In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Duluth to Grand Portage: 250 kilometres of Highway 61 between rocky coast and birch forest, with a detour onto the Gunflint Trail into the wilderness.
The spirit of the route
Lake Superior is bigger than a lake has any right to be: a horizon with no opposite shore, waves rolling onto pebble beaches, and an air that smells of cold water even in high summer. Highway 61 follows the shore, squeezed between lakeside rocks and forest, with river mouths stained red by iron and tannins. Behind every bend there is a state park with a waterfall, a beam of light on the water or a village with a fish smokehouse. Split Rock Lighthouse has stood on a 40-metre cliff since 1910, in Grand Marais the harbour lies beneath trees, and further north the road disappears into the Boundary Waters region. In autumn maples and birches change colour, in winter ice lies on the bays, and in summer mosquitoes and blackflies are part of reality. In the evening you sit at your pitch, listen to the surf and watch mist drifting in over the water.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Duluth to Gooseberry Falls (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- From Duluth take Highway 61 (North Shore Scenic Drive) north-east via Two Harbors to Gooseberry Falls State Park. Between Duluth and Two Harbors it is mostly four-lane, after that two-lane; speed limit mostly 55–60 mph, through forest with occasional views of the lake; heavy traffic at weekends and in autumn. Pure driving time is about 1 hour, or half a day with stops. There are filling stations in Duluth and Two Harbors, and a supermarket in Two Harbors.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Aerial Lift Bridge and Canal Park in Duluth: a lift bridge over the shipping canal that is raised for freighters; ship schedules are online. One to two hours is enough; parking for motorhomes is tight in Canal Park.
- Two Harbors: a harbour town with the Two Harbors Lighthouse (1892), a museum and guided walks; check opening times and prices beforehand.
- Gooseberry Falls State Park: several waterfalls right behind the visitor centre, easily reached viewpoints, circular trails and access to the lakeshore. Little effort, but many visitors in summer.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Gooseberry Falls State Park: campground with some electric pitches, showers, toilets and a dump station; reserve via the Minnesota DNR Reservation System, as pitches are usually booked months ahead in summer; mind vehicle lengths when booking. Alternatively Burlington Bay Campground in Two Harbors (municipal, on the lake; check facilities and status beforehand).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): On the Minnesota side of the North Shore dispersed camping applies in the Superior National Forest (north-west of the coast), not on Highway 61 and not in state parks. Overnighting in lay-bys and rest areas on the highway is not allowed.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up with fuel and shop in Duluth; after that there are only small towns. Parking for motorhomes is scarce at viewpoints; arrive early at weekends. If you meet fog, adjust your speed; on the winding road wildlife crossings and cyclists are frequent.
2Stage 2: Gooseberry Falls to Temperance River (approx. 70 km)
- The drive
- Continue on Highway 61 via Split Rock Lighthouse, Beaver Bay, Silver Bay and Tettegouche State Park to Temperance River State Park. Two-lane, speed limit 45–60 mph, winding and slightly hilly, with partial views of the lake. Pure driving time is around 1.5 hours, or a whole day with stops. Filling stations and shops in Beaver Bay and Silver Bay.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Split Rock Lighthouse State Park: the lighthouse, built in 1910, stands on a cliff about 40 metres high; tours and the museum are run by the Minnesota Historical Society, so check admission and opening times beforehand. On 10 November the “Beacon Lighting” ceremony commemorating the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald is held.
- Tettegouche State Park: High Falls on the Baptism River, at about 70 ft the highest waterfall entirely within Minnesota; a hiking trail from the car park, about 1.5 to 2 miles there and back. The park also has Shovel Point with a clifftop path.
- Temperance River State Park: a gorge in which the river flows through the rock, Hidden Falls and hiking trails; car park on the highway; the Minnesota state park pass is needed for a park visit.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Split Rock Lighthouse State Park has a cart-in campground (luggage by hand cart; according to older information no electric or motorhome pitches, so clarify the status of the drive-in pitches in advance); Tettegouche State Park has pitches with and without electricity (Baptism River Campground); Temperance River State Park has two campgrounds on either side of the river, so clarify facilities in advance with the DNR. Reserve via the Minnesota DNR Reservation System, and check vehicle lengths and facilities in advance. There are also private campsites on the highway in the area.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Wild camping on Highway 61 is forbidden; in the Superior National Forest north-west of the coast dispersed camping is allowed, but access roads are gravel and partly unsuitable for large vehicles. Restrictions apply during fire bans.
