Campers - I'm going to tell you exactly where to go, what to see, and what to eat when you visit Lake Superior. Usually I just tell you where I've been. I guess I'm feeling bossy today.
First, make sure it's hot and steamy weather outside - late June or July, perhaps. Pack light, but be sure to bring a fan (unless you enjoy roasting while you sleep).
Second, bring bug spray, citronella candles, bug wands, or any other methods of fighting off mosquitoes. You'll need them.
Third, if Canada's forests are burning, don't count on hiking/biking/running or even breathing well sometimes. Your view of Lake Superior may also be occasionally hindered. Track the AQI ( Air Quality Index) here: https://www.weather.gov/safety/airquality-aqindex
Finally, push through all of the above and enjoy one of the best trips of your life - Lake Superior is beautiful, wild, vital and astonishing.
I recommend starting in Grand Marais in the UP (Upper Peninsula) in Michigan. (That's the one on the right, er, in the east.) Go west as slowly as possible until you reach Grand Marais, Minnesota. Between the two, here are a few necessary stops:
1) Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore: Grand Marais, Michigan is the eastern gateway to Pictured Rocks. Start at Grand Sable Visitor Center and let a ranger tell you about the trails available. Across the parking lot is the trailhead to Sable Falls and Lake Superior. Take it. At just under 3 miles round trip, this hike is gorgeous first thing in the morning, and is perfect for wildflower viewing and waterfall appreciation. The trail ends at an picturesque stretch of beach that inspires deep breathing and wide open thinking. Linger here and think about this remarkable expanse of water that is roughly the size of South Carolina.
Other trails are equally awe inspiring. Continue to drive west on highway 58 and check out Log Slide trail (huge sand dunes - panoramic views), and Au Sable Light Station trail (accessible, quick walk to pretty beach - 1.7 miles to light station). Continuing west, stop at Munising Falls Visitor Center, or - if you're ready to jump in the lake - drive just past the town of Munising and look for an undeveloped pullout just off the road on your right. No fee to park, no one around - take a dip and feel the cold in your bones....it's good for you. (Did I mention that you're looking at 10% of the world's surface fresh water?)
2) The Landmark Inn, Marquette, Michigan: By now you are very hungry. Go to the Landmark Inn in Marquette and order the whitefish and a caesar salad (dressing on the side). Fresh, delicious, unmatched. Makes you feel like jumping off the cliffs at nearby Presque Isle Park. (Check with the locals. I didn't send you.)
3) All the rivers: Look for signs like this along your drive:
I get particularly nostalgic when I see them, as my late husband was an avid paddler. Signs like this are as good as stop signs to me. As you journey across the UP, northern WI, and Minnesota treat these brown signs as instructions to pull over. Recreate as you see fit - opportunities for fishing, hiking, tubing, canoeing, kayaking and wildlife viewing abound.
4) Syl's Cafe, Octonagon, Michigan: Are you hungry again? Go to Syl's Cafe for the best sandwich of all time - Wild Rice Cranberry Turkey Melt with cranberry aioli. It looks like a normal turkey melt, but it's NOT a normal turkey melt. My family will tell you that I get turkey melts wherever I go. Trust me. Not to be missed. I recommend substituting sweet potato fries.
5) Apostle Islands National Lakeshore: There is so much to explore in the Apostle Islands! Caves, trails, islands, lighthouses - all of which seem inaccessible at first. The area is huge - nearly 70,000 acres - including 12 miles of mainland shoreline and 21 scattered islands stretching into Superior. But I feel confident telling you to start here: sea kayaking. Sign up for a 4- or 8-hour Sea Caves Exploration with Lost Creek Adventures (lostcreekadventures.org) The weather can change drastically on Lake Superior with little warning, so even if you are an experienced paddler elsewhere, it is best to let experts guide you on Superior. You will see water in a shade of green that doesn't exist elsewhere. You will hear echos of ancient paddlers as you float under arches and into red rock canyons and caves. The photos below tell part of the story. I'll just say this: it is a wholly unique experience that I've not had anywhere else. Go.
6) Cornucopia Beach, Cornucopia, WI: Sunsets are amazing nearly anywhere on Lake Superior. After your sea kayak adventure, I recommend dining in one of the local restaurants, re-stocking your supplies at Ehler's General Store, then watching the sunset from Cornucopia Beach, which is across the road from Lost Creek Adventures.
7) The North Shore, Minnesota: The North Shore between Duluth and Grand Marais, Minnesota is an embarrassment of riches. If you drive it straight through on Hwy 61 - the "Voyageur Highway" - it will take you only 2 hours. But I contend that 2 years would not be enough time to take in all the beauty that is found along this stretch. You don't really need me to boss you around here. Just take every opportunity to pull off the road and stop for sojourns. Hike, fish, bike, sail, kayak, or just stand and take it all in at a million different gorgeous viewpoints.
But since I'm still feeling bossy...absolutely do not miss the following:
*Gooseberry Falls State Park - Yes, see the falls. Yes, see the beautiful Visitors Center. But also go see and smell the inside of a CCC shelter in the campground area. Ah, woodsmoke and competence!
*Split Rock Lighthouse State Park - Hike, recreate, and definitely stop if you need a shower. Cleanest, nicest campground shower house I've ever seen. Well done, Minnesota State Parks!
*Tettegouche State Park - Try the trail to Shovel Point located behind the Visitors Center - less than 2 miles round trip. Great views!
*Sugarloaf Cove - Take the easy loop hike, see the lovely agate beaches. Serenity now.
*Temperance River State Park - Experience hiking & fishing like nowhere else. This river has carved out space for harmony and hallowed ground, and you deserve to experience it. Go, seek, find.
*Cascade River State Park - Stop and hike on all 12 miles of trails here. Aptly named, the Cascade River drops 900 feet before it empties into Lake Superior. Trails meander next to, over and around waterfalls. The smell in the air is moss, wildflowers, and great northern trees: spruce, aspen, birch, cedar, and fir. And the river is made of root beer. (Anyone still reading?)
*Grand Marais Recreation Area & Campground - Go out to the jetty of rocks and clamor around as the waves are crashing in. Meditate. Take in the Energy of Superior. There's a whole town of great restaurants and art galleries and shops. You can skip those. Stay here and become one with nature. Don't stop for selfies - that's not Zen.
Finally, go buy a dozen donuts from World's Best Doughnuts in Grand Marais and go home. It doesn't get any better than this. Sojourn on!
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