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Grand Northwoods & Great Lakes Loop

21days
63stops
3537km

The route

Tap a day or a town

You sleep in Bemidji · International Falls · Ely · Grand Marais · Tofte · Silver Bay · Duluth · Bayfield · Washburn · Marenisco · Houghton · Eagle Harbor · Marquette · Munising · Escanaba · Green Bay · Sturgeon Bay · Sister Bay · Madison · Minneapolis — start in Park Rapids, end in Longville.

DAY01

Itasca → Bemidji

45 km · 38m driving · Overnight in Bemidji Paul Bunyan Statue
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Itasca· start
  2. 0.1 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Mississippi Headwaters
  4. 45 km · 28m
  5. 15:00
    Bemidji Paul Bunyan Statue· overnight
DAY02

Voyageurs National Park → Rainy Lake

263 km · 2h 46m driving · Overnight in Rainy Lake
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Voyageurs National Park· start
  2. 38 km · 24m
  3. 12:00
    Kabetogama Lake
  4. 23 km · 14m
  5. 15:00
    Rainy Lake· overnight
DAY03

International Wolf Center → Boundary Waters Canoe Area

206 km · 2h 16m driving · Overnight in Boundary Waters Canoe Area
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ International Wolf Center· start
  2. 5.5 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    North American Bear Center
  4. 51 km · 32m
  5. 15:00
    Boundary Waters Canoe Area· overnight
DAY04

Grand Marais → Gunflint Trail

98 km · 1h 20m driving · Overnight in Gunflint Trail
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Grand Marais Harbor· start
  2. 0.8 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Artist's Point
  4. 1.7 km · 10m
  5. 15:00
    Gunflint Trail· overnight
DAY05

Cascade River → Tofte

53 km · 34m driving · Overnight in Tofte Pier
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Cascade River· start
  2. 19 km · 12m
  3. 12:00
    Lutsen Mountains
  4. 17 km · 11m
  5. 15:00
    Tofte Pier· overnight
DAY06

Split Rock Lighthouse → Palisade Head

116 km · 1h 14m driving · Overnight in Palisade Head
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Split Rock Lighthouse· start
  2. 13 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Gooseberry Falls
  4. 34 km · 21m
  5. 15:00
    Palisade Head· overnight
DAY07

Canal Park → Glensheen Mansion

115 km · 1h 28m driving · Overnight in Glensheen Mansion
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Canal Park· start
  2. 0.7 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Aerial Lift Bridge
  4. 6.4 km · 10m
  5. 15:00
    Glensheen Mansion· overnight
DAY08

Apostle Islands National Lake… → Meyers Beach

152 km · 1h 36m driving · Overnight in Meyers Beach
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Apostle Islands National Lakeshore· start
  2. 20 km · 13m
  3. 12:00
    Bayfield Maritime Museum
  4. 24 km · 15m
  5. 15:00
    Meyers Beach· overnight
DAY09

Madeline Island → Washburn

65 km · 48m driving · Overnight in Washburn Lakefront
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Madeline Island· start
  2. 3.7 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Big Bay
  4. 27 km · 17m
  5. 15:00
    Washburn Lakefront· overnight
DAY10

Porcupine Mountains Wilderness → Presque Isle River Waterfalls

141 km · 1h 32m driving · Overnight in Presque Isle River Waterfalls
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Porcupine Mountains Wilderness· start
  2. 12 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Lake of the Clouds
  4. 30 km · 19m
  5. 15:00
    Presque Isle River Waterfalls· overnight
DAY11

Quincy Mine → Portage Lake Lift Bridge

143 km · 1h 47m driving · Overnight in Portage Lake Lift Bridge
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Quincy Mine· start
  2. 3 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Michigan Technological University
  4. 1.9 km · 10m
  5. 15:00
    Portage Lake Lift Bridge· overnight
DAY12

Brockway Mountain Drive → Eagle Harbor

106 km · 1h 15m driving · Overnight in Eagle Harbor Lighthouse
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Brockway Mountain Drive· start
  2. 3.8 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Fort Wilkins Historic
  4. 26 km · 17m
  5. 15:00
    Eagle Harbor Lighthouse· overnight
DAY13

Presque Isle Park → Lakenenland Sculpture Park

163 km · 1h 50m driving · Overnight in Lakenenland Sculpture Park
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Presque Isle Park· start
  2. 5.1 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Marquette Harbor Lighthouse
  4. 22 km · 14m
  5. 15:00
    Lakenenland Sculpture Park· overnight
DAY14

Pictured Rocks National Lakes… → Munising

114 km · 1h 14m driving · Overnight in Munising Falls
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore· start
  2. 24 km · 15m
  3. 12:00
    Miners Castle Rock
  4. 12 km · 10m
  5. 15:00
    Munising Falls· overnight
DAY15

Kitch-iti-kipi Spring → Ludington Park

214 km · 2h 15m driving · Overnight in Ludington Park
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Kitch-iti-kipi Spring· start
  2. 45 km · 28m
  3. 12:00
    Seul Choix Point Lighthouse
  4. 109 km · 1h 9m
  5. 15:00
    Ludington Park· overnight
DAY16

Lambeau Field → Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary

203 km · 2h 20m driving · Overnight in Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Lambeau Field· start
  2. 2.9 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    National Railroad Museum
  4. 9.1 km · 10m
  5. 15:00
    Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary· overnight
DAY17

Peninsula → Sturgeon Bay

162 km · 1h 48m driving · Overnight in Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Peninsula· start
  2. 5.5 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Eagle Bluff Lighthouse
  4. 50 km · 31m
  5. 15:00
    Sturgeon Bay Ship Canal· overnight
DAY18

Cave Point County Park → Sister Bay

61 km · 39m driving · Overnight in Sister Bay Waterfront Park
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Cave Point County Park· start
  2. 24 km · 15m
  3. 12:00
    Cana Island Lighthouse
  4. 15 km · 10m
  5. 15:00
    Sister Bay Waterfront Park· overnight
DAY19

Olbrich Botanical Gardens → Memorial Union Terrace

358 km · 4h 2m driving · Overnight in Memorial Union Terrace
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Olbrich Botanical Gardens· start
  2. 5.1 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Wisconsin State Capitol
  4. 1.5 km · 10m
  5. 15:00
    Memorial Union Terrace· overnight
DAY20

Minnehaha Falls → Chain of Lakes Regional Park

482 km · 5h 8m driving · long drive · Overnight in Chain of Lakes Regional Park
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Minnehaha Falls· start
  2. 10 km · 10m
  3. 12:00
    Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
  4. 31 km · 20m
  5. 15:00
    Chain of Lakes Regional Park· overnight
DAY21

Paul Bunyan Land → Longville

277 km · 2h 55m driving
  1. 09:00
    ⭐ Paul Bunyan Land· start
  2. 33 km · 21m
  3. 12:00
    Nisswa Main Street
  4. 63 km · 40m
  5. 15:00
    Longville Turtle Races Site
Heads Up
  • Day 20: 5h 8m driving — plan rest stops