Split Rock Lighthouse above a snowy Lake Superior cliff at dawn.

Great Lakes state

Minnesota

The North Shore and harbor country on Lake Superior.

Photo: MichaelDPhotos · CC BY-SA 4.0

Split Rock Light Station.jpg by MichaelDPhotos · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP; display crops vary.

Meet the coast

About the Minnesota Great Lakes coast

Minnesota's Great Lakes shoreline follows Lake Superior from Duluth toward the Canadian border.

CountryUnited States
Great Lakes shoreline Lake Superior
In this guide7 places to explore

Live · Minnesota

What's going on right now.

Weather, alerts, the water, the sky and local headlines, gathered from official sources as you read.

Gathering the latest conditions…

National Weather Service Environment Canada NOAA buoy observations Aurora forecast

Live data from the U.S. National Weather Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, NOAA's National Data Buoy Center and Space Weather Prediction Center; headlines link to the publishers. Sun and moon times are calculated. Conditions change quickly—check official forecasts before going on the water. Not for navigation.

Highlights

Highway 61, waterfalls and the North Shore's rugged edge.

Split Rock Lighthouse

The North Shore's signature light station and history center.

Explore the place

Gooseberry Falls

Tiered waterfalls a short walk from the highway — busiest in spring melt.

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Duluth's harbor

Watch freighters pass under the Aerial Lift Bridge from Canal Park.

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Plan your time

Settle in, eat well, travel smart.

A taste of the region.

  • Smoked lake trout and herring from North Shore fish houses
  • Wild rice soups and hotdish
  • Berry pies at roadside bakeries

Know before you go.

  • Minnesota state parks require a vehicle permit — buy a day or year-round permit online or at the park.
  • Services thin out north of Grand Marais; keep the tank above half on the drive toward the border.
  • Summer weekends fill North Shore lodging early. Book ahead for July, August and fall color.
Explore Minnesota Minnesota state park permits

Get your bearings

Explore this coast.

Loading the map. The links and itinerary below are always available.

Towns Lighthouses Parks Grouped pins expand when selected.

4 of 7 places mapped. 3 remain in the list without a map pin. Unverified locations and precise shipwreck sites are not plotted. Pins are representative locations, not verified entrances.

Black-and-white basemap by OpenStreetMap. Great Lakes highlighted in color. Hold Ctrl (or Command) while scrolling to zoom. Use two fingers on touch screens.

Lake outlines: Natural Earth (public domain). Town centers: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Not for navigation.

Along the shore

Places to visit in Minnesota.

All places
Coastal town Minnesota · Lake Superior Duluth A working harbor city at the western tip of Lake Superior. Explore place
Photo: Bspor.88 · CC0

Duluth, MN - Aerial Lift Bridge and harbor, aerial, August 2024.jpg by Bspor.88 · CC0. Resized and converted to WebP; display crops vary.

State Park Minnesota · Lake Superior Gooseberry Falls State Park Waterfalls, river trails and a rocky Lake Superior shore on Minnesota's North Shore. Explore place
Photo: Edward Morrissey · CC BY-SA 4.0

Middle Gooseberry Falls, Gooseberry Falls State Park, Minnesota.jpg by Edward Morrissey · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP; display crops vary.

Coastal town Minnesota · Lake Superior Grand Marais An artist's harbor at the meeting of Lake Superior and the Gunflint Trail. Explore place
Photo: Pete Markham from Loretto, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0

North Shore Trip - Beautiful Grand Marais, MN (14969233032).jpg by Pete Markham from Loretto, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized and converted to WebP; display crops vary.

Lighthouse Minnesota · Lake Superior Split Rock Lighthouse An iconic beacon perched above Minnesota's rugged North Shore. Explore place
Photo: MichaelDPhotos · CC BY-SA 4.0

Split Rock Light Station.jpg by MichaelDPhotos · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized and converted to WebP; display crops vary.

State Park Minnesota · Lake Superior Tettegouche State Park Clifftop Lake Superior scenery and forested river country. Explore place
Photo: Desertson67 at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0

Northern MN Spring 2005 099.jpg by Desertson67 at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0. Resized and converted to WebP; display crops vary.

Coastal town Minnesota · Lake Superior Two Harbors Ore docks, a historic lighthouse and a working Lake Superior waterfront. Explore place
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown · Public domain

Two Harbors Minnesota aerial view.jpg by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown · Public domain. Resized and converted to WebP; display crops vary.

Lighthouse Minnesota · Lake Superior Two Harbors Lighthouse A harbor light overlooking Minnesota's historic ore-shipping waterfront. Explore place
Photo: pmarkham · CC BY-SA 2.0

Two Harbors Light Minnesota.jpg by pmarkham · CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized and converted to WebP; display crops vary.