Attractions and Places To See in St. Louis County - Top 20

The ¾-mile floating bridge on the Mesabi Trail crosses the Embarrass Wetland Complex within the Darwin Myers Wildlife Management Area. This bridge was built in early 2025, and even though the bridge floats, it's stable and responds to changes in water levels. Cyclists often notice a unique sensation and sounds when crossing, describing it as both exciting and noisy.

Seven Bridges Road in Duluth, Minnesota, is a scenic stretch of road located in the eastern part of the city, leading into the Amity Creek area. The road is named for its seven unique, historic stone bridges, each crafted from local materials. These bridges span Amity Creek, offering stunning views of waterfalls, forests, and the surrounding hills. This winding road is a popular destination year round, but is especially popular in the autumn, when the area becomes a vibrant display of fall colors. In the winter from November to May, the road is closed to cars, making it a cool (sometimes literally!) spot to ride for adventurous cyclists.

When my brothers and I hiked the Sioux-Hustler Trail in late August 1970, the trailhead was farther west on the Echo Trail, just on the other side of the Little Sioux Indian River on Forest Road 1877. When we registered at the office in Ely before heading out, the ranger asked us to report on the trail's status upon our return because, as far as he knew, no one else had hiked it that season. We didn't see anyone the three days we were on the trail and didn't see any recent evidence of trail use. We lost the trail many times, as it was either covered by beaver ponds or ran over a rocky ridgetop. There were five of us, so when we lost the trail, we posted one at the last known point, and the other four fanned out ahead, looking for blazes on the trees or piles of rocks. Of course, back at that time, there were no GPS devices; we only had paper maps. However, we kept an almost hourly log of our hike, which, combined with the map, enabled me to reconstruct our route on komoot. A few years after our hike, the Sioux-Hustler wildfire destroyed the trail from Emerald to Meander Lake. Here is a link to our hike back in 1970: . I have uploaded two photos from our trip One is of of us standing at the old trailhead, and the other shows me wading across a stream flooded by a beaver dam.

Bob Smith Memorial Bench is at a viewpoint overlooking the St. Louis River Estuary. From here, peer down into the land conservancy project protecting the St. Louis River and the headwaters in Minnesota's Northwoods. The water below flows into Lake Superior and forms a 12,000-acre freshwater estuary.

The Willard Munger State Trail, spanning between Hinckley and Duluth, offers trails for hiking, biking, in-line skating, snowmobiling, and horseback riding. This scenic trail passes through northern hardwood forests, pine stands, and bog-filled hills. It also follows a historic railroad route that saved lives during the Hinckley and Cloquet fires in the 19th century. Visitors have the opportunity here to spot a variety of wildlife, including whitetail deer, raccoons, foxes, porcupines, and occasionally bobcats or black bears.

Here you can explore the westernmost point of the Great Lakes and look out across the mighty expanse of Lake Superior. There is a carriage road, paved bike path, and boardwalk that all run in parallel along the shore from Duluth to the northern lighthouse pier.

Safeguarding birds in the Western Lake Superior Region through research and education. Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve features over 4 miles (6.44 km) of trails exploring geology, flora, and wildlife. The staff conducts bird research and educates the public during the fall.

Safeguarding birds in the Western Lake Superior Region through research and education. Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve features over 4 miles (6.44 km) of trails exploring geology, flora, and wildlife. The staff conduct bird research and educate the public during the fall.