North Shore Minnesota Articles

It seems almost impossible that some people reading this have never been to Minnesota’s “North Shore,” and yet, sad experience tells me this is true. Living in the Twin Cities and never visiting the North Shore is like living in Rapid City and never seeing Mount Rushmore; or living in Baltimore and never going to DC; or living in Denver and never spending any time in the mountains. People do it, I’m sure, but why?

Minnesota’s North Shore is arguably the most spectacular stretch of natural beauty to be found for six hundred miles in any direction. Lake Superior in and of itself is one of the natural wonders of the world. It is the planet’s largest freshwater lake by surface area and the third-largest by volume. Almost ten percent of all of the static fresh water in the world lies up there, just beyond Duluth. It is also the cleanest of the Great Lakes, with an average visibility of twenty-seven feet, equal to or better than the Gulf of Mexico, and rivaling some of the top Caribbean destinations. 

We know what you’re thinking. Of course it is colder than the Gulf of Mexico. It’s also closer, cleaner and more pristine. And while Lake Superior is not a premier swimming destination, it is an incredible location for all kinds of water sports, ranging from kayaking, pleasure cruising, sailing, deep-water game fishing, scuba diving and more. And it is not that you can’t swim in Superior.  It’s just that the Scandinavian blood needs to flow thick and strong in you if you want to enjoy staying in the water without a wet suit for very long.

One of the more popular water sports consists of simply finding a beautiful spot on dry land and staring at the Lake. The sheer size of Superior makes Minnesota’s North Shore much more like an ocean coastline than a typical lake shore. Once you get north of Two Harbors and start to leave the narrow inland end of the lake behind, even on the clearest of days you will see only the blue horizon when you look out to sea.

On land, the rugged terrain is virtually unique in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The North shore boasts most of the only true mountains in Minnesota (to be a mountain, a rising point of land must be at least 1000 feet). Numerous streams and rivers flow from the hills and mountains down into the Lake. Running as they do over hard stone, most of these waters erupt frequently in spectacular cascades and waterfalls. Cliff-encircled bays, rocky beaches and stony islets are so frequent as to defy description.

The North shore runs roughly 160 miles from Duluth to the Canadian border. Recently a number of businesses in Lutsen and Tofte have begun to call the area from Tofte up to the Canadian Border, “America’s North Coast.”  The point they are making, which is softly put, but well taken, is that if you confine your vi

sit to that small strip between Duluth and Two Harbors, you really have only seen about thirty miles of an area that stretches more than five times that length.

Highway 61 is the main artery of the Minnesota Coast, and along this road are eight State Parks and four State Waysides. In other words, on average, every thirteen miles you will encounter a beautiful park set aside for the enjoyment of the lake Superior Coastline. This does not include State and National Forests, of which there are several.

Running parallel to the coastline, back in the hills and mountains, is the Superior Hiking Trail. The SHT has been designated as one of the ten best hiking trails in the lower 48 states.  It takes you through tall pines, past quiet inland lakes, and up to windswept rocks overlooking the endless blue carpet called Superior.

One of the great things about the North Shore is that it really doesn’t matter what time of year you go. In the fall, the colors are brilliant; in winter, the snow is deep and powdery; in spring, the streams rush with life, and maybe even a few steelhead; and in summer the cool lake takes the bite from the hot days, and the water is so blue you think maybe you are looking down at the sky.

Lodging is not an issue on the North Shore. Although much of the coast is wild, pristine and undeveloped, you can find a place to stay almost any time of year. Four star hotels and resorts are dotted up and down the shore. Condos and town homes also have their place. Numerous resort cabins are available, as well as privately owned vacation homes managed by reputable companies. And there are a number of campgrounds in the state parks, state forests and national forests.

One of the great joys of the North Shore is discovery.  Most of the towns are small and the chain stores and restaurants are not as ubiquitous as they are further south.  So you can discover a new eclectic restaurant or coffee house, or discover a specialized art gallery or learning center like that of the North House Folk School. You might discover a spectacular view, or even that nirvana – a new fishing hole.

