Minnesota trip to the Headwaters of the Mississippi

Parent Cafe
1

So, my son has been living in Minneapolis now for a full school year, and we are heading up this summer, around mid July, to visit. He’ll be working full-time, but we may fly in mid week and see if he can take a long weekend for a trip up to the Mississippi headwaters. I know a lot of you are from up that way, so hope you can give advice, warnings, on routes to take, places to stay.

First off, we are not hikers or campers, so a hotel, not a campground, is what we’re looking for. Not too long of a drive to the Headwaters from our hotel, but understand we may have to stay a little ways from the headwaters for more comfortable digs. Maybe an hour drive at the most.

Any scenic drives along the way, from Minneapolis to the Headwaters?

We’d also like to go up to Lake Superior and see Spit Rock Lighthouse and those areas, but don’t know whether we should save that for another trip, or go from the headwaters over to that, as it seems they are hours apart. Again, recommendations on where to stay, route to take, keeping in mind, we’re old and fat and not campers.

We are really hoping son stays up there after he gets his masters in December/January, but in case a job offer takes him away from that region, we want to go up there and enjoy the area while we can!

Thanks for any help, and feel free to PM me if you need to.

2

While dropping the kids off at a language camp in Minnesota, H and I spent a few days touring the area. We just happened to stumble upon this lodge, right on the lake front.

http://www.lutsenresort.com/lodging/lodge/

Not sure how it fits into your specific plans.

It’s in the ski area and we visited during the summer. Very few people around. We rented on of the cabins instead of staying the main lodge. Love it, would go back. It’s also not to far from the Canadian border (bring your passports). There are water falls and historical sites on the road to the border.

We’d also visited the Mississippi headwaters site. We still giggle about it…the actual spot looks like someone left a garden hose dripping. It’s pretty underwhelming. But, even themes majestic of rivers must start somewhere.

3

That’s a neat idea, @Montegut, as you have spent so much time on the other end of it. I joke about building a raft and floating down from one child to the other next year.

4

I’d start with those two websites.

5

Oh, dietz, that lodge looks gorgeous! I am going to have to get a passport!

6

I’m not sure how far you want to drive, but Grand Marais up on the shore of Lake Superior is a scenic place to stay and important for non-hikers, has great places to eat. The Angry Trout and Crooked Spoon restaurants are really good, and there is this little doughnut place that opens up early every morning with great fresh donuts. It has a little downtown that is easier to walk around.

7

OK, now I am seeing that the headwaters of the Mississippi are no where near the shores of Lake Superior. But if you decided to ditch the headwaters, a driving trip up to Duluth, through Lutsen and up to Grand Marais would be scenic. Given your description of yourself, you probably would love to stop along with way at Betty’s Pies!

http://mnfoodbros.com/2012/08/14/bettys-pies-two-harbors/

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Bemidji is the nearby population center, an attractive enough city on a lake with lodging and a few places to poke around in the city. I went to Lake Itaska on a day off while working at the language villages. I thought the headwaters rather cute. I remember an approximately 2 hour drive between Bemidji and Duluth, with the boggy birch forest feeling of the far north. http://www.visitbemidji.com/attractions/index.html It is a rather outdoor oriented area, between the lakes and the woods, but there are cute memorials around to the history of the area.

9

I always thought of it as Superior-Duluth since a neighbor growing up had relatives in the smaller Wisconsin city next to the MN one. I’m more familiar with the Wisconsin “up north” areas- so many great places. Crossing the M river on the interstate between WI and MN is fun. Remember you can walk across the Mississippi on a pedestrian bridge on the U of M campus. Remember that 10,000 lakes on the license plates is a misnomer- there are tons more. btw- the St Croix river separates WI and MN north of the Mississippi. Remember your mosquito repellant!

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Lake Superior whitefish is an excellent fish, moister than walleye and better than lake perch in my opinion- all three worth trying if available. I like Kemps lowfat vanilla frozen yogurt- a MN brand even found here in FL (current home). MN also has plenty of cows.

