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Minnesota's North Shore: Route Guide
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An inland sea with a shoreline drive to match any coast: Superior's cliffs and agate beaches, Split Rock's lighthouse on its 40-metre crag, waterfalls at every river mouth, and smoked-fish shacks between. Grand Marais mixes art colony with outfitter town, and the road ends at Grand Portage, gateway of the voyageurs. The lake makes its own weather; watch it work.
Minnesota's North Shore is a 230 km one-way journey (self-drive). It works best as 3–5 days; the plan below is the 4-day version for September, built from 86 verified places, with real road-routed transit times, opening hours and daylight checked.
Plan your own version → 3-day plan · 4-day plan · 5-day plan · best time to go
The route
What you'll see
Choose your length
When to go
Best months: June, July, August, September
Superior warms just enough for the brave, waterfall state parks line the shore road, and the Gunflint Trail leads into moose-and-loon canoe country.
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