If you take only one vacation in Minnesota in your lifetime, it simply must be to the North Shore. On the other hand if you are a veteran of the Superior coast you already know all this. However, you might consider that now is a good time to invest some of your future into this beautiful and oft-forgotten north coast.

“This was a spectacular event,” says Johnson. “The idea is to introduce people to America’s North Coast, and make them aware of the unique opportunities there right now.”

The conference was laid on by a group of North Coast businesses, led by developer/broker Mike Larson. Apparently, although there are no free lunches, breakfasts and other things can still be had. The participants stayed  free for the weekend. Johnson reports he was in a cabin on Lutsen Mountain, overlooking the lake. And he was given free breakfast each day. Johnson mentions that the food was fabulous at Lutsen Resort and he enjoyed watching the wind whip the lake up into a spectacular show of water crashing into stone.

Let’s be honest – of course Mike Larson and his associates would like you to invest in the North Coast. The whole idea of the conference is to attract potential buyers. However, Johnson says that this was completely different from any sort of time-share presentation or other high-pressure sales event. “They left the doors open the entire time,” he says. “You could walk out of there whenever you wanted. There was no back room or upper floor or ‘let’s talk to my manager.’ It was just a very well done informational presentation. No one was putting pressure on you.”

Larson concurs. “This was about educating people on what the North Coast has to offer. We’re hearing about doom and gloom elsewhere in the country. But we want people to be able to come up here and actually see that on the North Coast, particularly with respect to real estate, things are good.”

The speakers were entertaining, factual and compelling. Johnson himself, as a real estate professional, was asked to speak. George and Patti Nelson, the founders of Lutsen resort were a part of the event, as was the current owner Scott Harrison. In addition to Mike Larson, Tom Dwyer, a local building contractor and Steve Surbaugh owner of Cascade Vacation Rentals, Mike Lavign, the President of Grand Marais State Bank also spoke. A smaller, local bank, Grand Marais State has avoided all the trouble that recently plagued the bigger players in the economy. In fact, they are still actively seeking to make real estate loans, and to do so at reasonable rates.

The real estate market on the North Coast has held its value, and will likely continue to do so, since only 8% of the land in all of Cook County is available for development. And as Neil Johnson points out, land/lot values nearly everywhere have performed better than the stock market over the past ten years. The fact is, the North Coast real estate market has simply not been affected much by the recently turmoil in the economy.

“It is a beautiful setting for some beautiful property, and for good, encouraging information,” says Johnson. “I highly recommend it to anyone seriously interested in the North Shore.” Larson has plans to repeat the event in the spring. Look for an announcement in March, right here with Lakeshore Dreams.com.

Mike Larson can hear the sound of stress draining away from a person. It's not that he's a psychic.  It's just that, after twenty years on Minnesota’s North Shore, he has a keen eye for the signs. "They walk up to the check-in desk, and it’s like I can see the world lifting off their shoulders," says the Lutsen-based real estate broker. "They get here and look around, and you can see the light come on.  They know they can really decompress here."

"Here" could be any one of a number of different rental units near Lake Superior in Cook County, an area that is now being called "America's North Coast." Larson’s lodging company, Lutsen Lodging, manages various properties, ranging from privately-owned cabins to company-owned resort units. One of the unique things about Lutsen Lodging, however, is the check in.

"A lot of places leave a key in a lock box, or have some other remote check in procedure," says Larson. "But we feel it is important to greet people face to face, and give them a chance to ask questions. We give them the experience of ‘checking in’ to the entire area." Larson and his employees, like to find out what newcomers are looking for, and then to make recommendations based on their personal knowledge of the North Coast. So whether you are staying in Lutsen Lodging's own Mountain Inn, or in a remote rental cabin on an inland lake, you can expect a friendly welcome, and useful information suited to the purpose of your visit to the area. This is the way Larson does business: friendly, knowledgeable and personal; and this is the way he'll continue to do it.

