Circle tour planner

Plan a Great Lakes circle tour, day by day.

Choose a lake, how many days you have and where you're starting. We'll split the loop into even days of driving, pick a town for every night and hand the plan to the trip builder for directions, a calendar and a GPS file.

Lake Superior Circle Tour

10 days from Duluth, clockwise.

Total driving25 h 50 min
Distance1,296 mi (2,085 km)
Stops28
Longest dayDay 2, 3 h 25 min

This loop crosses the U.S.–Canada border. Everyone needs a passport, passport card or NEXUS card, and border waits can add an hour on summer weekends.

Open in the trip builder Read our Lake Superior Circle Tour guide Lake Superior Circle Tour

  1. Day 1

    Duluth to Grand Portage

    2 h 45 min driving147 mi (237 km)

    1. 01

      32 min · 27 mi (44 km) from Duluth

      Two Harbors MN
    2. 02

      15 min · 13 mi (21 km) from Two Harbors

      Gooseberry Falls State Park MN · Park & beach
    3. 03

      9 min · 7.1 mi (11 km) from Gooseberry Falls State Park

      Split Rock Lighthouse MN · Lighthouse
    4. 04

      17 min · 13 mi (21 km) from Split Rock Lighthouse

      Tettegouche State Park MN · Park & beach
    5. 05

      55 min · 51 mi (82 km) from Tettegouche State Park

      Grand Marais MN
    6. 06

      37 min · 35 mi (57 km) from Grand Marais

      Grand Portage MN
    Directions in Google Maps Overnight in or near Grand Portage

  2. Day 2

    Grand Portage to Nipigon

    3 h 25 min driving162 mi (260 km)

    1. 07

      48 min · 45 mi (72 km) from Grand Portage

      Thunder Bay ON
    2. 08

      1 h 19 min · 55 mi (89 km) from Thunder Bay

      Sleeping Giant Provincial Park ON · Park & beach
    3. 09

      1 h 19 min · 62 mi (100 km) from Sleeping Giant Provincial Park

      Nipigon ON
    Directions in Google Maps Overnight in or near Nipigon

  3. Day 3

    Nipigon to Marathon

    2 h 15 min driving117 mi (188 km)

    1. 10

      1 h 15 min · 66 mi (106 km) from Nipigon

      Terrace Bay ON
    2. 11

      59 min · 51 mi (82 km) from Terrace Bay

      Marathon ON
    Directions in Google Maps Overnight in or near Marathon

  4. Day 4

    Marathon to Wawa

    2 h 15 min driving117 mi (189 km)

    1. 12

      2 h 15 min · 117 mi (189 km) from Marathon

      Wawa ON
    Directions in Google Maps Overnight in or near Wawa

  5. Day 5

    Wawa to Sault Ste. Marie

    2 h 50 min driving146 mi (235 km)

    1. 13

      1 h 2 min · 55 mi (89 km) from Wawa

      Lake Superior Provincial Park ON · Park & beach
    2. 14

      1 h 38 min · 86 mi (139 km) from Lake Superior Provincial Park

      Sault Ste. Marie ON
    3. 15

      8 min · 4.3 mi (7 km) from Sault Ste. Marie

      Sault Ste. Marie MI
    Directions in Google Maps Overnight in or near Sault Ste. Marie

  6. Day 6

    Sault Ste. Marie to Grand Marais

    3 h driving146 mi (235 km)

    1. 16

      1 h · 62 mi (100 km) from Sault Ste. Marie

      Paradise MI
    2. 17

      17 min · 11 mi (18 km) from Paradise

      Whitefish Point Light Station MI · Lighthouse
    3. 18

      1 h 45 min · 73 mi (117 km) from Whitefish Point Light Station

      Grand Marais MI
    Directions in Google Maps Overnight in or near Grand Marais

  7. Day 7

    Grand Marais to Marquette

    2 h 20 min driving103 mi (165 km)

    1. 19

      1 h 14 min · 49 mi (79 km) from Grand Marais

      Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore MI · Park & beach
    2. 20

