The Lake Superior Circle Tour is one of the world’s most epic road trips, looping around the largest freshwater lake on Earth. Starting and ending in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, this journey covers 1,300 miles (2,902 km) of jaw-dropping scenery. Visit natural wonders, historic landmarks and welcoming towns along Lake Superior’s shores in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (U.P.), northern Wisconsin, western Minnesota and southern Ontario, Canada. 

Over the next few minutes, we will share with you what to see and do along this incredible international tour.

Must-See Stops in the U.P.

 

1. Starting Point: Sault Ste. Marie 

Kick off your trip-of-a-lifetime in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan’s oldest city and the “Gateway to the Great Lakes.” Its twin city, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, is across the International Bridge. There are lots of historical and recreational things to do in this Michigan town, but here are two must-sees:

  • Soo Locks: Watch 1,000-foot freighters traverse one of the world’s busiest lock systems. On the St. Marys River, it is how goods from around the world move between Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
  • Tower of History: Take your vacation to new heights! Ride the express elevator up 21 stories to enjoy an incomparable, 360-degree view of the busy St. Marys River, the "Twin Saults" and the picturesque Canadian Shield. At the tower's summit, interpretive panels describe the city's significant landmarks that you can see in the landscape below.

With your bearings set, head west on M-28 toward Munising.

2. Side Trip: Whitefish Point and Tahquamenon Falls

Take two side trips as you travel west. Follow M-123 north to explore these iconic destinations.  

  • Tahquamenon Falls State Park near Paradise lets you get close enough to hear the thundering water and feel the spray: 
    • Upper Falls: Not only is this Michigan’s largest waterfall, but it is also one of the United States' largest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. The Upper Falls are nearly 200 feet across and 50 feet high. Each second you spend at the viewing platform, up to 50,000 gallons of water flow down the falls right before your eyes! 
    • Lower Falls: Four miles downstream from the Upper Tahquamenon Falls is the Lower Tahquamenon Falls. It is a series of five smaller, much quieter waterfalls cascading around an island. You can reach the falls by hiking a trail from the Upper Falls or driving to the entrance. Once there, take a pedestrian bridge or a rowboat to the island where you can wade into the swirling, churning river on a hot day.
  • Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum: Continue north from Paradise to Whitefish Point, known ominously as Lake Superior’s Shipwreck Coast. Explore the maritime tragedies, including the famed 1975 wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
  • Whitefish Point Light Station: The oldest active lighthouse in Michigan, this beacon offers unparalleled views of the lake. Hiking trails and a bird observatory are on the site.

Return to the Circle Tour route, taking M-21 W to Seney. If you feel adventurous, hike or take the self-guided driving tour in the 95,238-acre Seney National Wildlife Refuge. This wilderness is home to a wide variety of animal, plant and bird species that are protected in its forests, marshes, pools, creeks, rivers and bogs.

From Seney, make your way up M-77 N for a remarkable ride along H-58 W from Grand Marais to Munising. Everyone who has ever driven this 42-mile stretch says they would do it 100 more times.

3. Grand Marais: Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The historic village of Grand Marais is your gateway to the internationally renowned Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. A rush of awe will wash over you the moment you see the mineral-stained sandstone cliffs and Lake Superior’s Caribbean-blue water. A geological masterpiece, this lakeshore’s ancient spell has captivated millions of visitors from the Upper Peninsula’s first inhabitants to you.

Make time to discover what awaits at:

  • Grand Sable Dunes: Towering sand dunes that offer sweeping lake views.
  • Sable Falls: A quick hike leads to a lovely waterfall.
  • For the best views of the magnificent cliffs that are so vibrant they look like nature’s palette exploded, take the Pictured Rocks Boat Tour. Or sign up with the Pictured Rocks Kayak Tours and take one of their amazing, guided adventures suitable for all ages and skill levels. You can choose tours from two to eight hours in length, or if you are an experienced sea kayaker, explore solo the Lake Superior shoreline. From land, check these attractions, too: 
    • Miners Castle: The only cliff area in the park reachable by vehicle and also offers a wheelchair-accessible trail.
    • Chapel Rock: Famous for its lone pine tree perched on a sandstone arch, it is reachable on a 2.5-mile trail from the parking lot.

After a day of adventuring, catch dinner and stay overnight in Munising. To watch one of Lake Superior’s breathtaking sunsets, locals recommend Sand Point Beach. 

After a delicious U.P breakfast, continue west on M-28 to Marquette.

