Next month my wife and me are going to do the circle tour of lake Superior how many of you have done this tour best places to stop we live in MN so have been on the North Shore of MN many times but never been to Canada or Michigan, been to Bayfield Wis. Any thoughts would be great thanks

 

I haven't done that ride since '86, but it's a good one. The provincial parks had good camping, and the "coastal" highway was great with lots of nice views. I rode through the Soo to Nipigon a few years ago and saw a lot more bear and moose than I had before, so watch out for them. I'll have to get a passport to do that ride again. I think I got the best currency exchange rate by using my credit card for everything.

 

I went to College at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, which is right on Lake Superior, it's a beautiful area. If you get the chance slip over to Munising and see the Picture Rocks. Lived up there in the early 90's and it's truly a beautiful area, you should enjoy your adventure.

 

If you swing in to Marquette, MI make sure to hit Blackrocks brewery. Also, Presque Isle National Park - you can do it in 30 minutes, or stay and cliff jump into Lake Superior - it's amazing!

 

I did the ride last year. The scenery is great. You'll Need passports to enter Canada. Also, make sure your bike insurance is effective outside the U.S.

 

I can give you some pointers for the Canadian side. I would recommend that you do the route clockwise around the lake so you're on the lake side of the road. I've driven the Canadian side hundreds of times (used to be a trucker) and you get the best views from that side.
If you like waterfalls make sure that you stop and see High Falls at the Pigeon River. Park at the Ontario Information booth on the Canadian side and it's a short hike/walk to the falls. Kakabeka Falls (known as the Niagara of the North) is also a great stop; it's about 20 miles west of Thunder Bay. There's a great provincial park there if you're camping. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakabeka_Falls. If you're into history and would like to know more of the fur trade era and some Canadian history, a must stop in Thunder Bay is Old Fort William. http://www.fwhp.ca/ In my opinion it is a better stop than the fort at Grand Portage. On the east side of Thunder Bay, stop and see the Terry Fox monument. Terry Fox is a national hero in Canada.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_fox . The memorial is in a beautiful setting looking out over the city and Lake Superior. Going further east is Ouimet Canyon and Eagle Canyon. Great views as well as a suspension bridge that you can cross the span of the canyon. A good place to stay, though it is out of the city, is the Eldorado Beach B&B. http://www.bbcanada.com/3619.html. In my youth I used to live a couple of miles from here.

East of Nipigon is where you'll get into the beautiful views and vistas of Lake Superior. It gets quite hilly and the country is very rugged but the road (Hwy 17) is in good shape. Rossport is a small village about 100 miles east of Thunder Bay. Gourgeous setting and if you decide to stay for a night there's a few really good bed and breakfasts there. I highly recommend the Island Shores B&B. http://www.bbcanada.com/10755.html. Just down the highway a little further is Terrace Bay. If you love Italian food you have to stop at Drifters. I was so surprised that a restaruant in this little town would have such good Italian food but a friend of mine cousin owns the place and he told me to go there. Just like Momma's! The same people own the motel, was recently renovated and is quite good as well. There's also a great waterfall here AguasabonFalls.

Once you pass Marathon (make sure that you gas up here) the road takes you away from the lake for a good stretch until you get to Wawa. Keep an eye out for moose! This stretch of road is somewhat notorious for them and for the cagers stopping to take photos of them. The highway between Wawa and Sault St Marie is awesome! I never got tired of this drive going in either direction. You'll see why. Oh yah, in Wawa stop and see the Big Goose, just off the highway. Midway between Wawa and The Soo is The Canadian Carver, a good place to stop and stretch your legs. A good motorcycle motel at Batchawana Bay is the Voyageur's Lodge and Cookhouse.

From here you're then into The Soo and crossing back to the US. I'll let others who're more familiar with that side give their take. A couple of good references to check out are http://www.lakesuperiorcircletour.info/ and http://ridelakesuperior.com/

Have a great safe trip and take lots of photos.

Cheers,
Bones

 

If you get a chance please post the route you take or other maybe can post roads to take, wife and I have talked about doing this either this fall or next year.

Sounds like one of them rides your glad you took, have fun.

Starting in Duluth I'd think??

Al

 

Yea we will start in Duluth been there many times we are hoping to get passports in time applying tomarow the 8th for July leaving on the 4th of August we were planing on sturgis but everyone backed out on us been there many times too so decided to try the circle tour. Hope to get passports in time if not we will ride to the UP of MI. Never been there either we will have fun either way. Would like to see copper harbor picture rocks and the mighty Mac.

 

I can only speak to a portion of the riding along Lake Superior. I am not quite home yet from a U.P. trip. You will really enjoy H58 from Grand Marias to Munising, MI. A great road with views and forests and little traffic. NICE!

Also, while in the munising area, find Miners Beach. It is about 5 miles of H58 - it is free and has white sand beach, crystal clear water, and views of the Painted rocks. Did I mention it was free?

 

Coming through the Soo, stop and check out the locks and the shipping activity there. From the Soo I would head for Whitefish Point with a stop at the Iriquois lighthouse on the way. From Whitefish Point Taquamenon Falls is close and well worth a visit at both the upper and lower falls. Heading west, Grand Marais and H58 as mentioned to Munising. At Grand Marais the Lake Superior Brewing company has good food and some good micro brews. I liked teh Agate Ale there but it's been a few years since I was there. Beyond Marquette make the trip to the tip of the Keeweenaw peninsula and up to Copper Harbor. Go up on 41 and follow the lake out on M 26. While at Copper Harbor take a run up Brockway Mountain. There are several restaurants and motels and a state park (Fort Wilkins) with camp ground at Copper Harbor, There was a German restaurant called the Harbor Haus that we liked.

A few miles west of Copper harbor you will see a gold domed builing on the lake side and just past it a little store on the left called the Jam Pot. A bunch of Monks run a monastery and have a bakery and make jams and fruitcakes there. From there I would stay on M-26 and head for the Porcupine Mountains and the signature spot the Lake of the Clouds. From there it highway time down to Ironwood. At Ironwood you can head north and follow the shore of the lake over to Saxon Harbor. just before Saxon Harbor is Montreal Falls and worth the stop there. From Saxon Harbor you get back out to US 2 and follow that back to Ashland. Have a great trip!