Detour #137: Lake Superior Circle Tour, USA-Canada
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A lap of the world’s largest freshwater lake will always make for an epic road trip, says Peter Carriveau.
Lake Superior is a natural marvel that holds ten per cent of the world’s surface freshwater. Spanning the border between Canada and the USA where it dips into three states, it is home to clear waters, sandy beaches, shipwrecks, and many other awesome features that you can discover on the 1,300-mile Lake Superior Circle Tour.
The northern forests that surround the lake are worth the drive alone. We went in Fall and the colours were brilliant. Expect vibrant oranges, yellows, and reds, mixed with the ever present green of pine trees. Many of the highways on the route are rustic two-lane blacktop through what seems like never ending forests.
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The main route follows US-2 through northern Wisconsin, US-41 in Michigan, Canadian Highways 11, 17, 61, and Minnesota Highway 61 to circumnavigate Superior, but you are by no means restricted to these main highways as there are many spurs that will take you on a range of adventures.
Waterfalls surround the entire lake. At Black River Harbor we got an up-close look at Rainbow Falls before heading down to the beach. There were also three other waterfalls in that area alone! Kakabeca Falls on the Ontario side of the tour is an impressive 120-feet tall and the second largest waterfall in Ontario. Tahquamenon Falls in Michigan offers a picturesque stop as well.
If you’ve got the time, a glass bottom boat tour is a great way to see the wrecks without scuba gear. Looking at shipwrecks in a ship may seem counterintuitive, but it is neat to be able to see the wrecks due to the clear, cool water they rest in. The Apostle Island National Lakeshore off the coast of Wisconsin is a great place to take such a tour.
Walk any Lake Superior beach and you will see agate hunters roaming about. The beautiful and expansive sand and pebble beaches are filled with them. It takes a discerning eye, but with enough patience most folks are able to find an agate or fossil. There are miles of sandy beaches along the coast of the lake, allowing you to distance yourself from other folks as well. Little Girl’s Point in Michigan is a notable beach for agate hunting.
The lake is close to where I live, so we are able to take day trips to the beaches. Before one such trip I made some chicken dumpling soup and baked up some fresh bread. After walking and enjoying the beach, we settled down on a blanket with a single burner butane stove and had homemade soup and bread on the beach as the sun set. The dark skies over the lake are free of light pollution and perfect for a night of star gazing or, as we did, to seek even rarer treasures known as Yooperlites.
Photo Lucas Ludwig / Unsplash
These are stones with sodalite inside of them and when shone upon with the proper UV light, they glow orange. Hunting for these treasures on the shores of Lake Superior at night also gives you one of the best views of the stars you can hope for. With no light pollution over the lake, the pitch black sky allows them to really shimmer.
As we move towards a sustainable future, the Great Lakes states (Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ohio) have announced an initiative to start a massive buildup of electric vehicle charging stations to decarbonize your travels. Pair this with the opportunity to stay at the many campsites and small towns that border the lake and you’ve got the makings of a great road trip long into the future.
Words Peter Carriveau