- Insider tip for campers
- Highway 61 is busy in season; use pull-outs and let queues pass. The Superior Hiking Trail (about 300 miles) crosses the road at many points; short sections can be walked as a day hike. Mosquitoes and blackflies are strong in June and July, so take repellent.
3Stage 3: Temperance River to Grand Marais (approx. 40 km)
- The drive
- From Temperance River State Park continue on Highway 61 via Lutsen to Grand Marais. A short stage on a two-lane road, speed limit 45–55 mph, winding, with views of the lake. Driving time is about 45 minutes, or half a day with stops. Filling stations and a supermarket in Grand Marais.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Cascade River State Park: waterfalls over several steps in a narrow gorge; car park on the highway, a short hiking trail to viewpoints.
- Lutsen: a mountain region with a ski and hiking area; in summer a gondola to a view of the lake, so check operation and prices beforehand.
- Grand Marais: a harbour with a lighthouse, fish smokehouses, cafés and the start of the Gunflint Trail. The town is small, and parking for large vehicles at the harbour is partly tight.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Grand Marais Recreation Area (municipal campground on the lake, with and without electricity, dump station, showers; reservation recommended, check status beforehand). Alternatively Cascade River State Park (basic, with toilets) or private sites nearby. Reserve early in summer and autumn.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Dispersed camping in the Superior National Forest is possible in the region, but not directly on the coast; gravel access roads from Grand Marais, often unsuitable for large motorhomes. Maps from the Forest Service ranger station in Grand Marais are helpful.
- Insider tip for campers
- Fill up completely with fuel, buy food and top up with water in Grand Marais before heading onto the Gunflint Trail. In fog and rain the roads are slippery; vehicles should carry levelling ramps, as pitches are often slightly sloping.
4Stage 4: Grand Marais to Gunflint Trail and back (approx. 180 km)
- The drive
- The Gunflint Trail (County Road 12) runs about 57 miles from Grand Marais north-west to its end at Saganaga Lake; about 180 km there and back. Two-lane, speed limit 45–55 mph, with bends, climbs and occasional wildlife crossings; driving time one way about 1.5 hours. Mobile reception is weak in places, and there are filling stations only in Grand Marais and at a few lodges.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Poplar Lake and Flour Lake: lakes with campgrounds and access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW); canoes can be hired locally.
- Honeymoon Bluff: a viewpoint by the road with a view over the lake landscape, a short walk.
- Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center: an information centre at the end of the road on the history and nature of the region; opening times are seasonal, so check beforehand.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Superior National Forest campgrounds on the Gunflint Trail such as Flour Lake, Iron Lake, Poplar Lake and Trails End (a selection; check status beforehand): basic pitches with toilets, mostly without electricity or water; reserve via Recreation.gov, and check vehicle lengths and status before the trip. A permit is required to stay overnight in the BWCAW (wilderness area).
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Dispersed camping in the Superior National Forest is allowed, but not in the BWCAW without a permit and not near water; observe Forest Service regulations. Fire bans are frequent in late summer.
- Insider tip for campers
- Bring fresh water and supplies from Grand Marais. On the Gunflint Trail wildlife crossings with moose and deer are possible in the evening; drive slowly. If you want to paddle into the BWCAW you need a permit (Recreation.gov) and must follow the rules on food storage and waste.
5Stage 5: Grand Marais to Grand Portage (approx. 65 km)
- The drive
- From Grand Marais continue on Highway 61 north-east via Judge C.R. Magney State Park to Grand Portage. Two-lane, speed limit 45–55 mph, with bends and forest sections. Driving time about 1 hour, or half a day to a whole day with stops. Filling station and shops in Grand Marais and Grand Portage.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Judge C.R. Magney State Park: waterfalls of the Brule River in a gorge, including the “Devil’s Kettle” (according to investigations in 2017 the water of the whirlpool flows back into the Brule River); a hiking trail with about 200 steps, approx. 1.1 miles each way.