      20 min · 11 mi (17 km) from Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

      Munising MI
    3. 21

      45 min · 43 mi (69 km) from Munising

      Marquette MI
    Directions in Google Maps Overnight in or near Marquette

  8. Day 8

    Marquette to Ontonagon

    2 h 50 min driving146 mi (236 km)

    1. 22

      1 h 48 min · 95 mi (153 km) from Marquette

      Houghton MI
    2. 23

      1 h · 52 mi (83 km) from Houghton

      Ontonagon MI
    Directions in Google Maps Overnight in or near Ontonagon

  9. Day 9

    Ontonagon to Ashland

    1 h 53 min driving101 mi (163 km)

    1. 24

      1 h 6 min · 63 mi (101 km) from Ontonagon

      Ironwood MI
    2. 25

      47 min · 38 mi (62 km) from Ironwood

      Ashland WI
    Directions in Google Maps Overnight in or near Ashland

  10. Day 10

    Ashland to Duluth

    2 h 20 min driving111 mi (178 km)

    1. 26

      32 min · 23 mi (37 km) from Ashland

      Bayfield WI
    2. 27

      1 min · 0.2 mi (0 km) from Bayfield

      Apostle Islands National Lakeshore WI · Park & beach

      The islands are reached by cruise, water taxi or kayak from Bayfield; the Meyers Beach sea caves are about 40 minutes west by road.

    3. 28

      1 h 40 min · 81 mi (131 km) from Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

      Superior WI

    Back to Duluth: 9 min · 6.2 mi (10 km)

    Directions in Google Maps

Your loop

The circle tour on the map.

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

Lines join stops in visiting order; they are not roads. Use the Google Maps links for turn-by-turn directions.

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.

All five loops

The Great Lakes circle tours at a glance.

Distances and driving time for the full loop from each tour's usual starting city, stopping at every town, lighthouse and park on our route.

Circle tourStarts inDistanceDrivingRelaxedBrisk
Lake Superior Circle Tour Duluth, MN 1,296 mi (2,085 km) 25 h 50 min 10 days 6 days
Lake Michigan Circle Tour Chicago, IL 1,103 mi (1,776 km) 22 h 40 min 8 days 5 days
Lake Huron Circle Tour Port Huron, MI 1,178 mi (1,895 km) 24 h 45 min 8 days 5 days
Lake Erie Circle Tour Buffalo, NY 723 mi (1,163 km) 15 h 5 min 5 days 3 days
Lake Ontario Circle Tour Toronto, ON 617 mi (993 km) 12 h 35 min 5 days 3 days

Good to know

Circle tour questions.

What is a Great Lakes circle tour?
Each of the five Great Lakes has a signed scenic route that loops all the way around its shore, crossing state and provincial lines (Lake Ontario's is the Seaway Trail in New York and the Waterfront Trail in Ontario). Following one is a classic North American road trip, with lighthouses, beaches, harbor towns and big-water views the whole way.
How long does the Lake Superior Circle Tour take?
Our route around Lake Superior covers about 1,296 mi (2,085 km) and 25 h 50 min of driving, before any stops. At a relaxed pace of no more than 3½ hours a day it takes 10 days; with up to 6 hours a day you can do it in 6. Bring a passport: about half the loop is in Ontario.
How many days do you need for the Lake Michigan Circle Tour?
Allow 5 to 8 days. The loop through Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana is about 1,103 mi (1,776 km) with 22 h 40 min of driving. Cut a day or two by taking the S.S. Badger or Lake Express ferry across the lake.
Which way should I drive a circle tour?
Clockwise keeps the lake on your right, which in the U.S. and Canada puts you in the lane next to the water and makes it easier to pull off at viewpoints. Counterclockwise works just as well if it suits your starting point or the weather.
How does the planner choose overnight stops?
It walks the loop in order and splits it into the number of days you choose so the daily driving is as even as possible, always ending each day in a town with places to stay. Lighthouses, parks and waterfalls along the way are included as stops unless you choose towns only.

Drive times and distances: OSRM routing over OpenStreetMap data (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), calibrated to typical travel times. Times are estimates for planning, not navigation. Check road, border and ferry conditions before you travel.

More planning tools: trip builder, ferry or drive calculator, northern lights forecast, water temperatures and the ship watcher.