Lutsen Lodging is a win-win proposition for everyone involved.  For owners who want to make a bit of income when their private vacation homes are vacant, Larson and his associates offer a turn key approach to property management. Lutsen Lodging handles check in/check out, cleaning, payment and any other issues which might arise. They do the same thing for several Homeowner Associations which have quite a number of properties to look after. And of course, they do it for their own Mountain Inn at Lutsen. For the person who wants to vacation on the North Coast, what could be simpler than funneling dozens of possible lodging options through one personable broker? If you are looking for a an inland lake or Lake Superior cabin, a resort town home or a vacation rental right on the Superior National Golf Course at Lutsen, you can begin your journey by checking in with Larson at the Mountain Inn.

Talking to Larson, you can tell he really enjoys  helping people find just the right place to relax. "We have a few properties without televisions," he says. "These rent really well to families.  They find having no TV helps them reconnect. It’s a different experience."

Minnesota’s North Coast will never become what used to be called a “tourist trap.” Over the past few months at Lakeshore Dreams, we have reviewed several different areas that contain large amounts of publicly preserved land. But none can match Cook County, which takes the grand prize. Ninety-two percent of the land in the county belongs to the public. Only eight percent is available for development, and of that, not all will be developed, for various reasons. Combine that with its stunning setting on Lake Superior’s rugged coast, and Larson is right:  this place is different.

Make no mistake, there is plenty to do on the North Coast.  It’s just that they don’t need “manufactured” activities like water parks or go-cart tracks and things like that. “A lot folks  come here and just sit, relax, decompress, reconnect with what is important in life, says Larson. For the more athletically inclined of course, there is hiking, kayaking, fishing, golfing, cross country skiing and the best downhill ski resort between the Rockies and the Appalachians.

Larson is proud of the area’s slow and careful approach to development.  In fact, he has been a part of it. Way back in the 1880s, the family of George Nelson came to the Lutsen area and over time acquired various land tracts. Although there were many more lucrative options, subsequent generations of the family held on to it. In 1988, they donated 350 acres of the land to the people of Cook County, expressly to be developed into a first class golf course. The use of this acreage has become known as the Heritage Development; serving as reference to his family’s Heritage and legacy.

“The Nelsons recognized the special qualities of this area,” he says. “And so we developed it in harmony with the surroundings. In addition, we made the development complement the natural beauty here.” Nestled against the Sawtooth mountains with Lake Superior always in the background, the Superior National Golf course at Lutsen is indeed special. The course boasts three sets of nine holes, each reflecting the terrain it is built around. And so they have the River Nine, the Canyon Nine and the Mountain Nine.

Part of the development includes 39 home sites on the course. Although these sit on lots of less than an acre, careful planning – including a state-of-the-art community septic system – and the wise use of common areas, creates a spacious feel around each home. The parcels range from $130,000 on up. Seven homes are built and three new lot owners plan to build soon, with one new home currently under construction. Over half the development is sold in spite of a general real estate market that is slower than it used to be. “This speaks to the strength and integrity of this project” says Larson.

Larson and his partner Steve Surbaugh also own the Lutsen Real Estate Group. They are proud of their professional expertise in helping those who want to invest in the North Coast for the long term – either by moving there, or through a vacation home. One project Larson is excited about, is Heritage Town Homes – a small development of multi-family units located on a hillside within the Heritage Development.  In addition, he is pleased about the two new single family homes within the development recently completed and available for sale.

The Heritage Town homes are top of the line units, but they will not be overdone. Tall Timber Partners, LLC (a Superior, Wisconsin based company) is constructing just seven units in three different buildings. “The developers  could have stacked them high,” says Larson, “But they didn’t. Tall Timber Partners  have done this tastefully, and in a way that complements our beautiful area.”

