Cities

Your Summer Circle Tour: Duluth to the Iron Range

For many, exploring Minnesota’s northland means an annual trip to Duluth. But there’s a great way to take in even more of the beauty, history and magic of northern Minnesota: the Duluth-to-Iron Range Circle Tour. A 56-mile drive northeast of Duluth on Hwy 61, through Two Harbors, leads to Silver Bay and the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway. We recommend taking your time to explore the Byway, with an overnight stay in the Biwabik area (or along the way). Read on for suggestions!

The Superior National Forest Scenic Byway is Serene

As you travel this 55-mile route to the Iron Range, there are several places worth stopping along the way. This is a remote region: you won’t find much traffic, but if you pack snacks and settle in for a leisurely drive, you’ll find interesting sites as you head west. You may even see a moose, wolf, or one of our famous Great Gray Owls.

The White Pine Interpretive Trail is just outside of Silver Bay and not far off the Byway. In the Superior National Forest, this short walking trail provides information about the white pine life cycle and commercial uses. Access it by turning north on Hwy 2.

Sullivan and Cadotte Lakes are accessible from the Byway and provide USDA Forest Service campsites, beaches and picnic areas. If you are traveling with a canoe or kayak, these lakes, along with the St Louis River at Norway Point, are great bodies of water to explore.

History Lives on at Toimi School on the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway

As you travel west, you’ll pass the Toimi School, a “century school” built in 1913-1914 for the children of Finnish immigrants living in the region. Located in the township of Brimson, the Toimi School is a rest stop with vault toilets and drinking water, open May-October. On Saturdays in the summer the school is open for tours.

Skibo Vista is a Must-Stop on the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway

Just outside of Hoyt Lakes along the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway is an overlook known as Skibo Vista. The pronunciation by locals is both Sky-Bo and Ski-Bo. This small community is your entry point to the Iron Range. Hoyt Lakes is known for its outstanding campground and beach, Fisherman’s Point on Whitewater Lake, raucous summer festival, the Hoyt Lakes Water Carnival, and many ATV trail access points. It’s also the site of the historic, if somewhat obscure, Longyear Drill Site.

In Aurora, Grab a Bite and Take a Hike

Just a few miles down the road from Hoyt Lakes is Aurora, the official first city on the west end/beginning of the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway. This is a great stop for lunch at the A&W, The Copper Nickel, The Hive, Megan’s, or Rudy’s. You’ll find homemade fare at each one, with a bakery at the Hive. After a bite, make your way to the Mesabi Trail trailhead on Third Avenue North in Aurora for a three-mile walk on paved trail around the former St James Mine, now a reclaimed lake with great views.

Make Time for Biwabik, Home of Giants Ridge and Honk the Moose

Stop at the Bavarian-themed community of Biwibik, just five miles west of Aurora, now on Hwy 135. Home to Giants Ridge Recreation Area and the storybook character Honk the Moose, Biwabik offers numerous lodging options and camping at Vermilion Trail Campground. Giants Ridge offers golf on its acclaimed courses, The Legend and The Quarry, not to mention hiking, disc golf and lift-served gravity mountain bike trails on the ski hill. Resort lodging, great in-town vacation rentals, and restaurants including Vi’s Pizza, the Wacootah Grill and Neighbor’s BBQ. Stop at Pine Grove Gallery on Biwabik’s main street to browse delightful northwoods collectibles and gifts, open Monday-Saturday.

Gilbert is the Last City in the Superior National Forest Byway Corridor

Gilbert is located just a few miles from Hwy 53, which will complete your circle tour and bring you back to I-35 via Cloquet for those going south, or all the way back into Duluth. But before you leave, consider riding the paved Mesabi Trail. Gilbert is a great starting-out place, with a scenic ride into Virginia and across the state’s tallest bridge, towering 200 feet above a former mine pit. Once in Virginia, visit Canelakes’ Candies for the best chocolates, ice cream, old-fashioned sodas and hospitality in the North. Or, drive to Mesabi Recreation in Virginia and backtrack to Gilbert on bikes or ebikes rented there. In nearby Eveleth, the US Hockey Hall of Fame Museum is worth a stop, even if you don’t like hockey!

Two Rural bike riders