Minnesota’s North Shore is one of the Midwest’s greatest features. Stunning forests and waterfalls meet the grandeur of Lake Superior to create a slice of paradise. I spent three days exploring many of the parks and trails that the Shore has to offer. Prior to this trip I had never traveled solo, and to be honest, I was pretty nervous about the experience. Visiting Minnesota’s North Shore turned into one of my favorite memories of the year.
In addition to my first taste of solo travel, this was also my first time exploring in a camper van! Vanna Adventure Vans is a custom camper van builder and rental company out of Fargo-Moorhead. Their rental service is a great way to experience #vanlife without the commitment of owning your own.
This post contains a brief summary of my 3-day adventure in addition to a comprehensive itinerary. I suggest using this information as a starting point and modifying the trip as you see fit!
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Visiting Minnesota’s North Shore
A Summary
Before leaving on my adventure I committed to a three day itinerary and made a list of spots I wanted to see along the North Shore. After marking each point on Google My Maps (one of my favorite resources!) I identified the most logical place to stay each night and booked my campsites. The first night I stayed at Jay Cooke State Park Campground, traveling up the North Shore I stayed at Black Beach Municipal Campground the second night, and the final night I spent in Cascade River State Park.
Day 1
My adventure began on a Thursday after work. I left at about 3pm and headed to Vanna to pick up my rig. It’s just over four hours from Moorhead to Jay Cooke State Park, so I spent the evening driving and checking into my first campsite. Jay Cooke State Park is stunning and the campground is no exception. My site was simple and secluded. I loved that I could pull the van into the site, crawl into the back and hit the hay.
Day 2
After waking up in Jay Cooke State Park I started my busy day by hitting the trails. Jay Cooke is home to a beautiful swinging bridge and sandstone/slate rock formations that make for a fun hike with stunning scenery. After heading back to the site and packing up the few things I had unpacked the night before we drove into Duluth. A walk around Canal Park was fueled by a cold brew from Duluth Coffee Co. and we were back on the road. New Scenic Cafe was on the menu for lunch; the burrata was delicious and fueled my adventure-filled afternoon.
Gooseberry Falls State Park was next on my list. I love the bang-for-your buck that you get with the falls being so close to the parking lot. The falls are stunning and what I consider a must-stop on the North Shore. Our last stop for the day was Palisade Head; this is a great spot to get jaw dropping views of Lake Superior. Black Beach Municipal Campground is only 5 minutes from Palisade Head which was nice seeing as we were tired from the events of the day.
Day 3
My last full day on the North Shore was a dream. I woke up early and hit the Superior Hiking Trail to check out Bean and Bear Lake overlook. The 7.8 mile (out and back) trek was SO worth the views. After the hike both Brutus and I were exhausted. We crawled into the back of the van, turned on the fans, and took a three hour rest/nap/snack break to prepare for the afternoon. This was my first time visiting Tettegouche State Park. Tettegouche is home to many waterfalls, the most iconic of which is High Falls. Unfortunately, the bridge above had been washed out due to the flooding this spring, so we opted to visit Two Step Falls and Baptism Beach which did not disappoint.
Cascade River State Park was the final destination on our itinerary and another new-to me park. Similar to Gooseberry Falls many of the waterfalls are near the campground and parking lot providing big pay off for little effort. I stayed the night at the campsite and got up early to hike around the park. After getting my fill of stunning waterfalls, I hopped back into my van to begin the drive back to Fargo-Moorhead.
Although I was nervous for my first solo trip and van-venture, I found the experience to be liberating. It was fun to travel solo and I felt safe with the company of my dog and the security features of the Vanna Adventure Van. Minnesota’s North Shore has many incredible spots; I encourage you to explore it!
Visiting Minnesota’s North Shore
My Itinerary
Visiting Minnesota’s North Shore: Thursday
Drive to Jay Cooke State Park
TRAVEL: Fargo-Moorhead to Jay Cooke State Park (4 Hours, 18 minutes)
Jay Cooke State Park Campground: 780 MN-210, Carlton, MN 55718
Check into Jay Cooke State Park Campground by 10pm
Visiting Minnesota’s North Shore: Friday
Explore Jay Cooke State Park, Canal Park, Gooseberry Falls State Park, Palisade Head and Black Beach
*NOTE: The itinerary for Friday is NUTS. If you’re crazy like me (and stick to the itinerary), you can fit all of these items in, but I encourage you to prioritize things and modify as needed!