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Husband actually wants to drive up to the headwaters from Minneapolis, where son lives, see the headwaters, then drive over to Lake Superior, see that, and drive back down to Minneapolis, over a three to four day weekend. Son will be working, but we hope he can get a long weekend so we can see both. He’s thinking leave in the morning to head up to the headwaters, see that, then drive over to Lake Superior to spend the night, get up in the morning and spend the day seeing Lake Superior, then drive back down to Minneapolis at the end of the day, or perhaps the next morning, if son can swing another day off. I really want to see the Lighthouse at Spit Rock, but really, any place we can see Lake Superior would be awesome! Thank you for all your help!

12

Been doing some research and think this is what we’re going to do. Drive from Minneapolis to the Headwaters. After our visit there, spend the night in Bemidji, at a hotel on Bemidji Lake. Drive from Bemidji to Duluth, spend the night at a hotel in Duluth. Most Duluth hotels with lake views are booked, but will keep checking. Made a reservation at a Residence Inn in Duluth so will have a place to sleep after the drive from Bemidji. Hope to get up early from Duluth and try to head as far north as possible along Lake Superior, but stopping along the way to hopefully see some waterfalls. Would love to get as far as Grand Marais and Lutsen, but will be happy to get up to Gooseberry to see the falls and the lighthouse at Spit Rock. Any suggestions for lodging along the way or alternate routes to cut time or more scenic routes are most appreciated. Definitely will be hitting Betty’s Pies! Thanks for the recommendation!

13

I have stayed here and enjoyed it.

http://www.caribouhighlands.com/

I have always wanted to stay here.

http://www.bluefinbay.com/

I’ve eaten here and loved it.

http://www.lutsenresort.com/dining/dining.htm

14

We also stay at (and LOVE) Blue Fin Bay, but Tofte maybe farther north than you are willing to travel. (though I hope you make it up to Grand Marais)

I am jealous that you will get to see the lake open up before you during the daylight hours as you head from your hotel to downtown…amazing!

While in Duluth, most people will seek out Canal Park for food, drink and the water.

Depending on which way the wind is blowing (while near Lake Superior) make sure you have a polar fleece/sweatshirt to wear under your windbreaker.

Enjoy your visit!

15

You need to keep track of the weather- could be hot and sunny or cold and rainy. Also- keep tabs on storms. One trip through Minn to points west we finally turned on our car radio, found a station and discovered a tornado warning for some county- it was rather dark out at the rest stop and didn’t know where the weather was bad. A small tornado went through Minneapolis hours after we were there, likewise Billings Montana within days…gulp.

16

Oh, goodness, I will need a windbreaker at the end of July? I was thinking short sleeves and capris.

One day while waiting for son’s furniture to arrive, I drove up to Duluth, and literally, my breath was taken away as I came to the top of the hill and saw Lake Superior and Spirit Mountain before me. I had never seen something so lovely. I am hoping that we will get a beautiful view when we drive from Bemidji to Duluth, as I hope my husband and son can enjoy such an awesome vista.

17

Montegut, you will definitely need a sweatshirt or windbreaker, I would pack both at the end of July in Minnesota. The day’s might be warm but the nights will cool off. Sometimes there will be a heat wave but there could also be a cold spell.

I would also bring a pair of long pants, they will be nice in the evenings. It will help keep the Mosquitos off, as I am sure they will be big and plenty.

I’m not familiar with that area but if it’s like the UP of Michigan, most places are not air conditioned. So you will be glad if you aren’t there the one week they have their heat wave.

18

Ha, ha, the times we’ve gone to Minnesota, we’ve always brought the heat. It is 104 here in New Orleans right now, and I am so looking forward to getting up to Minnesota next month!

19

Sorry for all the questions, but husband wants more time in Minneapolis, and only wants to stay away from there three nights maximum. Do you think we can drive from Minneapolis to the Headwaters, stay just a short while there to see them, then drive over to Duluth? I want to spend two nights in Duluth to use it as a base point to drive up the coast of Lake Superior as far as we can, stopping to see the beauty of the area along the way. Want to see cliffs and waterfalls and other such things we don’t get down south!

20

It is 4 hours to the headwaters, 1 hour to wander around and view, skip Bemidji (okay to skip) and 3 hours to Duluth. It can be done if you leave early in the day, pack snacks for lunch and maybe stop in Grand Rapids for a Dairy Queen on the way to Duluth.

Minneapolis is a great city, but the North Shore is amazing…wish you could spend a night farther up the shore