Planning on taking Circle tour around Lake Superior in the spring starting Ste. Sault Marie. Our thoughts are to do it in mid to late May. Is that a good time to go in terms of bugs, crowds, weather etc.? Also at that time are the Provincial and RV campgrounds open then? Any must see/do things?Thanks to all who share their knowledge.

Might be a little early, many times the ice gets off the northern Minn. lakes in mid May. I know this because I go up for the fishing opener in mid May and the weather is usually terrible as in cold and wet. I wouldn't go before June.Brian

^^^^ what he said. The northern lower peninsula is getting decent in late May. The insects can be pure heck but it depends on the year and the area. I have camped near Whitefish point on Superior and not able to leave the camper. Packed up and headed south. Grand Marai is pretty and a big kayaking spot. Just open Superior water but seems many like to kayak there.Do picture Rocks, the boat tour, swim at the base of Miners Rock. There is a glass bottom boat tour out of Munising that was interesting. There is a hiking trail in the P Rocks area that goes out to Superior. The shore is all flat rock with waist deep water. A short distance out it drops off 40 feet or so to rippled sand. I believe it's called Mosquito falls. What I just talked about would be best to do in July and August as Superior is never warm anywhere. It's beautiful as you go west along the shore and over to Copper country and down to the Porcupine Mts.

I live near Duluth and and used to live in the U.P. I have travelled up the North Shore (Hwy 61) many times up to the Canadian border. If you can change your plans, I would suggest that you do the circle tour in late August or in the fall. As others have said, depending on how late the spring is, you may still find ice on inland lakes, and the bugs will be coming out around that time. They really don't subside until about August (depending on how wet the summer is, the dryer the less bugs). By September, they are pretty much gone. Also, in August, you get the benefit of better weather. Of course in early May, the many waterfalls are at their strength with all the spring snowmelt, so that is nice to see. If you come in May or June, bring bug spray with lots of DEET and a mosquito headnet. Our mosquitos and black flies just love out-of-state blood types!

On the Canadian side I would recommend doing Lake Superior Provincial Park (Agawa Bay)and Sleeping Giant Provincial Park. At Agawa, I would personally get a beach front site, great sunsets and the wind off the lake will keep the bugs in check. They are both easily near the top of my list of favorite parks in Ontario. The Trans Canada highway from the Sault to Wawa is some of the most scenic driving in the east, but I cannot imagine it being nearly as nice before the trees have bloomed. I can say that the bugs in central and northern Ontario are fierce in the spring. Having grown up in it and being one of the more bug tolerant people in my family, I find the spring black fly season nothing short of torture. If you have even the slightest concern about Mosquitos or Black Flies, I would not consider it (as previously stated) before August. For me the ideal camping season for the north is around July to the first snow.

Bugs be damned we are planning an around Superior trip this spring into summer as well but doing it in a clockwise fashion.We have done 3 Alaskan trips so we know a thing or 2 about bugs. Smear on the deet, get some smoke going from a fire & don't let the bugs win.

Lake Superior Circle tour | Good Sam Community

13 Replies

dewey02
Explorer II
Jan 14, 2015
I live near Duluth and and used to live in the U.P. I have travelled up the North Shore (Hwy 61) many times up to the Canadian border. If you can change your plans, I would suggest that you do the circle tour in late August or in the fall.

As others have said, depending on how late the spring is, you may still find ice on inland lakes, and the bugs will be coming out around that time. They really don't subside until about August (depending on how wet the summer is, the dryer the less bugs). By September, they are pretty much gone. Also, in August, you get the benefit of better weather. Of course in early May, the many waterfalls are at their strength with all the spring snowmelt, so that is nice to see.

If you come in May or June, bring bug spray with lots of DEET and a mosquito headnet. Our mosquitos and black flies just love out-of-state blood types!
azrving
Explorer
Jan 14, 2015
^^^^ what he said. The northern lower peninsula is getting decent in late May. The insects can be pure heck but it depends on the year and the area. I have camped near Whitefish point on Superior and not able to leave the camper. Packed up and headed south.

Grand Marai is pretty and a big kayaking spot. Just open Superior water but seems many like to kayak there.
Do picture Rocks, the boat tour, swim at the base of Miners Rock. There is a glass bottom boat tour out of Munising that was interesting. There is a hiking trail in the P Rocks area that goes out to Superior. The shore is all flat rock with waist deep water. A short distance out it drops off 40 feet or so to rippled sand. I believe it's called Mosquito falls. What I just talked about would be best to do in July and August as Superior is never warm anywhere. It's beautiful as you go west along the shore and over to Copper country and down to the Porcupine Mts.
Cobra21
Explorer
Jan 14, 2015
Might be a little early, many times the ice gets off the northern Minn. lakes in mid May. I know this because I go up for the fishing opener in mid May and the weather is usually terrible as in cold and wet. I wouldn't go before June.

Brian

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Lake Superior Circle tour

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