Ride the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway

This fall, we invite you to discover the Iron Range Loop ride. You’ll travel from the heart of the Range near Eveleth and Virginia, MN, to the North Shore of Lake Superior, up to Ely and back to Virginia. For motorcycle riders who wish to avoid traffic backups and explore a piece of American mining history against a scenic backdrop, this is the ride for you. Encompassing all 78 miles of the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway, a bit of the famed North Shore Scenic Drive, this ride offers woods, wilderness and a look at our nation’s industrial past and future.

Read on for the ideal itinerary for your trip.

Getting to, and Staying On, the Range

Minnesota’s Iron Range is approximately three hours from the Twin Cities via Interstate 35 to Cloquet. From there, take Hwy 33 to Hwy 53 and continue north. We recommend lodging in the Virginia or Eveleth area: Comfort Inn & Suites, Quality Inn, AmericInn and Super8 offer familiar settings at award-winning properties. Area motels that provide a welcome respite with secure parking and reasonable rates include PineView Inn and  LakeShor Motor Inn, both in Virginia, and the Koke’s Motel in Eveleth.

Day One: Travel, Take a Look Around, And Settle In

After you arrive on the Range, and before you settle in for the night, consider a stop at the US Hockey Hall of Fame Museum in Eveleth. Located on Hwy 53 it’s a great place to learn about our hockey heritage and see some of the great moments of the sport. After Labor Day they are open Friday-Sunday. Admission is just $8 for adults.

Virginia was once the lumber capital of the state; you can learn more about the city’s past at the Virginia Heritage Museum, open Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Since you’re here, we can’t say enough about Canelake’s Candies in Virginia. So many choices and so much fun to look around. This is a great place to get not only sweet treats of any variety, but to pick up a souvenir or two. Now, for places for a meal! Dinner should be BoomTown in Eveleth or the Sawmill in Virginia.

Day Two: A Great Day for A Byway

Travel east to the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway, which begins in Aurora. If your lodging property doesn’t provide breakfast, Megan’s Family Restaurant or The Hive, both in Aurora, or Vaughn’s Restaurant in Hoyt Lakes are great places to start the day.

Settle in a for smooth ride toward the North Shore of Lake Superior. There’s plenty to see on this route, but not many places to stop for gas, so be sure to gas up in Hoyt Lakes! Skibo Vista is your first stop, where you’ll see sweeping views of the countryside from the site of an old fire tower. Interpretive signage tells the history of the region. There is a primitive privy there.

The next stop is Toimi School, built by immigrant farmers in the early part of the last century to serve rural farmers in this region. The schoolteacher lived onsite at this one-classroom school.

From here, enjoy the scenery all the way to Beaver Bay, a small hamlet that is the oldest community along the Shore.

Then, it’s a short jaunt north up the Shore to Ilgen City and your connection to Hwy 1. If you care to go just a bit south first, you can visit the famed Split Rock Lighthouse. There are also hiking trails to explore at Tettegouche State Park (trailhead in Beaver Bay).

Once on Hwy 1, you’ll be back in the land of woods and water, passing through the small towns of Finland and Isabella and back into the Superior National Forest. As you enter Ely, you’ll see the International Wolf Center, a great place to learn about this storied animal and even see the onsite pack.

Also in Ely, plenty of shopping, dining and the Dorothy Molter “Root Beer Lady” Museum. On your way out of town on Hwy 169, stop into the North American Bear Center  to view black bears and learn about their lives in the northwoods.

Back to Home Base

From Ely, you’ll travel to Tower and then head south on Hwy 135 for a pine tree-lined drive to Embarrass, then south back to the Aurora area. Find a place to eat, like the Burnt Onion Kitchen and Brews at Giants Ridge Resort,

Other great options include The Whistling Bird or Wandering Pines, both in Gilbert.

A 240-ton truck is on display at Hull Rust Mine View in Hibbing

Day Three: Make the Most of your Iron Range Experience

Before heading home, a visit to Hull Rust Mahoning Mine View in Hibbing is a must. A short gravel road takes you to the top of a pile of “overburden” (waste rock piles created in the mining process). From here, witness active taconite mining in an open pit alive with 240-ton production trucks and massive shovels. Iron ore and it’s lower-grade cousin taconite have been mined here for more than140 years. The taconite mined here is crushed and the magnetic ore is separated from the waste rock, combined with a clay substance and rolled into pellets. From there, the pellets are fired and transported by train to the ore docks of Duluth. They are then shipped to steel plants and used in domestic steel production.

Iron Rangers are proud to have helped supply the nation with steel for over a century!

If you are a Bob Dylan fan, plan to tour his childhood home in Hibbing.

Come Back Soon!

We hope you enjoy this great itinerary that is perfect for scenic tours and motorcycle cruises. If you’d like more information to plan your getaway, we’d love to help you out! Request brochures, including a Superior National Forest Scenic Byway map, and call us any time for planning assistance: 218-749-8161.