Scenic Touring

In the greater Grand Marais area just about every road is a scenic drive. In September, look to the ridgelines for the sensational maples, blazing red and orange. Along the Lake Superior shore and in the forest, the birch, tamarack and pine provide a rich palette of golds and greens into October.

Grand Marais/Gunflint Trail/Cook County Map         Lutsen-Tofte-Schroeder Map

• Start at County Road 4 (Caribou Trail), just off Hwy 61 north of Lutsen. Pass Caribou Lake, go left on Forest Road 164 (Honeymoon Trail), left again on County Road 2 (Sawbill Trail) and return to Highway 61. Other routes begin on County Road 7 or up the Gunflint Trail in Grand Marais, or the Arrowhead Trail in Hovland.
• The Gunflint Trail (County Road 12, paved, about 58 miles) is rewarding year-round. The Trail is a National Scenic Byway, and it’s the inland route from Grand Marais that takes you to the lakes bordering Canada. Pass by the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness as you travel through the Superior National Forest, with several opportunities to stretch your legs on a hiking trail. Travel at dusk and you may spot a moose.
• Drive northeast on Highway 61, the North Shore Scenic Drive. The view becomes more dramatic approaching the Canadian border. (It’s just 40 miles from Grand Marais to the border. The drive is perfect for a morning or afternoon.) Stop at Judge Magney State Park to hike and observe the mystery of the waterfall at Devil’s Kettle. The overlooks at Mount Rose and Mount Josephine in Grand Portage provide a stunning panorama of Lake Superior, Isle Royale and the Susie Islands. Some say this is the best section of the entire Lake Superior Circle Tour.

Consider scenic touring from the air! “Skydan” Anderson of Anderson Aero departs from the Cook County Airport, just 8 miles from town. He’ll take you past the pounding waves at the shore, over the Sawtooth Mountains, and past several points of interest. It’s a unique way to capture the beauty and remoteness of Cook County and see many forms of wildlife. Visit Anderson Aero
or call 218-370-0645 or 218-387-1687.

For additional information, call the Cook County Visitors Bureau Information Center:
1-888-922-5000 or 218-387-2524