 53 back to our campsite, where we arrived at about 7:30 pm.
Aug 16, Monday
We left around 8:30 am to drive up MN-61, known as the North Shore Scenic Drive, which followed the rugged north shoreline of Lake Superior through small coastal towns while offering beautiful views of waterfalls, state parks, lighthouses, forests, and Lake Superior itself.
Google Maps took us around Duluth, and we intersected with MN-61, just north of Duluth.
Tom’s Logging Camp
Just north of Duluth, I saw a sign for Tom’s Logging Camp and decided to make an unplanned stop. Tom’s Historic Logging Camp and Old Northwest Company Trading Post is a souvenir store with a re-creation of a logging camp behind it that includes a Horse Barn, Blacksmith Shop, Harness Shop, Shoe Shop, Horseshoeing Stall, Bunkhouse, Cook Shanty, and Finnish Sauna. The heavily wooded area made everything look and smell musty, but each building looked authentically equipped, and there were old photographs on the wall to prove it, though many of them were faded and hard to read. Typed pages of information were also attached to the walls. They also had a Gravity House, a pond where you could feed the rainbow trout and an animal pen where you could feed the chickens, llamas, and pygmy goats.
The owners were very friendly. Lauren Weckman was running the store, and we ran into her husband, Bill, feeding the chickens. He talked with us for a while when we walked to this part of the camp. He was proud of his chickens!
Tom’s opened in 1956 and has been in the family since. It was some cheap fun. We did buy some old-fashioned sodas from the Trading Post to take with us for lunch later.
Great! Lakes Candy Kitchen
As we continued along the shore, we next stopped at the Great! Lakes Candy Kitchen. This store opened in 2007 but is owned by third-generation candy makers. It was so often listed as an attraction that we had to stop and look. They had a variety of fun house-made confections, but they were all costly. We bought three chocolate bars on a stick with different types of chocolate. Behind the store was a fun “Bear Walk” attraction for the kids and kids at heart like us.
Buchanan Historical Marker
As we continued north, we stopped at the Buchanan Wayside to look at the lake and the historical marker. Buchanan was one of the first towns established on the North Shore after the second treaty of La Pointe in 1854, when the Native Americans ceded much of the North Shore to the US Government. It also became the North Shores’ first ghost town when most residents returned to Duluth in 1859.
Two Harbors Lighthouse
Our next stop was the 1892 Two Harbors Lighthouse, the oldest operating lighthouse in Minnesota. There was a chain-link fence around the light station ground. We did not buy a ticket to go inside and tour the light station, but we did enjoy the walk around the fence, peeking in and down to the shore. Off in the distance, we could see one of the large lake freighters being loaded with iron ore.
The Lighthouse was built to provide safe passage into the Agate Bay Harbor, a major iron shipping port. The tower is 49.6 feet tall and made of red brick with an attached light keeper’s residence. From its rocky perch, it is 78 feet above the lake. The walls of the tower are three bricks thick. Though still an active lighthouse, control was transferred to the local historical society in 1999, which still maintains it. They currently offer tours of the tower, the assistant lightkeeper building, and the pilothouse. They even operate a Bed and Breakfast where you can spend a night in the lighthouse.
Silver Cliff Creek tunnel
As we continued north, we drove through the Silver Cliff Creek tunnel. This 1,344-foot tunnel was completed in 1994 because the previous route took drivers too close to the cliff’s edge.
Gooseberry Falls State Park
We next stopped at the first of the many falls we would see along this route. The area was experiencing a drought so the water flow was low. Gooseberry Falls consists of the Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls. The falls were beautiful. The rock formations around the falls were interesting. I also enjoyed the trees growing on and over the rocks.
I also walked up to the Gooseberry Falls Concourse, a stone edifice by the highway. This was built in the late 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Now, it has some information boards describing the history of the state park, which has elevated views of the area.
Iona’s Beach
Our next stop was Iona’s Beach, uniquely covered by smooth pink rocks. The pink stones come from a nearby rhyolite cliff named after Iona Lind, who owned the resort that once stood on the spot where the beach’s parking area now is.
According to Google Maps, we were about a mile away at Twin Points boat landing when we arrived at what we thought was the beach. We saw some pink stones there but were rather surprised that this was supposed to be a big deal. There were some walking trails and benches in the nearby woods, so we ate lunch on one of the benches overlooking the lake. We also enjoyed the old-fashioned sodas we got at Tom’s Logging Camp.
