drive north of Minneapolis

[hiacbanks]

I've been to Minneapolis about a dozen times. and the further north I explore is Duluth and Split Rock. and the further west I drove is Rapid city/black hill/Badlands area.

this Memorial day weekend, I will drive to Minneapolis, and want to use it as a base to explore the surrounding areas.
two options I am considering
1) from Minneapolis, drive further north to Grand Portage and spend 2 days/1 night then back. I always want to go Grand Portage during fall color season. But in early June is it nice too? I am into hiking, biking, food,  sightseeing, but not kayaking or boating.

2) the 2nd option maybe too crazy. I always want to drive around Lake Superior. Sault Ste. Marie -> Canada (Mobert -> Thunder Bay) -> Grand Portage -> Duluth -> Minneapolis. if you drive the same route, how is it?

any suggestion is greatly appreciated!

[quickshade]

I've driven 61 and 53 in Minnesota, I use to take 53 all the way up to Orr when I vacationed up there and have taken it all the way to the border a few times as a road trip (once to Canada when you didn't need a passport to cross). I've taken 61 to Silver Bay a few times.

61 isn't bad, but you do run into some truck traffic that can slow the roadway down, being a holiday weekend, and the beautiful view you can get from the lake at some points along it, expect some tourist traffic to slow things down even more. overall not a bad trip and I wouldn't mind getting back up there this year to do the same.

My suggestion to anyone is to plan ahead on things you WANT to do, things you NEED to do and what you MIGHT want to do. Depending on weather, traffic, tourism and everything else will always mess up schedules. Superior National Forest is really big and great to just drive through and find different trails to hike on, lakes to fish.

[invincor]

In early June of 2014, I took a trip like your second option. 

I did mine starting on a Monday, so I didn't encounter any crazy weekend traffic, and it was lovely, and I'd consider doing it again.  The only change I would make would be to do it later in the summer, like July or August, because it was really quite cold when I did it.  We had a late spring that year, so that was probably some of the reason why, and maybe this year wouldn't be quite so bad. 

I first went to Duluth and spent a night and watched the Duluth Huskies Northwoods League baseball team play a game.  Then I drove up through Grand Portage, stopping at a lighthouse near Two Harbors along the way and touring that, crossed the Canadian border (switching to Eastern Time there) and continued on to Thunder Bay and spent a night there, watching their Northwoods League baseball team that night.  The next day, I drove the road along the north shore of Lake Superior all the way to Sault Ste. Marie, crossed the border back into the US, and stayed a night in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, touring the Soo Locks while there. 
The scenery along there was fantastic, even in a hard driving cold rain I thought was going to turn to snow at certain points.  (Still, it kept the moose off the road.)  The next day, I drove down I-75 to the vicinity of Mackinac Island and spent a day or two touring the forts there, and at the end of the week, drove back home through northern Wisconsin on US 8. 

If you do it, remember you'll need a passport or at least an enhanced driver's license when crossing back into the US. 

[paulthemapguy]

Isn't there signage for the "Lake Superior Circle Tour?"  How consistent is that signage?

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Isn't there signage for the "Lake Superior Circle Tour?"  How consistent is that signage?

It's fairly consistent, but not always, especially inconsistent within Duluth itself.

[hiacbanks]

Thank you for your suggestion. A few years ago, my friend camp in Superior National Forest. and I can't make it due to schedule conflict.

I've driven 61 and 53 in Minnesota, I use to take 53 all the way up to Orr when I vacationed up there and have taken it all the way to the border a few times as a road trip (once to Canada when you didn't need a passport to cross). I've taken 61 to Silver Bay a few times.

61 isn't bad, but you do run into some truck traffic that can slow the roadway down, being a holiday weekend, and the beautiful view you can get from the lake at some points along it, expect some tourist traffic to slow things down even more. overall not a bad trip and I wouldn't mind getting back up there this year to do the same.

My suggestion to anyone is to plan ahead on things you WANT to do, things you NEED to do and what you MIGHT want to do. Depending on weather, traffic, tourism and everything else will always mess up schedules. Superior National Forest is really big and great to just drive through and find different trails to hike on, lakes to fish.

[hiacbanks]

Thank you for your suggestion. cold weather maybe a concern. I didn't realized enhanced driver's license will work to cross the border.

In early June of 2014, I took a trip like your second option. 

I did mine starting on a Monday, so I didn't encounter any crazy weekend traffic, and it was lovely, and I'd consider doing it again.  The only change I would make would be to do it later in the summer, like July or August, because it was really quite cold when I did it.  We had a late spring that year, so that was probably some of the reason why, and maybe this year wouldn't be quite so bad. 

I first went to Duluth and spent a night and watched the Duluth Huskies Northwoods League baseball team play a game.  Then I drove up through Grand Portage, stopping at a lighthouse near Two Harbors along the way and touring that, crossed the Canadian border (switching to Eastern Time there) and continued on to Thunder Bay and spent a night there, watching their Northwoods League baseball team that night.  The next day, I drove the road along the north shore of Lake Superior all the way to Sault Ste. Marie, crossed the border back into the US, and stayed a night in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, touring the Soo Locks while there. 
The scenery along there was fantastic, even in a hard driving cold rain I thought was going to turn to snow at certain points.  (Still, it kept the moose off the road.)  The next day, I drove down I-75 to the vicinity of Mackinac Island and spent a day or two touring the forts there, and at the end of the week, drove back home through northern Wisconsin on US 8. 

If you do it, remember you'll need a passport or at least an enhanced driver's license when crossing back into the US. 

