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North Shore of Lake Superior
Minnesota


	Click here for a topographical map of this area.

INDULGE IN: Sea kayaking, mountain biking, rock climbing, fishing

WHY HERE? Just a short meander from the lakeside trailhead inside Tettegouche State Park are 13 campsites perched on a series of smooth granite bluffs, some 50 feet above Lake Superior and backed by the rolling Sawtooth Mountains. While taking in the stunning ocean-size views is certainly a worthwhile pursuit, you¹ll hardly have time. After all, two of Minnesota¹s top climbing crags‹180-foot Shovel Point and 300-foot Palisade Head‹stand within a mile on either side of camp. Rappel down from the bluffs and, secure above Superior¹s lapping waters, you¹ll find over 50 quality routes‹from the classic 5.6 Great Yawn to Arm¹s Race, a relic of the Cold War rated at 5.11c/d. Other enticements include a daylong paddling excursion (launch from right below your campsite) into the sea caves that line the coast, a hike through the Sawtooth Mountains¹ northern hardwood forests via the 235-mile-long Superior Hiking Trail. And nearby Lutsen Mountain (about 30 miles north on Minnesota 61) offers over 50 miles of lift-served, white-knuckle singletrack.


	Next Time Try

	Mark Twain National Forest: Missouri

		WHY HERE? In April, while the rest of the Midwest thaws, roses and dogwoods are bursting along the White River. Set up camp at the North Fork Campground along the river¹s limestone bluffs ($8 a night). Just downstream, anglers can stalk wary brown and rainbow trout, and placid Class I and II whitewater will entice beginner paddlers. The 35-mile-long singletrack Ridge Runner Trail slices along the Ozarks¹ rocky cliffs and beneath towering oak and hickory stands; hikers can walk a mile and a half to a bike-free trail network inside the 6,595-acre Devil¹s Backbone Wilderness Area. RESOURCES: Mark Twain National Forest, 417-469-3155

BONUS: For a deluxe dessert, stop at Betty¹s Pies (877-269-7494, www.bettyspies.com), a 30-minute drive south on Minnesota 61, and stock up on her famous lemon angel pies.

ACCESS: Stop in at the Tettegouche State Park office, 58 miles north of Duluth on Minnesota 61, pick up the wheelbarrow you reserved to haul your gear (yes, wheelbarrow), and proceed to the trailhead. From there, it¹s a one-quarter-to three-quarter-mile cart-in to the bluff sites.

RESOURCES: Tettegouche State Park, 218-226-6365. For tent-site reservations ($12 a night), call 800-246-2267 and specify the cart-in campground.