When we left the landing and headed north, we found the actual entrance to Iona’s Beach. After a short walk from the parking area through tall pines, we were greeted by the large pink beach. Many people were lounging on the beach even though the pink cobblestones were not as comfortable as the sand. I am sure a few were there to hear the tinkling sounds that the pebbles were supposed to make as the waves lifted them and they resettled.
Split Rock Lighthouse Overlook
We then continued north and stopped at a wayside about a mile south of Split Rock Lighthouse, which gave us a beautiful view of the lighthouse. This octagonal brick lighthouse was built in 1910 on a 133-foot sheer cliff. It was retired in 1969 and is now part of the Split Rock State Park but managed by a local Historical Society. Though this wayside provided postcard views, you needed a zoom lens to get the best pictures.
After leaving the wayside, we passed the entrance to the lighthouse, but we did not stop because it cost $8 to park near it and $12 to tour the buildings. Since we still had lots to see, we continued.
Beaver Bay
Before we got to Beaver Bay, we stopped briefly for some photo ops of some giant Adirondack chairs. When we entered the village, we took a picture of a sign featuring a liquor barrel on a fake tree.
Silver Bay
When we got to Silver Bay, we drove up to Northshore Scenic Overlook where we had elevated views of the lake and the taconite factory in the city.
At the entrance of Silver Bay, we stopped and took a picture of Rocky Taconite standing on a boulder of taconite. Taconite is a low-grade iron ore that replaced pure ores when exhausted in the Mesabi Range. Rocky was completed in 1962 and assumed his perch in 1964.
Black Beach Park
We followed the signs down to their beach area but were most interested in finding their “black beach.” The first beach we stopped at was a typical pebble beach, and though it was pretty, we did not see any black sand.
As we continued down the park, we finally came across Black Beach. Unlike other natural beaches, this beach had black sand that was created by the taconite tailings, the by-product of taconite when the iron is separated from the ore, that was dumped into Lake Superior and washed back to shore.
The Reserve Mining Company began in 1955, and over the next 25 years, it dumped its waste rock into the lake, causing environmental and health concerns for the community. In 1973, the federal government took the mining company to court. It revealed the damage of the tailings discharge to fish populations and the presence of potentially carcinogenic “asbestos-like” fibrous minerals. This was a contentious time for the city, where the struggle for economic well-being squared off with the town’s struggle for public health. The government won the case and forced the company to quit dumping into the lake and use holding ponds. The Reserve Mining Company soon shut down, but NorthShore Mining took over and continued its mining operation using the holding ponds.
These taconite tailings created a beautiful beach with fine black sand bordered by cliffs and rock formations. Access to the beach only became public in 2015 when the city leased it from the mining company. Walking around the black sand, we found some large chunks of charcoal mixed into it. There were signs posted that stated that no fires were allowed, so we wondered if the charcoal had something to do with that.
Palisade Head
North of Silver Bay, we exited the highway and headed onto a steep dirt road that took us to Palisade Head Overlook. This overlook is on the top of the 200-foot cliff, which gives us an elevated view of Lake Superior and the adjacent shoreline. This cliff is also a popular rock-climbing location, and we saw some climbing equipment lying on the ground near the cliffs (but no climbers).
Betty’s Pies
Around Caribou Falls, we turned around and returned to the camper because it was already a little after 4 pm. We decided to head back to Betty’s Pies in Two Harbors, about an hour south of us, before they closed at 6 pm. On the way back, we spotted a giant ladder ball game outside Grand Superior Lodge near Castle Danger. We had to stop, get a picture, and play a quick game, which Lisa won.
We got to Betty’s Pies around 5:30 pm, and it was not busy, so we were quickly seated. This highly-rated attraction was a restaurant that looked like a typical 1950s diner. It had a very small menu, but people went there for their pies. After dinner, we ordered two slices of pie to go. They had many types of pies, but many favorites were no longer available.
Campground
South of Two Harbors, we took the MN-61 Expressway home. This highway ran parallel to MN-61, but it did not follow the coastline, so we could drive at faster speeds.
We were back at the campground by 7:30, and we enjoyed our Betty’s pies.
Aug 17, Tuesday
Today, we decided to finish the rest of the North Shore Scenic Drive to the Canadian border.
We first drove out to Home Depot around 9 am to buy an ice machine for the trailer I found on sale. After getting gas, we decided to connect to the North Shore Scenic Drive by going through Duluth instead of around it. We drove straight down the hill into Duluth and then took I-35 north through the city until it ended and turned into MN-61 Expressway just north. We took the expressway until it ended in Two Harbors and continued north on MN-61.
Split Rock River Wayside
Our first stop was the Split Rock River Wayside. I wanted to get pictures of the stacked boulders I had seen the day before to see if I could find their purpose. There was nothing at the wayside, though, that said anything about them. While there, we walked through the walkway under the road to the small beach at the confluence of Split Rock River and Lake Superior.
Beaver Bay
We then stopped at another giant Adirondack chair across the highway from the Cove Point Giant Adirondack chairs we took pictures of the previous day. These chairs did not seem to mark anything but a driveway to a home, and they had three flags behind them: the US Flag, the Minnesota flag, and a Norwegian flag.
In town, we stopped briefly to take a picture of a large wood carving of a logger with eagles perched above him just because it looked interesting.
Tettegouche State Park
Our next stop was Tettegouche State Park to see their waterfalls. After parking, we talked with a ranger at the visitor center to see how easy the hike to the falls was. She assured us that it was an easy trail with very few steps, but it turned out to have a lot of rough terrain and wooden steps, so Lisa could not make it to the falls. I quickly continued on the trail to the falls, and we both returned to the truck.
Good Harbor Bay Outlook
We stopped at the Good Harbor Bay Outlook but could not get bay views because of the tall trees. A geological marker at the wayside pointed out interesting red and grey rock layers in the cliff across the highway from us, indicating volcanic activity over a billion years ago. More info
Judge C.R. Magney State Park
Our next stop was to see Devil’s Kettle Falls and Upper Falls in Judge C.R. Magney State Park. A mile-long trail went from the parking lot to both falls. There were a lot of stairs, but it was fairly easy to get to the Upper Falls. The trail to Devil’s Kettle became steep and rugged, so Lisa could not continue. Devil’s Kettle Falls is famous because the waterfall splits in two, and one-half of it seems to go into a bottomless hole. I had seen it on TV several times as a natural wonder, so I was excited to see it.
Wayswaugoing Bay Overlook
Our next wayside was Wayswaugoing Bay Overlook, which is considered one of the best outlooks on the North Shore. It is located north of Grand Portage and south of the Canadian border. and it provided elevated views of Lake Superior, where we could see the faint image of Isle Royale National Park in the east and Canada in the north.
Grand Portage State Park
The entrance to Grand Portage State Park was a couple hundred yards south of the Canadian border. We could see the US Port of Entry just down the road as we entered the park. The park is separated from Canada by the Pigeon River, where High Falls, the tallest waterfall in Minnesota at 120 feet, was located. Because the waterfall sits on the border, it is considered a transnational waterfall. It was an easy half-mile paved trail to the falls and several overlooks.
Putt n Pets Mini Golf for ice cream
It was almost 6 pm when we left Grand Portage State Park and headed home, but it was never too late for ice cream. We spotted a flag advertising ice cream on the way back, so we stopped at Putt n Pets Mini Golf near Grand Marais.
Culver’s
It was too late to stop at a restaurant for dinner, so we decided to swing through a drive-thru. Surprisingly, the closest town with a fast food drive-thru was Two Harbors, almost two hours away. It was about 8 pm when we pulled through Culvers.
Duluth
When we got back into Duluth, it was very dark, so we took a route home that would take us on Skyline Drive to see the city at night. After stopping for gas at a BP, we returned to the trailer at about 10 pm.
Aug 18, Wednesday
Because the weather report stated that it was going to be 88 degrees today and we did not have any utilities at our next campsite (electricity or water), we decided to run down to a local Target for some battery-powered fans to take with us. On the way back, I stopped at a car wash to try to wash some of the bugs and dust off of the truck.
Since we had full hookups, I could fill with fresh water and dump the black water before taking off. We generally avoid traveling with water because of our weight, but we have no choice.
We left the campground a couple of minutes past our noon checkout time.