Camping at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, How to Canoe Camp in Voyageurs National Park, Mohawk Lakes Trail, Colorado’s Best Alpine Lake Hike, 10 Best Outdoor Activities in Tulum, Mexico, Minneapolis is the Perfect Spot for Runners, Tips for Rotating Shifts as a Travel Nurse. We were hopeful a storm would be a part of our time at Split Rock Lighthouse. Split Rock Creek State Park Campground has 34 single-family campsites next to Split Rock Lake in a heavily wooded area. The tree-lined cliffs and bluffs that frame it just enhance the scenery. Everyone uses GPS now, so I’m not going to list what highways to take (I’m actually horrible at driving directions, so you should never listen to me on that). Split Rock has 20 cart-in campsites, including 2 accessible sites. Narrowing down the destinations I knew the North Shore needed to be on the list. Monopoly® is a registered trademark of Hasbro Inc. At first I was attempting to change our reservation at another location in two nights. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Two Harbors Minnesota. The North Shore is the shoreline of Lake Superior. Driving that distance today after already driving half of the day to get to Split Rock was not appealing at all. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park was not one of the places I really wanted to camp because it’s closer to Duluth than I wanted to be making this a busier park than I was interested in staying at. Just what I was looking for in a camping experience. Visit and explore the cart-in campground, rugged trails, Lake Superior shoreline, Split Rock River, and Gold Rock Point. For a backpacking packing list, head here. Enjoy the calming view of Lake Superior while camping at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. Perhaps best known for its historic lighthouse, this park offers numerous recreational opportunities. It’s a beautiful blue, sparkles in the sun, and shows off with incredible sunrises. The rest of our time provided nice clear skies with a few white, puffy clouds and perfect temperatures cooling off at night for some very much appreciated deep sleep. Exchanging a few texts and emails, my friend and I decided to take an opportunity and camp at Split Rock Lighthouse. Campsites can … The park connects to 15 miles of the paved Gitchi-Gami State Trail from Gooseberry lakeshore to the Beaver River in Beaver Bay. Fish for Northern Pike, Bass, Walleye or panfish. One group campsite is also available. These secluded Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Cart-In campsites are all within 2000 feet of the parking lot. 8.7 miles of fat bike trail and miles of snowshoe trail with superb views of Lake Superior. Located just minutes outside of Duluth, just off Hwy 53, Red Pine Campground offers something for everyone. The reservation fee is $7 and the campsites are $24 per night. My husband and I recommend the blueberry pie and peanut butter pie. TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS Split Rock River Loop Trail 4.5-mile loop The number one camping app. This State Park has 20 cart-in sites (all less than 2,000 ft from the parking lot with carts provided), 2 wheelchair accessible sites, and 4 backpack sites (1/2 mile – 2 miles from the parking lot). We talked about some of the different places we could go which would provide some fun adventures during a week of camping under the stars. It’s in Two Harbors, closer to the park. This park is situated on the North Shore of Lake Superior. As I looked to at the reservations to check in I realized they were for the next night and the night after that. Welcome to Red Pine Campground. We visited during coronavirus times, so this was closed. The property had been developed with four cottages in about 1937, nearly ten years before Split Rock Lighthouse was designated as a wayside, most likely with the intent of operating a resort. It was still relaxing to just listen to the storm overhead as it wasn’t severe by any means. If you’re hungry after a night of camping, Rustin Inn Cafe is less than 10 minutes away and has awesome sandwiches on homemade bread. They have the best turkey reuben I have ever eaten. Scenic trails along the lake link up to the spectacular Superior Hiking Trail. The surrounding Split Rock Lighthouse State Park offers trails, waterways, and campgrounds for your favorite outdoor activities year-round. There were only two nights in this place so we had to make the most of this short time. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is one of the most familiar locations visited when traveling to Minnesota’s North Shore. With the booming thunder becoming louder and more frequent we rushed to get stakes pounded into the ground and the tent poles standing. There is a visitors center and a decent amount of parking. Details - Map - Reviews - Nearest. We booked backpacking site #1 for a Thursday night in June, and it ended up being such an incredible campsite. Betty’s Pies is famous and is worth the stop. There are a lot of trails for hiking and our family favorite is pebble beach. You’ll have better luck getting a campsite if you reserve early, you’re flexible with your dates, and can go during the week. I recommend stopping at Bent Paddle Brewing in Duluth. ST. PAUL (AP) - A North Shore landmark, Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, is planning a major campground expansion. There was a modest change fee to make this adjustment but that was minor in my opinion. A 2 minute walk from our campsite also brought us to a little beach area. It is $7 to enter the park or you can buy a $35 yearly MN State Park Pass online or at the park. The sunrise was lovely. From resorts to hike-in spots. The state park is all the land surrounding the lighthouse and has great hiking trails, a covered picnic pavilion, and in the winter the trails are dedicated to Fat Bikes. Usually I would pull into an overlook for a few minutes to view it towering over Lake Superior. I began to feel anxious and ill. Those reservations were unable to be changed so now what? 512 5th Street, Garretson, South Dakota, 57030 Welcome to Split Rock Park Campground! Once the rain stopped falling we emerged from the tent with enough time to cook something to eat before nightfall. Split Rock Lighthouse historic site is located in the park. While having a picnic at this park is awesome, spending a night listening to the waves of Lake Superior is better. He had never seen what amazing scenery Minnesota is known for before. (Is that a thing?) 