The first building, containing three town homes, is already complete. The center unit is a large two bedroom home. At 2000+ square feet, it is slightly larger than its neighbors; and with two great-rooms, it is ideal for entertaining. The two flanking units are 1700+ square feet with three bedrooms each. All three units have decks with views of Lake Superior.  In fact the view from all directions is fabulous. The Sawtooth mountains, Lutsen Ski area and Lake Superior can all be seen from the units.

All of the Heritage Town Homes are appointed with top of the line fittings and trim: stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops, flat panel televisions, customized cabinetry, fireplaces, in-floor radiant heat, upscale bathrooms and so much more. They all come fully and tastefully furnished.  Photos and virtual tours are accessible at www.lutsenrealestategroup.com.

Lutsen Real Estate Group is offering both full and quarter-share ownership in Heritage Town Homes. The quarter-share option should not be confused with typical time share scenarios. A quarter-share buyer actually owns a quarter of the property, and gets a deed, along with three other owners.

One of the things Lutsen Real Estate Group is most proud of, is their involvement with the community. “We aren’t here to make a quick buck and get out,” says Larson. If actions mean anything, he’s right. Both Surbaugh and Larson are raising their families on the North Coast. They both volunteer their time and serve on a number of community boards, as do some of the Realtors who work for them. They believe in the North Coast, and they put that belief into making their community a better place. And that is what drives their philosophy of both sales and development.  As it says in the latest issue of their company newsletter, they are “in tune with and deeply vested in the broader social, political and economic landscape of Cook County.” In their view, when you invest in Cook County, you are investing in a timeless piece of heritage, and building the beginning of a legacy for your family. Lutsen Real Estate Group is uniquely positioned in their community to help people do just that, and they have decades of experience making it happen.

It is because of this commitment and experience, that when someone makes a purchase with the assistance of Lutsen Real Estate Group, they know it is right for all involved. If you, are one of those blessed to be in that group, maybe next time you check-in to your very own Heritage Town Home, you just might hear the sound of yourself decompressing as the weight of the world comes off your shoulders.

For more info on Lutsen Real Estate Group please call (218) 663-7750 or visit www.LutsenRealEstateGroup.com

Drahosh Northwoods—Long Lake—Grand Marais, MN—Map

Drahosh Northwoods, a planned development will be 48 lots on 146 acres on the east side of Long Lake in Crow Wing County. A total of 20 of those lots will be fronting the lake. The EAW was approved by the board and an EIS was not declared by the board.

Lake Acreage: 3,856
Ave. Depth: 438 ft
Max Depth: 109 ft
Fish: Walleye, Northern pike, Blue gill, Largemouth Bass

Drahosh Northwoods—Long Lake—Grand Marais, MN—Map

Crow Wing County Planning and Zoning recommended approval for this development on Feb 22nd, 2007.

Drahosh Northwoods, a planned development will be 50 lots on 146 acres on the east side of Long Lake in Crow Wing County. A total of 20 of those lots will be fronting the lake. Action has been delayed because of an impending EAW evaluation.

Lake Acreage: 3,856
Max Depth: 109 ft
Fish: Walleye, Northern pike, Blue gill, Largemouth Bass

Surfside Resort—Lake Superior—Grand Marais, MN—Map

Cook County Planning and Zoning recommended approval for this development on Feb. 21^st, 2007.

A conditional use permit was recommended for a planned unit development at the former Surfside Resort in Cook County . The development will feature a maximum of 26 town homes with ¼ shore units. The upper half of one unit will be a single family dwelling while the lower units will be rented out as one bedroom suites.

The development will have a total of 650 ft of shoreline with six units along side Lake Superior

Lake Acreage: 3,856
Ave. Depth: 438 ft
Max Depth: 109 ft
Fish: Walleye, Northern pike, Blue gill, Largemouth Bass

Mike Larson has been a driving force behind the development of the tourism, lodging and the real estate industry in the Lutsen and overall Cook County areas. In his 20 career, he has accomplished much for his community, spear heading some major developments and serving on some very influential boards and committees.

