Introduction
Every year we make it a point to head up north to Duluth and the North Shore to take in the fall colors. It has become one of our favorite family traditions, a trip we all look forward to as the seasons change. This year we decided to keep it simple with a day trip instead of a full weekend stay, and we did something a little different while we were at it. Instead of sticking to our usual spots, we ventured off the beaten path and explored areas we rarely visit or had never seen before.
The kids were troopers, up before sunrise and going strong until we made it back home that night. Tired? Absolutely. But the smiles told us everything we needed to know.
Map
The Day: Chasing Color from Sunrise to Sunset
We set out before the sun came up with a loose plan and a car full of kids, snacks, and camera gear. The goal was simple: see the North Shore from a different angle than we usually do. What followed was one of the more memorable fall day trips we have taken as a family.
Interesting Points
Jay Cooke State Park
We timed our arrival at Jay Cooke State Park to catch the sunrise, and it paid off. The short walk down to the swinging bridge is easy enough for the whole family, and what greets you on the other side is worth every early alarm. The St. Louis River rushes through a series of dramatic rock formations below the bridge, and on an early fall morning the combination of rushing water, low morning fog drifting through the trees, and the brisk chill in the air made for a scene that felt almost cinematic.
It was the perfect way to start the day. Quiet, unhurried, and genuinely beautiful in a way that felt earned by getting up early.
Hawks Ridge, Duluth
From Jay Cooke we made our way into Duluth and up to Hawks Ridge, one of the premier hawk migration observation points in North America. The ridge sits high above the city and offers a sweeping vantage point looking out over Duluth and Lake Superior stretching to the horizon below.
The fall colors were not yet at full peak during our visit, but there was enough color in the canopy to make the views worthwhile. We walked around the area and took in the perspective from above before continuing north. If you time your visit right and the colors are peaking, this overlook would be spectacular.
Old North Shore Scenic Drive
Rather than taking Highway 61 straight up the shore, we opted for the old North Shore scenic route, a slower and quieter road that winds closer to the lake and through small communities that most people drive right past. We stopped at several overlooks along the way to Twin Harbors, taking in the views of Lake Superior and the fall foliage framing the shoreline.
This was one of the better decisions of the day. The old scenic route has a completely different character from the main highway, and stopping at the overlooks gave us a more intimate and unhurried experience of the shoreline than we usually get.
Split Rock Lighthouse and State Park
Split Rock Lighthouse is one of the most photographed spots on the entire North Shore, and for good reason. The lighthouse sits dramatically on a sheer cliff above Lake Superior, and the surrounding state park offers trails, shoreline access, and enough space to wander for as long as you have.
We spent time walking the grounds around the lighthouse itself before making our way down into the state park area. The combination of the historic lighthouse, the rocky Lake Superior shoreline, and the fall colors in the surrounding trees made this one of the most visually rewarding stops of the day. With young kids in tow we kept things to the more accessible paths, but there was more than enough to see without venturing too far.
Sawbill Trail Viewpoint
After Split Rock we faced a decision. The obvious choice for a fall colors overlook further up the shore would have been Lutsen, which on a peak fall weekend draws enormous crowds and traffic. We decided to skip it and find something quieter instead.
We found it off Sawbill Trail, a backroad that climbs up into the hills above the shore and opens up into a viewpoint looking out over valleys full of fall color below. No crowds, no traffic, no fighting for a parking spot. Just trees blazing in orange, red, and yellow as far as we could see, with the quiet of the northwoods all around us.
It was the kind of spot that feels like a discovery, even if others have found it before. A perfect reward for choosing the road less traveled.
The Drive Home
The drive back south was a reminder that Fall on the North Shore is never a secret. Traffic on Highway 61 heading back into Duluth was rough, and rather than sit in it we took to the backroads, weaving through small towns and eventually coming out near Cloquet before jumping on I-35 for the final stretch home. It added time but kept everyone sane, and the backroads through that part of Minnesota have their own quiet beauty that is easy to miss at highway speed.
Quick Impressions
The North Shore delivers on fall color every year, and this trip was no exception. The challenge with young kids is finding viewpoints and overlooks you can actually reach without a long hike, since most of the truly stunning vantage points require some serious trail time to earn. The spots we found, Hawks Ridge, the scenic route overlooks, and especially the Sawbill Trail viewpoint, gave us beautiful color without requiring more than the kids could handle. With a little creativity the scenery absolutely delivers.
The North Shore in Fall is one of the best wildlife and foliage experiences Minnesota has to offer. The variety of color in the trees is stunning, and the birding at Hawks Ridge alone is worth the drive if you are into that. The morning fog at Jay Cooke, the shoreline at Split Rock, the valley views from Sawbill Trail. Every stop added something to the natural tapestry of the day.
Early morning worked in our favor at Jay Cooke and Hawks Ridge, but the afternoon crowds picked up as the day went on, as they always do on a fall weekend up north. The decision to skip Lutsen and find our own viewpoint off Sawbill Trail was the right call. The drive home through Duluth was genuinely rough, and taking the backroads to bypass the worst of it saved us a lot of time and frustration.
Access varies a lot depending on where you stop. Most of the overlooks and pullouts along the scenic route are easy enough for strollers and young kids. Some of the trails we encountered were unpaved but wide and firm enough to push a stroller through without too much trouble. The bigger challenge is simply that many of the most spectacular viewpoints on the North Shore require a real hike to reach, which is not always realistic with a toddler in tow.
The North Shore is very doable with kids if you plan around their limits. The accessible overlooks, the swinging bridge at Jay Cooke, and the lighthouse grounds at Split Rock all worked well for our family. Where it gets tricky is when the best views require longer or more rugged trail time than young kids can manage. Go in with realistic expectations, build in plenty of flexibility, and lean on the overlooks and pullouts rather than the summit hikes.
Closing Thoughts
This was not our typical North Shore trip, and that was exactly the point. By skipping the usual spots, getting up early, and being willing to wander down a backroad to find a viewpoint nobody else was fighting over, we came away with a fall day that felt genuinely fresh even after years of making this same trip.
The North Shore never really gets old. But it is worth reminding yourself every so often that the best version of a familiar place might be just one backroad turn away.
Pro tip: If you are heading up north for Fall colors on a weekend, leave early and be prepared for heavy traffic on the way home. Take the backroads when you can, skip the obvious crowd magnets like Lutsen on peak weekends, and look for viewpoints that require a little more effort to find. The reward is usually worth it.