3755 SPLIT ROCK LIGHTHOUSE ROAD TWO HARBORS, MN 55616. Park Naturalists Kacie and Kelsey share their top stops at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. Campgrounds: Camping is available year-round. Immerse yourself in iconic North Shore scenery. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park has a rich and varied history. Subscribe here for honest travel advice and inspiration. The road in the park literally ends at the campground, so you can’t miss it. Looking a little further north for camping destinations I suggested a few places but decided to research Split Rock also. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park (Lake Superior) Two Harbors, Minnesota Located about 20 miles northeast of Two Harbors on Highway 61, this park gets it's name from the beautiful historic lighthouse perched atop a rock cliff on the north shore of Lake Superior. MORE TO EXPLORE AT THE PARK • Check out a GPS unit or birding or discovery kit. And I have done a lot of things I’ve loved in Minnesota. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. The horrific shipwrecks of 1905 fueled the demand for a lighthouse along Superior’s North Shore. We have 100 roomy, full hook-up sites situated around several beautiful water bodies. Visitors can cart-in their supplies to pristine campsites along Lake Superior. It lists the things you can do – hike, take a tour of the lighthouse, camp, and picnic. There are 6 ways to get from Maple Grove to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park by bus, taxi, car, plane or shuttle. Historical Society manages the Lighthouse Historic Site and the state park manages 2,200 acres around it. After a brief time looking over the different campsites we became anxious to get our gear and begin this new camping experience. From 1899 to 1906, the Merrill and Ring Lumber Company logged most of the original Norway and white pine from the area. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park 3755 Split Rock Lighthouse Road, Two Harbors, Minnesota 55616 USA (218) 226-6377 Visit Website I love a campground that has backpacking sites. Just as the last of our gear was brought into the tent it began to rain. The cheapest way to get from Hooker to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park costs only $129, and the quickest way takes just 11 hours. There’s a parking lot right there, so it’s a very short walk. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park . I couldn’t believe I had made such a mistake. The best part was that it was 12 steps from a rocky bluff where we could sit in awe of Lake Superior. I wasn’t disappointed as we were absolutely blessed with a great mix of weather and beauty. Play on Pebble Beach Pebble Beach offers either a refreshing dip in Lake Superior or an incredible array of flat stones for skipping on the water…you decide which is more to your liking! The lighthouse was built in 1910 after nearly 30 ships were wrecked on this shore in November 1905. With 14.5 miles of pet friendly trails for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing, it's a great place to stretch your legs or spread your picnic blanket. Lake Superior is the largest fresh water lake in the world (by surface area), and it is stunning. Obviously it’s all about the lighthouse! The amazing construction process was completed in 1910, and the light at Split Rock shone until 1969. MAP AND GUIDE: SPLIT ROCK LIGHTHOUSE STATE PARK . • Bring your fat bike and explore miles of • Rent the four-season Trail Center for your event. At least in early summer anyway. I hope you enjoy this deeply hidden gem of the Midwest. We also have 4 lakeshore backpack campsites and 1 remote Lake Superior Water Trail kayak site. Camping at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park The campsites are beautiful with locations next to Lake Superior or views of the majestic lake. Couldn’t be easier! This is not a campground with sites right on top of each other. Once you take the short drive towards the beach and camp ground, the crowds of people begin to disappear. We had the entire area to ourselves. The lighthouse was built in 1910 after nearly 30 ships were wrecked on this shore in November 1905. It looks like a perfect place for relaxing.. looks good on having some fun in a place like that.. Now we were ready to move our tent and food into our temporary home just as a crack of thunder radiated through the park. The way our time here began, I was certain it would be a disaster and I would be looking to leave as soon as our sentence was up. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park has a rich and varied history. It was difficult to research options as cell service was very limited and the ranger station had just closed. You feel more secluded, you get to use the backpack that you love/hate, and it just feels more like an adventure. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is right outside of Two Harbors. - See 237 traveller reviews, 251 candid photos, and great deals for Two Harbors, MN, at Tripadvisor. During peak years, the company operated a short railroad up the river. Two of the backpack sites are also designated as kayak sites – call the park office for more information on these sites. Their beer is fantastic, the brewery is cozy, they always have creative new beers, and when I visited during coronavirus times they were doing Buy One Get One crowlers for healthcare professionals. Surrounding the historic site is Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, which features a lakeshore picnic area, trail center, tent camping, and 14 miles of hiking, biking, snowshoe, and cross-country ski trails along the lakeshore and through the northern forest. specifically groomed trails. I have stopped there a few times to view the this iconic lighthouse a few times. Park in that lot, use the nice bathroom right there, and hike or cart in to your campsite. I want to help you achieve your dreams of adventure. Maybe luck was with us. Split Rock Loop River Trail – 4.5 mile loop that passes waterfalls and takes you along the Superior Hiking Trail. 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