Minnesota's North Shore Scenic Drive, Duluth, MN

Minnesota is known for its beauty, lakes, and coastal region on Lake Superior. Visitors to Minnesota and more specifically Duluth may want to take advantage of Minnesota's North Shore Scenic Drive. The scenic byway begins in Duluth running from Canal Park to the north. Along the parkway is unspoiled land with sweeping shorelines and the world's largest freshwater lake. Many tourists find the magnificent cliffs to be the highlight of their drive due to the amazing splendor of water, cliff, and grassland available to see. It is certainly one of the more picturesque drives through North America.

Beaches and the Sawtooth Mountains are also along the scenic drive where rivers and streams will make their way alongside the asphalt highway at certain points before lakes make their appearance again. North Shore provides some communities with homes, historic museums, shopping, dining, lodging, and plenty of culture. Luckily, for those who wish to stop often for the views and entertainment there will be plenty of opportunity. At the end of North Shore Scenic Drive is Grand Portage.

The drive is 154 miles of coastline and Minnesota wilds. Along the path visitors should stop to gain more knowledge about the history of the North Shore. For example it is thought that 10,000 years ago the first people arrived on the North Shore. The Native Americans entered the region when Wisconsin began to thaw from the glaciers formed during the Ice Age. By 1620 the first Europeans made their way from the east coast to begin fur trading, and by 1780 the St. Louis River and Grand Portage were important fur trading posts.

Eventually life turned away from fur trading to logging, railroads, and other industrial requirements. When taking the North Shore Scenic Drive visitors should plan to be driving for the entire day. In fact a stay in Grand Portage at a local Bed and Breakfast is warranted to see all of the places of interest along the way. Cities that run through the byway include Castle Danger and Taconite Harbor.

Visitors traveling the road should take into consideration the weather. Even in summer the northern sections of the road can be quite cool. A light jacket is most often required. In winter the road can be very difficult to drive with heavy snowfall. For this reason travelers may wish to go from late spring to early autumn.

In autumn the beauty of Minnesota's North Shore Scenic Drive will alter greatly from summer. In summer one can expect lush greenery amid the cliffs and waterfalls. However, in autumn the leaves turn to gold, orange, and red replacing much of the green with a picturesque landscape.

Recreation along the way will be plentiful for those who might want to stay at different places along the scenic byway. The North Shore offers camping, biking, skiing, snowmobiling, canoeing, and fishing. There are also a couple of places where lighthouses sit atop the cliffs looking out over Lake Superior. These houses can be toured.