In 1992, Mike built the Mountain Inn at Lutsen - a contemporary 30 Room Inn located at Lutsen Mountains. Afterwards, Mike started the Lutsen Lodging Company, a full service property and rental management company, and the Lutsen Real Estate Group, a full service Real Estate Agency. Now he and his team of dedicated agents serve Cook County helping clients find the dream home that they've always wanted.

LakeshoreDreams.com had a few moments to chat with Mike about his work and the area he serves.

LD: What would you consider to be the biggest draw to your area?

Larson: Lutsen and the surrounding county lies within a true wilderness setting. 92% of the land up here is owned by the government, ensuring that the wilderness does indeed, stay wilderness. Without the threat of development, the beauty of the woods and lakes will be around for many generations to come. And that's what people come up here for. To experience, to be a part of the up north experience.

LD: What kinds of developments or properties are you working with?

Larson: There are pockets of developments cropping up here and there, mainly small private homes and cabins, but nothing huge in the works. Besides we only have 8% of the surrounding land available for private development, there are no public amenities run to those areas. You can't plan a big project if you can't run electricity and water out to it. So, single family homes and cabins are what we see the most of out here.

LD: What do you consider is the greatest obligation an agent has to his or her client?

Larson: I don't approach a client like I'm just there to sell them a piece of property. I want to get to know them, become friends with them because what they are investing in is for the long term. Because of that I want to make sure the property they're buying is the right fit and that they get the most out of what they are buying.

For more information on North Shore properties please visit Mike Larson's listing page on LakeshoreDreams.com.

Grand Marais--The Gateway to the Great Outdoors

Minnesota's North Shore is one of the most scenic destinations in all of the United States. Travel up Highway 61 northeast of Duluth and you will be amazed at the great sites along Lake Superior. Travel about 180 miles up Highway 61 and you will come to Grand Marais, a town of about 1,500 that offers a true outdoors experience.

You can spend a day visiting downtown Grand Marais, checking out the numerous shops and antique stores that attract visitors from all over the United States and southern Canada. Make sure you bring your camera and walk out over the rocky edges on the shores of Lake Superior - it's a breathtaking view.

Grand Marais, the county seat of Cook County, is French for Big Marsh. In Ojibwe, it means double body of water, a likely reference to two large bays formed at the Lake Superior harbor of Grand Marais. This land has changed hands and worn many hats over the years. It has been claimed by the Virginia Colony and the Territories of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Frontiersmen looked to Grand Marais as a fishing center, lumber town, and a fur trading post.

Grand Marais is the entrance to some of the best hiking, fishing and wilderness adventures in the Unites States. It's the entry point for the popular Boundary Waters Canoe Area, near the Superior Hiking Trail, Devil's Kettle Waterfalls and C.R. Magney State Park, among others. It's also the entrance to the Gunflint Trail, a 57-mile road of twists and turns in the heart of the northwoods that takes people to their cabins and lake homes, to numerous lodges and resorts, and if you go to the edge of it, the border of Ontario, Canada.

Fishing guides are abundant in the area, and a guide is recommended for those fishing local lakes for the first time. The lakes are big and intimidating for those not familiar with the area, and those bordering Canada must know the border laws and regulations. But once you find the hot spots, it will be some of the best fishing you can possibly encounter. Walleye, northern, largemouth bass and panfish (perch, sunfish, crappies) are abundant. Deer are plentiful in the region, and if you're lucky, you might also see moose and bear. If you're checking out the area for the first time, the Gunflint Lake Lodge is highly recommended (as is the world famous walleye chowder). The hospitality is wonderful, and it's a true northwoods adventure with hiking, horseback riding, fishing, and dining experiences sure to be part of memories that will last a lifetime. Numerous other outdoors outfitters can be found to help supply you with canoe lessons and rentals, such as Superior-North Canoe Outfitters near Saganaga Lake at the end of the Gunflint Trail. It's an ideal stop for those looking for an outdoor adventure and provides easy access to the Boundary Waters, Northern Lights Lake and Quetico Park.

