Last updated August 3, 2026
Highway 61 is the trip. One hundred and fifty miles of two-lane road pinned between the Sawtooth Mountains and the biggest lake on earth, from Duluth's lift bridge to the Canadian border, with the lodge sitting a little past halfway up. Most of this site's guides cover one stop in depth. This one puts them in order, the way you'll actually meet them through the windshield, so you can build a driving day in either direction without missing something you'd have loved.
Two rules of the road first: distances up here are longer than they look, so pick a stretch rather than attempting the whole shore in a day, and the wildlife is real, so drive the dusk hours with moose eyes on.
South of the lodge, nearest first
The stops between Lutsen and Duluth
Temperance River (about 20–25 min) — the river funnels through a slot gorge right beside the road; the shortest big-payoff stop on the shore. Covered in waterfalls.
Tofte (about 10–12 min) — the North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum and the Sawtooth outfitting stop; see supplies.
Father Baraga's Cross, Schroeder — just off 61 where the Cross River meets the lake: a granite cross marking the missionary's 1846 landfall, a quiet cove, and one of the shore's calmer rock-picking spots.
Sugarloaf Cove, milepost 73 — a one-mile interpretive loop over 1.1-billion-year-old lava flows to a cobblestone cove; a nature center runs programs monthly and in summer. The cobbles stay where they are; the site's agate guide explains where collecting is and isn't allowed.
George H. Crosby Manitou State Park — the detour for the group that wants the shore with nobody on it: inland via Highway 1 at Finland, then about eight miles of county road. Minnesota's most primitive state park, hike-in only, with roughly 24 miles of demanding trails along one of the deepest river gorges on the shore and a walk-in picnic area for day visitors. Rough footing throughout; this is boots country, not sandals.
Tettegouche and Palisade Head (about 45 min) — High Falls of the Baptism, Shovel Point, and the cliff-top at Palisade Head. Covered in waterfalls and day trips south.
Silver Bay, Gooseberry, Split Rock, Two Harbors, Duluth (roughly 50 min to 1 hr 45) — the classic southbound day, including Silver Bay's black-sand taconite beach if the group likes an odd photograph. Sequenced in full in day trips south.
North of the lodge, nearest first
The stops between Lutsen and the border
Cascade River (about 15–20 min) — falls a short walk from the pullout; the closest waterfall to the house.
Grand Marais (about 20–25 min) — the harbor town: Artist's Point, the galleries, the food. It has a guide of its own.
The Gunflint Trail turnoff (about 25 min) — 57 inland miles into the edge of the Boundary Waters, a full half-day of its own; see the Gunflint Trail guide.
Devil's Kettle and Naniboujou (about 35–40 min) — the disappearing waterfall at Judge C.R. Magney State Park and the painted dining room across the road. Both in day trips north.
Grand Portage (roughly 1 hr+) — the National Monument, High Falls, Mount Josephine, the Isle Royale ferries, and the border itself. All sequenced in day trips north.
How to use the road
Pick one direction per day and let the lake set the pace. Southbound days are waterfall days; northbound days end wilder. The ready-made itineraries already sequence the best of both, and the seasons guide tells you what's open when you're here. Fuel up in Tofte or Grand Marais before long stretches, and remember that cell coverage thins between towns.
Common questions
How long is the North Shore scenic drive?
About 150 miles from Duluth to the Canadian border at Grand Portage, all on Highway 61 along Lake Superior. From Nordhus Lodge, a little past the halfway point, Duluth is about 1 hour 45 minutes south and the border roughly an hour and a quarter north, so the full shore is best split into a southbound day and a northbound day.
What are the best stops on Highway 61 near Lutsen?
Closest to the lodge: the Cascade River falls (15–20 minutes), Grand Marais (20–25 minutes), Temperance River (20–25 minutes), and Tofte's fishing museum (10–12 minutes). Within an hour in either direction you add Tettegouche, Palisade Head, Devil's Kettle, and the Gunflint Trail turnoff.
What is Sugarloaf Cove?
A small nature preserve at milepost 73 near Schroeder with a one-mile interpretive loop across 1.1-billion-year-old lava flows to a cobblestone cove on Lake Superior. Its nature center offers programs monthly and additional ones in summer. It is one of the shore's quietest short stops.
What is George H. Crosby Manitou State Park like?
It is Minnesota's most primitive state park: hike-in only, with about 24 miles of rugged trails along the Manitou River gorge and no drive-up facilities beyond the trailhead area and a walk-in picnic ground. Reach it inland via Highway 1 at Finland, then about eight miles of county road. Footing is rocky and rooty, so treat it as a proper hike, not a scenic stop.
Is Highway 61 open and worth driving in winter?
Yes, it is a plowed, year-round highway and the winter drive along the ice-fringed shore is its own reward. Watch for ice, give snowplows room, and expect fewer open stops between towns; the site's winter guide and quiet season guide cover what stays open.