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OUTDOOR ADVENTURES
Hike or snowshoe the scenic Superior Hiking Trail, named one of the top 10 trails in the country by Backpacker Magazine. The newest segment of this famous North Shore trail passes a mere 4 blocks from the A.G. Thomson House along Tischer Creek, where tall white pines and tumbling waterfalls down a steep ravine will make you feel like you're a hundred miles from civilization. Ultimately the Tischer Creek trail will be part of a 45 mile segment of the Superior Hiking Trail winding through Duluth's bountiful green space of forested hillsides and rocky overlooks. The tranquility and stunning views are certain to make it one of the most incredible streches of urban wilderness trail in the country.
The Duluth area has some AWESOME cross country ski trails – many with breathtaking views of Lake Superior and the St. Louis River Valley. Some are even lit for night skiing. Five City of Duluth trails and the Spirit Mountain Cross Country Center provide 65K for every level of skier. Or check out the trails at the privately operated Snowflake Nordic Center. Just over the bridge in the 4,500 acre Superior Municipal Forest you'll find 26K of well-groomed diagonal and skate trails through magestic white pines. If that's not enough, SkinnySki.com lists hundreds of kilometers of additional ski trails just a short drive away.
Don't forget to bring your bikes! One of the best of Minnesota's many great rails-to-trails, the Willard Munger State Trail, originates (or ends) less than 15 minutes from the inn. Not only is this northern end of the 69-mile trail the most scenic segment, but the nice gradual climb out of Duluth along the St. Louis River means it's all downhill coming home! Or drive just an hour or so up the North Shore to sample an initial segment of one of Minnesota's newest bike trails, the Gitchi-Gami State Trail. When fully completed, the Gitchi-Gami will be an 86-mile paved trail linking Two Harbors and Grand Marais.
View one of nature's remarkable spectacles each autumn just a few miles from the inn at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. