There's good reason why Minnesotan's talk about the North Shore. This stretch of highway along Lake Superior is one of the best scenic drives in the state and offers a tremendous amount of outdoor activities and sites from hikes, wildlife, and beautiful little towns. Below are some of our favorite places to experience the outdoors of Minnesota's North Shore.
Split Rock Lighthouse
The beautiful and picturesque Split Rock Lighthouse is located just southwest of Silver Bay along the North Shore of Lake Superior. It was built in response to the great loss of ships during the famous Mataafa Storm of 1905 where 29 ships were lost on Lake Superior.
Tettegouche State Park
Tettegouche State Park consists of 6 inland lakes, four waterfalls, a beach along Lake Superior, access to the Superior Hiking Trail, and the beautiful Shovel Point and Palisade head cliff lookout points. The High Falls along Baptism River are the highest waterfalls located completely within the state of Minnesota. Shovel Point and Palisade Head cliffs are popular rock climbing destinations located along the Lake Superior shoreline.
Judge C. R. Magney State Park
Located along the Noth Shore of Lake Superior, and named after a former Duluth Mayor, Judge C. R. Magney State Park is known for the Devil's Kettle Waterfall. This unusual waterfall results in half of the Brule River disappearing into a pothole.
Cascade River State Park
One of the northern most state parks along the shore is Cascade River State Park which was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the mid-1930s. The park features a series of five small waterfalls and the Cascade Falls. It offers hiking, including access to the Superior Hiking Trail, and over a mile of trail along the Lake Superior shoreline.
Grand Portage State Park
Along the northeastern tip of Minnesota on the Canadian-United States board is Grand Portage State Park. This park contains the tallest waterfall (120 feet) in the state of Minnesota on the Pigeon River.