NORTHERN MINNESOTA
Duluth, the Arrowhead and Hwy-61
Best Time to Visit Minnesota
The Arrowhead, north of Duluth city, is the most popular region in Northern Minnesota. The famous Hwy-61 travels across the Arrowhead, bordering Superior Lake, and offering many family oriented resorts and sites with lots of hiking trails, ski trails, snowmobile, lakes, fishing, camping, swimming and boating. In the extreme north, in the border with Canada, the Voyageurs National Park is a top reference.
The remaining Northern Minnesota is mainly a frozen and wild region offering some excellent resorts focused on fishing, canoeing and snowmobiling.
See:
Best time to visit & travel to Northern Minnesota
When not to go to Northern Minnesota
What to visit the Northern Minnesota
Hotels and flights to Northern Minnesota
Map of Northern Minnesota
See also:
Best time to visit Minnesota
Best time to visit Southern Minnesota
Best time to visit Bloomington and the Mall of America
Best time to visit Minneapolis and St Paul, the Twin Cities
Central and southern Minnesota Map
Map of Northern Minnesota
For more details check out the map below:
Larger Map
WHAT TO VISIT IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA
Bordering the Hwy 61 and Lake Superior, in north Duluth you will find idyllic views and excellent resorts for camping, fishing, canoeing, snowmobiling, skiing and hiking. Grand Marais, a small city in Hwy 61, is a major hub in this region (as it is Duluth).
West of Grand Marais, between this town and Ely, you will find the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and the Gunflit Trail. The Iron Range is another highlight in this region.
More in the North, the Voyageurs National Park (near International Falls) is a prime travel site for skiers and snowmobilers (in winter) and for lake-wild life lovers (there are daily cruises from early May to late September in the Rainy Lake).
BEST TIME TO VISIT NORTHERN MINNESOTA
Summer is the best time to visit Northern Minnesota, namely July and August, unless you want to enjoy winter sports and outdoors.
Some activities (cruises in lakes...) are often limited to the spring-Autumn period.
June and September are also good options, but meteorological conditions are much more unstable. The possibilities of snow and harsh meteorological conditions are high even in Spring and Autumn.
Visitors should bring layers of clothing and rain gear, and lake-sports lovers should bring both wet and dry suits, even during Summer (weather is rather changeable).
Summer temperatures around 75-80ºF (24-27ºC) during the day and 55ºF (13ºC) at night.
WHEN NOT TO GO TO NORTHERN MINNESOTA
Winter temperatures of -10ºF/-24ºC are very common. So, avoid the winter months, unless you are a snow-sports lover.
Also avoid months such as April and May, or October and November - winter harshness and disruptions may easily extend to this period. Even winter sports may be disrupted by the severity of the weather.
HOTELS AND FLIGHTS TO THE NORTHERN MINNESOTA
Most of Northern Minnesota's lodging are family-run small hotels and cottages designed for small groups.
The main airport in Northern Minnesota is locateed in Duluth (Duluth International Airport). The Hibbing Airport is also an option (as it is the Twin Cities International Airport, serving Minneapolis and St Paul: most of Northern Arrowhead resorts are located three or four hours north of the Twin Cities and one or two hours north of Duluth).