4. Marquette: The U.P.’s Recreational/Cultural Hub

Are you beginning to think this gorgeous peninsula is void of urban living? Wait ‘til you drive into Marquette, the U.P.’s largest city. It’s a fun mix of outdoor recreation,  city shopping, dining and cultural good times. There is so much to see and do, consider spending two or more days here. But if you must press onward, stay at least one day to take in:

  • Presque Isle Park: A peninsula with trails, cliffs and incredible views of Lake Superior.
  • Sugarloaf Mountain: This ​​is the highest point in Marquette County. You can reach its summit by following a series of trails  and stairs that wind around the mountain. Once there, you will be awestruck by the serene panoramic views.
  • Ore Dock Brewing Company: Treat yourself to some Yooper-made craft beer.

Return to M-28 W and follow M-41 N into the Keweenaw Peninsula that juts like a curling finger into the roaring waves of Lake Superior. As you tour its ever-changing landscape, it’s tough to put your camera down.

5. The Keweenaw Peninsula: Copper Country

Ever heard the saying, “Go west, young man?” It was used in the mid-1800s to lure droves of men and women to seek their fortunes in the rugged Keweenaw Peninsula during the Copper Rush, the first mining boom in America. Their stories are preserved up and down the Lake Superior coasts. Don’t be in a hurry to leave, there’s too much to explore from college-town Houghton to Michigan’s northernmost points in Copper Harbor and Isle Royale National Park (the remotest, wildest destination in the state). 

Fit at least one or two of these stops in your journey.

Follow M-41 S to M-26 S and then north on M-45 to Ontonagon. You are about to enter the Porcupine Mountains, Michigan’s largest state park.

6. Ontonagon: The Adventure-Filled “Porkies” 

This area is Michigan’s wild west. Sprawling over nearly 60,000 acres, some of the most mesmerizing vistas are in the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park, also known as the "Porkies." It is home to old-growth forests, thundering waterfalls, miles of rivers and streams and more than 90 miles of hiking trails. 

  • Lake of the Clouds: A jaw-dropping overlook of the forested valley and this jewel-like lake. If you do the Circle Tour in the fall, the trees are dazzling.
  • Summit Peak: Hike to the highest point in the park for incredible views. On clear days, you can even see the Apostle Islands to the northwest and Isle Royale to the northeast! 
  • Presque Isle River Waterfalls: With over 300 waterfalls in the U.P. It's hard to pick favorites, but when you see Manabezho Falls, Manido Falls and Nawadaha Falls they will make your top 10. 

Continue Beyond the U.P.

Your final leg of the Michigan Lake Superior Circle Tour will take you from Silver City, south on M-64 to M-28 W, then connecting to US-2 W. When you enter Gogebic County on the west side of Lake Gogebic near Wakefield, you will cross over from the Eastern Time Zone to the Central Time Zone. Within a few minutes, you will be at the Wisconsin border west of Ironwood. 

 

Bayfield: Apostle Islands National Lakeshore

A must-see stop is off US-2 on Wis-13 N. This picturesque road hugs the Lake Superior shoreline to the tip. There you will come upon Bayfield, the gateway to the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. This lakeside village has earned many accolades including being named one of the "The 23 Best Places to Go in the U.S. in 2023" by Conde Nast Traveler and in the same year was voted among the “10Best Coastal Small Towns” by USA Today readers. It’s Wisconsin’s smallest city and the Berry Capital of the state, too. 

  • Apostle Islands National Lakeshore: These 21 islands are the jewels of Lake Superior and its 12-mile shoreline offers gorgeous vistas of the largest, clearest and coldest Great Lake. The park showcases the most lighthouses in the National Park system and it is the ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe people. Its freshwater sea caves and beautiful beaches are reasons to visit as well.

Continue along the lakeshore on Wis-13 to Duluth, Minnesota. 

 

Duluth to Thunder Bay, Ontario: 189 Miles of Stellar Scenery

On Highway 61 N you will drive snugly against Lake Superior’s shoreline with lots of opportunities to snap photographs of the powerful, ever-changing waters. This scenic byway has numerous cobblestone beaches and waterfalls to pull you off the road, so don’t be in a rush to reach the Pigeon River Border Crossing. 

  • Grand Portage State Park: Just shy of the international border, stop and hike the half-mile to the 120-foot High Falls on the Pigeon River. For a closer look, including from the top, access the falls from the Canadian side.

 

Thunder Bay: Lake Superior’s Multicultural City

Across the border, continue on Highway 61 to Thunder Bay, the largest city on Lake Superior. It is a multicultural community in a region known as Sunset Country. Some key attractions are: 

Continue on Highway 17 along the top of Lake Superior taking in the staggering scenery. Stop to explore Rainbow Falls Provincial Park just past Rossport. Then,  as you head south on the last leg of this trip, take a break at Lake Superior Provincial Park.