[invincor]

I brought my passport and used that to be on the safe side, and just to get it some use. 
I've heard Minnesota isn't offering the enhanced IDs yet over some paranoid privacy concern a few of their dumber legislators have about it, even though the Feds are warning them they're going to have to have them before too much longer. 

The Lake Superior Circle Tour signs are pretty well marked, at least as well as the Great River Road is along the Mississippi.  I noticed there's also a Lake Huron Circle Tour marked for that lake when I got to Mackinac. 

[froggie]

I've heard Minnesota isn't offering the enhanced IDs yet over some paranoid privacy concern a few of their dumber legislators have about it, even though the Feds are warning them they're going to have to have them before too much longer. 

Minnesota does offer the enhanced drivers license.  The issue you're referring to regards the regular drivers license, which doesn't meet Federal requirements under the Real ID Act passed over a decade ago.  This year is the first year that TSA can deny use of regular drivers licenses at airport security checkpoints if the license doesn't meet the requirements.  Minnesota isn't the only state facing this.

[Mdcastle]

The  main concern I would have is that June is the peak time for mosquitoes and biting flies. Riding a bicycle is OK, but if you stop to take a break you'll have a fly or two buzzing you in under a minute, and they don't seem to be deterred by insect repellent. Right by the lake is less of a problem due to the breezes.

Unless you want to go all the way around, it's not worth it to go into Canada. Kakabeka Falls is really nice, but other than that the road veers inland from the lake and Thunder Bay is a dying, incohesive port city without much to see as either a roadgeek or general tourist.

Another option is to drive back through the Iron Range. MN 1 is one of the most beautiful roads in the state, and the Soudan Underground Mine is one of the iconic Minnesota attractions.

[hiacbanks]

Thank you for your suggestion for Iron Range  I may want to check powwow schedule in that area


iPhone

[quickshade]

Another option is to drive back through the Iron Range. MN 1 is one of the most beautiful roads in the state, and the Soudan Underground Mine is one of the iconic Minnesota attractions.

Totally agree, Not only is it a great tour but you really do learn a lot about the whole area and what it was really like to mine back in the day. They were setting up a newer lab down there last time I went to shoot lasers to Fermi-Lab here in Illinois, was one of the coolest things to see that far underground. Not to mention seeing the huge elevator in action up close.

[triplemultiplex]

Around Memorial Day, there should be plenty of water in the streams so there will be lots of good waterfall action.  Pretty much all of Minnesota's waterfalls are on the North Shore and if you're down with some hiking you have many, many options.  Including one that looks like it could spill onto the highway in Schroeder.
There is a nice paved bike trail between Gooseberry Falls & Split Rock Lighthouse State Parks that continues along 61 to Beaver Bay.  I've always wanted to give it try.
I recommend grabbing a pizza at Sven & Ole's in downtown Grand Marais if you make it up that far.

Some might recommend using the old route between Duluth and Two Harbors instead of the four lane, but I wouldn't bother if your limited on time.  There is much better scenery and more of it up the coast.

The downside of taking MN 1 inland is then you are stuck coming south on US 53, which is flat and boring by comparison.

[froggie]

The downside of taking MN 1 inland is then you are stuck coming south on US 53, which is flat and boring by comparison.

Not necessarily.  There are at least three county routes that could be used to head back south before reaching US 53.  Furthermore, stopping at the aforementioned Soudan Underground Mine and stopping at the Laurentian Divide are IMO worth the drive back down US 53 afterwards.

[Mdcastle]

US 53 is boring, but it's also fast. At some point you get your fill of scenic but tedious driving and just want to make good time.

From a roadgeek perspective you could check out the new US 53 bridge at Virginia.

[leroys73]

Did the Circle tour in two pars back in the mid 70s by car.

Did it again summer of 2014 by motorcycle.  Awesome trip.  17 in Canada is not as interesting as it was in the 70s.  Compared to back then, today it is like a super highway. 

In 2014 I wanted to stay as close to Lake Superior as possible for my Circle Tour.  After camping near Duluth and visiting Aerostich, I left Duluth to head east on US 2 then WI 13 then rejoined US 2 near Ashland, MI and a hotel. Then left US 2 again to go through the Porcupine Mts to Silver City.  This began the best part of the trip, the Upper Peninsula of MI.  After Silver City I rode up to Copper Harbor. From there US41 took me to Marquette and a hotel.  MI 28 was followed out of Marquette to Munising.  Then East Muninsing Avenue and Adams Trail to Melstrand and H58 to Grand Marais. The road is paved all the way to Grand Marais. 

I found this town very interesting. It was one of my favorite places to visit. I ate at a restaurant very near the Pickle Barrel House. William Donahey, famous cartoonist who created the Teenie Weenies cartoon feature in the Chicago Tribune, used the Pickle House as a summer cabin.     

The road east out of GM was not paved then, it may be now, so I headed south to 28 and a KOA Kabin somewhere in the area.  Then I went up 123 to Paradise and took a turn to the north so I could visit Whitefish Point, the Graveyard of Great Lakes because of the shipwrecks.  There is a light house and museum there. 

Upon leaving Whitefish Point I hugged the coast of Lake Superior as much as I could before crossing into Canada at Sault St. Marie. I followed 17 in Canada around Superior with one night of camping before arriving in Thunder Bay where I stayed in a KOA Kabin.  I was too lazy to set up my tent. 

I left Thunder Bay to return to Duluth and the long ride home to Dallas. 

I my opinion the best part of the Circle Tour is the UP of Michigan.