Friday Morning
8:00am– Wake Up, Breakfast, get ready, pack up
9:00am– Jay Cooke State Park
10:00am– Leave for Duluth
TRAVEL: Jay Cooke Campground to Canal Park, Duluth (30 minutes)
10:45am– Grab Coffee/snack from Duluth Coffee Company
Duluth Coffee Company: 105 E Superior St, Duluth, MN 55802
11:15am– Explore Canal Park (Check out Lift Bridge/Lighthouse)
Canal Park Lighthouse Parking Lot: 500 Canal Park Dr, Duluth, MN 55802
Friday Afternoon
12:15pm– Leave for New Scenic Cafe
TRAVEL: Canal Park to New Scenic Cafe (30 minutes)
12:45pm– Enjoy Lunch at New Scenic Cafe
New Scenic Cafe: 5461 N Shore Dr, Duluth, MN 55804
1:30pm– Leave for Castle Danger Brewing
TRAVEL: New Scenic Cafe to Castle Danger Brewing (30 minutes)
2:00pm– Pick up beer at Castle Danger
Castle Danger Brewing: 17 7th St, Two Harbors, MN 55616
2:10pm– Leave for Betty’s Pies
TRAVEL: Castle Danger Brewery to Betty’s Pies (10 minutes)
2:30pm– Pie at Betty’s Pies
Betty’s Pies: 2019, 1633 MN-61, Two Harbors, MN 55616
3:00pm– Leave for Gooseberry Falls State Park
TRAVEL: Betty’s Pies to Gooseberry Falls State Park (15 minutes)
3:30pm– Explore Gooseberry Falls State Park
Gooseberry Falls State Park: 3206 MN-61, Two Harbors, MN 55616
4:30pm– Leave for Palisade Head
Check out my post- Minnesota State Parks: Gooseberry Falls, for more information on this incredible State Park!
TRAVEL: Gooseberry Falls to Palisade Head (20 minutes)
5:00pm– Explore Palisade Head
Palisade Head: 5358 Farver Ln, Silver Bay, MN 55614
5:30pm– Leave for Black Beach Municipal Campground
TRAVEL: Palisade Head to Black Beach Municipal Campground (5 minutes)
5:45pm– Check in to campsite at Black Beach Municipal Campground
Black Beach Municipal Campground: 200 W Lakeview Dr, Silver Bay, MN 55614
Set up camp/rest/hangout
6:45pm– Camp supper
8:00pm– Walk down to and explore Black Beach
9:00pm– Campfire and relax
*NOTE: You can spend MUCH more time at these State Parks than 1-2 hours. I encourage you to prioritize your wishlist and modify the itinerary accordingly!
Visiting Minnesota’s North Shore: Saturday
Hike to Bean and Bear Lake, Explore Tettegouche State Park, Drive to Cascade River State Park
8:00am– Wake up, Breakfast, get ready, pack up
Pack Hiking Bag
9:00am– Leave for Bean and Bear Lake (Twin Lakes Trail)
TRAVEL: Black Beach Municipal Campground to Silver Bay Trailhead (15 Minutes)
9:30am– Begin Hike at Silver Bay Trailhead
Superior Hiking Trail: Superior Hiking Trail, Silver Bay, MN 55614
1:30pm– Arrive Back to Vehicle after Bean and Bear (wait for soul to come back to body)
2:15pm– Leave for Tettegouche
TRAVEL: Silver Bay Trailhead to Tettegouche State Park (10 minutes)
2:30pm– Explore Tettegouche State Park
Tettegouche State Park: 5702 MN-61, Silver Bay, MN 55614
4:30pm– Leave for Cascade Falls State Park
TRAVEL: Tettegouche State Park to Cascade River State Park (50 minutes)
5:30pm– Check into Campsite at Cascade Falls Campground
6:00pm– Eat supper, sit by fire, relax.
Visiting Minnesota’s North Shore: Sunday
Explore Cascade River State Park, Drive Home
8:00am– Wake up, breakfast, get ready, pack up
9:00am– Explore Cascade River State Park
11:00am– Leave for Fargo-Moorhead
TRAVEL: Cascade River State Park to Fargo-Moorhead (6 hours, 15 minutes)
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