- Grand Portage State Park: High Falls of the Pigeon River on the Canadian border, at about 120 ft (37 m) the highest waterfall in Minnesota; a short walk from the car park to viewpoints, according to the latest information with no parking fee (check the conditions in advance with the DNR).
- Grand Portage National Monument: a trading post of the North West Company with a reconstructed stockade and heritage centre; opening times are seasonal, so check beforehand.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Judge C.R. Magney State Park has a campground with about 27 pitches, flush toilets and showers (summer only); Grand Portage State Park has no campground. Other options are Grand Portage Campground of the Grand Portage Band (clarify facilities in advance) and sites near Grand Marais. Reservation in the DNR system recommended.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Wild camping at the roadside and at rest areas is forbidden; in the Superior National Forest dispersed camping is allowed. The border with Canada is at the Pigeon River; crossing it requires a valid passport and vehicle documents.
- Insider tip for campers
- For travellers who want to cross into Canada, the Pigeon River (Grand Portage) border crossing is the way to Thunder Bay; check passport, vehicle documents and import rules for food, alcohol and firewood in advance. Do not transport firewood across county lines, to avoid spreading pests.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Minnesota allows dispersed camping in the Superior National Forest (outside the BWCAW, without a permit, usually for up to 14 days in one place, away from water and campgrounds); on the coast, in state parks and at rest areas on Highway 61 overnighting outside designated sites is forbidden.
- Supermarket car parks do not allow overnighting everywhere; ask in the store. Checks and fines by the County Sheriff are possible.
- Wildlife: black bears, wolves and moose occur; store food and waste securely and keep a safe distance from bears. Mosquitoes and blackflies in early summer, ticks in grass and forest.
- Apps and sources: iOverlander, Campendium, The Dyrt; Recreation.gov for national forest campgrounds, the Minnesota DNR Reservation System for state parks, MnDOT 511 for road conditions.
- Fires: fire bans in the Superior National Forest in dry weather; buy firewood locally and do not transport it over long distances. Open fires only in existing rings.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump stations in Duluth, Two Harbors, Gooseberry Falls State Park, Grand Marais Recreation Area and private RV parks; often a fee at filling stations. sanidumps.com lists locations.
- Drinking water in state parks and towns; lake water only with a filter. Bring water for the Gunflint Trail from Grand Marais.
- Do not let grey water run onto the ground; empty chemical toilets only at dump stations.
- Propane in Duluth, Two Harbors and Grand Marais from dealers and filling stations; European gas bottles need an adapter and are usually not refilled.
- Fuel and food: Duluth, Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Grand Marais and Grand Portage have filling stations; on the Gunflint Trail only at a few lodges.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: Highway 61 mostly 55–60 mph, in built-up areas 30–45 mph; vehicles with trailers should keep to the signs. In Minnesota there are no tolls on this route and no low-emission zones.
- State park fees: vehicles in Minnesota state parks need a day or annual pass; check current amounts with the Minnesota DNR. Campsite prices vary, and premium pitches with electricity cost more.
- Dimensions: maximum height 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m) as standard; mind vehicle length on state park pitches.
- Weather and season: summers are mild (15–25 °C) with cool nights, autumn from the end of September with colourful foliage, winter with snow and ice; check road conditions on MnDOT 511. Peak season July to October.
- Emergency: 911; mobile reception is patchy on the Gunflint Trail and in side valleys. Lake swimming: the water is cold even in high summer; do not underestimate currents and waves.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Insect repellent and a head net for June and July, because mosquitoes and blackflies are strong by rivers and lakes.
- Warm layers and a rain jacket: Lake Superior cools the coast, and fog and wind are frequent.
- Binoculars for water birds, moose and wolves; a head torch for hikes to waterfalls.
- Offline maps and a paper map for the Gunflint Trail and the Superior National Forest.
- A bear canister or bear-proof containers for food when staying in the forest and in the BWCAW.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
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