.jpg){kind=link}
Canal Park and Aerial Lift Bridge
Duluth, MN
A waterfront district on Lake Superior where ore freighters squeeze through the canal beneath the Aerial Lift Bridge. Walk the pier to the lighthouse and check the ship arrival schedule so you catch a big vessel passing.
The Aerial Lift Bridge spans the Duluth Ship Canal, which was dug through Minnesota Point in 1870-71. It opened in 1905 as the first transporter bridge in the United States, with a gondola carrying 350 people plus vehicles. Between 1929 and 1930 it was rebuilt as a vertical-lift bridge. The span is about 390 feet (120 m), and the roadway is raised 135 feet (41 m) in about a minute. The bridge has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1973 and was named a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark in 2017.
It is raised about 5,000 times a year, and ships greet it with horn signals. On November 10 there is a special salute for the SS Edmund Fitzgerald and her crew. Allow two to three hours for Canal Park, and check the freighter arrival schedule beforehand if you want to see a big ship.
- Nearest town
- Duluth, MN
- Category
- History & culture
- GPS
- 46.7867, -92.0927
- Editor's pick
- ★
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually June and September. Still fine, with some compromises, in May and July–August. Cold, short days in November–March. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Nearby
© Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States · CC BY 2.0Jay Cooke State Park
© Tony Webster from San Francisco, California · CC BY-SA 2.0Gooseberry Falls State Park
© Sharon Mollerus · CC BY 2.0Split Rock Lighthouse
© NPS Photo · Public domainApostle Islands sea caves
Campsites nearby
- Red Pine CampgroundMotorhome stopover13 mi from Canal Park and Aerial Lift BridgeMotorhomes
- Ash Ridge Backpack CampsiteCampsite16 mi from Canal Park and Aerial Lift BridgeTentsToilets
- Jay Cooke State ParkCampsite16 mi from Canal Park and Aerial Lift Bridge · 113 pitchesElectricityDrinking waterShowersWaste disposal
- Spafford CampgroundCampsite18 mi from Canal Park and Aerial Lift Bridge · 25 pitchesElectricityDrinking waterWaste disposal
- Knife River CampgroundCampsite18 mi from Canal Park and Aerial Lift BridgeTentsCaravans
- Penmarallter CampgroundCampsite22 mi from Canal Park and Aerial Lift Bridge · 24 pitchesTentsElectricityShowersWaste disposal
All campsites in Minnesota · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Canal Park and Aerial Lift Bridge?
Canal Park and Aerial Lift Bridge is in Duluth, MN, at GPS 46.7867, -92.0927. It is about 26 mi from Two Harbors.
Can you camp near Canal Park and Aerial Lift Bridge?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Bagley Campground, about 3 mi away; within 25 mi there are 25 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
What is there to see near Canal Park and Aerial Lift Bridge?
Places worth a stop nearby: Jay Cooke State Park (16 mi), Gooseberry Falls State Park (38 mi), Split Rock Lighthouse (45 mi) and Apostle Islands sea caves (54 mi).
When is the best time to visit Canal Park and Aerial Lift Bridge?
The most pleasant months are usually June and September. Still fine, with some compromises, in May and July–August. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)