 

Lake Superior Provincial Park: World-Class Hiking/Paddling

Want to see Ontario’s spectacularly diverse scenery in one place? You can here.  This provincial park has cliffs, beaches, river valleys, waterfalls, the Algoma Hills and Lake Superior shoreline. Start your exploration at the park’s exceptional Visitor Centre which will introduce you to the region’s cultural history, natural features and recreational opportunities, including top-notch hiking, paddling and fantastic trout fishing. If you aren’t able to spend more than a day or two here, take in:

 

Complete the Circle: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

As you finish the loop, you’ll arrive back at Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Before leaving Canada, explore:

After exploring the Canadian side, cross back into Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, where your circle tour started and now ends.

Tips for the Trip

The route we described is clockwise, but you can just as easily see the sites going counter-clockwise. You can also start the loop at any of the major entry points near Ironwood, Michigan, Duluth, Minnesota or the Pigeon River Border Crossing, Ontario and places in between. 

 

When to Go 

The sheer massiveness of Lake Superior makes it tough to predict its moods throughout the year. One day its water can be mirror smooth and the next wildly vicious. Here’s a general idea of what to expect.

  • April: The snow melt makes the waterfalls roar to life and its cooler temperatures mean fewer bugs. However, there’s always a chance of snow — lots of snow. Some places to stay, such as campgrounds, restaurants and stores may not be open.
  • Late May and early June are the least crowded and the hotel rates are the best. The temperatures can be very pleasant but pack insect protection.
  • Mid-June is when festival season kicks off and attractions and tours go full-blast through the summer months. 
  • Late July is blueberry and thimbleberry time and August is the warmest month for swimming on Lake Superior’s southern shores in the U.P. and Wisconsin.
  • Want to do some leaf-peeping? From late September through mid-October, the fall colors are spectacular. The U.P. is repeatedly voted the best place to be in the U.S.A. for gorgeous foliage. See why. 
  • If you are into surfing or just watching them, the gales in November and April rear up the mightiest waves. Frigid waters, crazy currents and even crazier surfers make Lake Superior a thrill-seeker’s destination.

Plan for Your Border Crossing 

To enter Canada or the U.S., you must have proper identification for all adults and children in your vehicle. Check here for what identification is required, what you can bring across the border including pets, fishing and hunting regulations, currency information and more. 

 

Know Your Time Zones

Most of the U.P. and all of your travels in Ontario will be in the Eastern Time Zone. However, parts of the Western U.P. and all of Wisconsin and Minnesota are in the Central Time Zone. 

 

Allow Extra Time — This is NOT a Day Trip

If you intend to complete the full circle, plan extra time to stop and visit the many beautiful sites and fascinating historical spots along the way. If you push it, you can make the tour in four to five days or extend it to two weeks. Seasoned travelers recommend nine days.  

There is also the option to take the tour over multiple vacations, allotting a fewer number of days you can travel each visit. Spreading out the journey doesn’t lessen the awe and wonder.

 

Cell Phone Service is Great — Most of the Time

Be prepared for those areas where cell phone and GPS service drops. Carry a printed map and always let someone back home know your travel itinerary for each day.

What to Pack

Locals joke that the weather near Lake Superior can change daily, some say in a blink of an eye. Come prepared if it does. Know, too, that the weather in Sault Ste. Marie can be completely different than in Marquette — and the same holds true between Marquette and Copper Harbor or Ironwood. Follow weather reports each day and check them often.

Because of the variable weather, in the summer, pack shorts and t-shirts, long pants and fleeces, a raincoat and winter jacket, a warm hat, gloves, socks and boots (especially when traveling in the spring and fall). Include sandals or water shoes for the rocky beaches. 

Fill coolers or totes with portable snacks, a case of water and picnic ware. Bring a flashlight or lantern, cell phone, compass, blankets, matches and a first aid kit, too. 

 

Ready to Start Planning Your Trip of a Lifetime? 

The Lake Superior Circle Tour is more than a road trip — it’s a quest for adventure that takes you across the top of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and along the stunning Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canadian shoreline. From towering waterfalls and iconic lighthouses to historic sites and world-class trails, every turn of this journey offers an unforgettable experience. Whether you’re chasing sunsets over Lake Superior, exploring charming small towns or immersing yourself in Lake Superior’s natural majesty, this is a trip that stays with you forever. 

To start planning, visit uptravel.com and make your Lake Superior Circle Tour dreams a reality. Contact us, if we can help. We are ready to welcome you.

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