Superior National Forest- Fall 2022

Growing up in the Midwest I have had the privilege of being close to the largest freshwater system in the world, The Great Lakes. I typically spend my time in Lake Erie, but this time around I wanted to go to the edge of the Great Lakes to experience Lake Superior. Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes and one of the largest lakes in the world. It has a maximum depth of 1,332 feet, and the largest wave recorded in the lake was a staggering 29 feet! For this adventure I ventured into the Superior National Forest in Northeast Minnesota.

Camping

During this adventure I camped at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. My first night I hiked the trail for just under two miles before making it to my campsite. My site was close to the shore and contained a private beach access spot. This site would have been great for paddling in, or hiking from the trail. At the site there was a fire pit with a grate, and a slightly bear proof storage box(I would recommend bringing a bear safe canister like BearVault to store food, just to be extra safe).

The night at camp was a cold 32 degrees, which is much cooler than I am accustomed to in early October. Fortunately I came prepared with my 0 degree sleeping bag, and I was nice and toasty. The campsite had surprisingly good reception, and I was able to zoom into my class that morning. Afterwards I broke down camp, then filled my water filter up in the refreshing(and surprisingly tasty) waters of Lake Superior with my water filter.

Hiking

I hiked a few miles on the trail and had the goal of making it to the lighthouse by midday. To get there I hiked a few miles on the Little Two Harbors Trail, and made a few stops along the shore to soak in the views. Pebble Beach was a great spot to stop and enjoy terrific views of the lighthouse, the split rocks, and the fall foliage. This beach was once home to a small fishing village in the early 20th century. On a clear day you can still see remnants of the old dock underwater!

The only remaining aspects of the fishing village that I saw were a few old building foundations at the edge of the woods. Lake Superior is much different than Lake Erie, especially the beaches! Lake Erie’s beaches are typically always sand or dirt, while much of Lake Superior crashes into rocky shores. Water crashes into jagged rock formations that line the shore, and smooth stones cover the beaches. Not only was the shore very picturesque, it was also a very tranquil atmosphere.

Split Rock Lighthouse

After thoroughly enjoying my time on the coast, I continued my hike, and made it to the lighthouse. I was very happy to find out that the lighthouse was still open for tours in October. Prior to entering the lighthouse I purchased tickets at the visitors center, and watched a film about the lighthouse. Split Rock Lighthouse was built in 1909 and operated until 1969, and is the most photographed site in Minnesota.

Tettegouche State Park

Following my visit to the lighthouse, I drove 15 miles north to visit Tettegouche State Park, for a hike and a trail run. This park is where the Baptism River flows into Lake Superior. There are numerous cascades, and a variety of hiking trails. The Superior Hiking Trail runs through this park as well. I enjoyed a challenging yet rewarding trail run here. For this run I used my ASICS running shoes, which kept my legs feeling fresh and stabilized on the uneven trail. The highlights of this run were the views of the cascades, and of the mouth of the river. If you are looking for another hike, take the bean and bear lake loop which connects Tettegouche to the rest of the Superior Hiking Trail.