The arts are strong in the Grand Marais region, with the Arrowhead Center for the Arts, Grand Marais Playhouse and North Shore Music Association offering a variety of performances, shows and local and national talent. There are also numerous festivals throughout the year, including the Grand Marais Jazz Festival and annual classic car show in May, the Grand Marais Boreal Festival and Wooden Boat and Summer Solstice Show in June, the Grand Marais Art Fair and Festival and North Shore Dragon Boat Festival in July, and numerous other events throughout the year and into the winter.

Coming to Grand Marais is a chance for a truly unique experience. Small towns, small communities, but a big-time chance to see first-hand the best nature has to offer, and a truly magical outdoors experience.

Contributed by Matt Krumrie. Matt is a freelance writer based out of Inver Grove, MN. 

There are 226 permanent residents of Tofte Township. Yet there are thousands who visit annually, envious at the lives these residents lead in and around what is arguably the most geographically beautiful location in all of Minnesota.

Located 78 miles northeast of Duluth, Tofte is a destination noteworthy for all there is to do near the town. Tofte isn't designed to reward sedentary folk; it's geared toward those who want to make a break from suburban and urban routines and actively participate in all there is to see and do in the outdoors.

Located in Cook County, Tofte's first inhabitants were likely the Dahkotah Indians. According to the Cook County Historical Society, the first European explorers to travel by canoe along the North Shore, around 1623, was likely Etienne Brule who was searching for a water passageway to the West.

During the 1700s most of the activity along the North Shore was devoted to satisfy what seemed to be an insatiable demand for animal pelts. The center of activity was Grand Portage, to the north of Tofte, where pelts were sold or exchanged for supplies at a trading post and stockade owned by the North West Company. In the early 1800s trading diminished, and in 1821 the Hudson Bay Company absorbed the North West Company, moving the majority of the trading to the northern and western parts of Canada.

In the 1850s the economic interests of the area shifted from animal pelts to minerals. Early European settlers focused on pulling silver from the region. It was actually iron ore that eventually dominated the minerals prospecting around Tofte. That successful mining led to the railroad being built from the iron rage to Two Harbors, south of Tofte. The 1880 census showed Cook County with 65 residents. By 1900 there were 810.

According the Cook County Historical Society, "Hans Engelsen, an emigrant from Norway, settled on an abandoned homestead near Carlton Peak in 1893. In 1896, he opened the post office with the name Tofte, named after a community in Norway. Tofte means, "seat of a boat' or in the Viking ship days, a "helmsman's seat.'"

For many years the only supplies and mail came to Tofte was via steamers from Duluth such as the America and Dixon. With few docks or harbors along the shore, passengers and freight were transported by skiff to the ships waiting offshore. In rough weather these small boats were sometimes overturned, or swamped, and all cargo and souls went into the frigid Superior water.

The opening of Highway 61 from Duluth in the 1940s brought Tofte to where it is today: a township devoted to hospitality and a surrounding economy deeply tied to logging.

Visitors to Tofte must see the North Shore Commercial Fishing Museum. The Museum, located at the intersection of Highway 61 and County Road 2, features stories of the people who fished Lake Superior, their skiffs, and the various tools of early commercial fishing.

Activities abound near Tofte. Lutsen Mountain offers an alpine slide during the summer months that takes riders down a ½ mile slide track aboard a specially built toboggan. For bicyclists there's the North Shore Touring Trail. Not far to the north of Tofte are a series of entry points into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Folks visiting Tofte ought to visit Carlton Peak, the second highest peak in Minnesota. The Peak is accessible from the Superior Hiking Trail. Once atop, spectacular views are guaranteed of the Superior National Forest and Lake Superior, including Taconite Harbor.

Come winter, put the skis on because Tofte's visitors have access to 220 kilometers of groomed cross-country trails just a ski pole thrust away. 10 minutes from Tofte is the Lutsen Mountains Ski Area with the best skiing between the Rocky Mountains and Vermont. Dog sledding is increasing with popularity and February travelers won't want to miss the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon that runs along the North Shore.

38 miles to the south of Tofte is the Split Rock Lighthouse that was erected in 1905 after six ships were lost in a November storm. This lighthouse guided ships from 1910 through 1969.

Tofte is figuratively engulfed by wilderness. The Superior National Forest surrounds almost all of Tofte along with the nearby Temperance River State Park. Inside the Park is the narrow Temperance River Gorge with its rushing waters and falls make it an irresistible photo opportunity.

White-tailed deer, black bears, moose, beaver, and wolves are numerous. Don't be surprised to see the smallest of North American bears, the black bear. Most are timid and are unlikely to attack humans. One of the Tofte-area's most efficient predators is the lynx known for its compact body and wide, padded feet.

Also, don't be surprised to see a moose in the forests nearby. A bull moose grows to around 7 feet tall and weighs between 1,500 and 1,800 pounds. In the fall, during mating season, visitors should avoid these large, near-sighted creatures as they wonder in search of cows. Attracted to noise, bull moose are fearless and will charge the naive traveler so those straying beyond Tofte's comforts are encouraged to keep a safe distance.

Back in Tofte, Bluefin Bay is one of the most notable Lake Superior resorts. Their rooms have awe-inspiring views of the Lake. Further, once inside the resort, a massage is just a phone call away. AmericInn Lodge and Suites is also available to Tofte visitors.

There's no shortage of dining options in Tofte. Coho Cafe, Bakery and Deli offers a litany of baked goods and a cornucopia of coffee drinks. Breakers Bar and Grill has not only a great view of Lake Superior, but also a mix of hamburgers, sandwiches, and spirits.

Contributed by Jason Admunson. Jason is a freelance writer based out of St. Anthony Village, MN.

The famous Minnesota North Shore runs along the famous waters of Lake Superior, the largest, deepest, and coldest of the great lakes. Superior along with the neighboring waters of Charming, Caribou Lake and Devil's Track Lake, make up some of the finest fishing and watersports areas in all of Minnesota.

Lake Superior is the world's largest freshwater lake covering 31,820 square miles and reaching an amazing depth of 1,302 feet. Historically, Lake Superior has been important to trade and transportation since its waters touch the shores of three different states and one Canadian province.

Commercial fishing and tourism are the major draws of these waters. Superior's irregular shoreline with its many coves and bays provide ideal fishing zones. Many Minnesota shore towns like Duluth and Grand Marais offer charter boats to go after Superior's lake trout, salmon and walleye.

Caribou Lake is located 4 miles north of Lutsen, in Cook County, Minnesota. This charming 728 acre lake boasts some of the best walleye fishing for a lake of its size. Its proximity to Lutsen and Tofte, two popular resort towns up on the arrowhead, makes all the more attractive to visit or settle down by the lake. Enjoy the miles and miles of bike and hiking trails, and don't forget to bring your snowmobile come winter.

The famous Minnesota North Shore runs along the legendary waters of Lake Superior. Scenic Highway 61 is your fast track to fun along the North Shore. This breathtaking ride takes you along the edge of the lake and through all the major hotspots in the region. Stop and tour the famous Edna G. tugboat in Two Harbors. Silver Bay, the youngest town on the North Shore, boasts wonderful snowmobile trails and the famous Split Rock Light House, and the Gooseberry and Tettegouche State Parks. Grand Marais is home to the largest Fisherman's celebration, the Fisherman's Picnic, and your chance to win $10,000. Let Grand Portage wow you with its peaks and parks like Mount Maud and Grand Portage State Park.

For Lakeshoredreams.com, the counties grouped in North Shore MN include:

On Lake Superior: Lake County MN,  Cook County

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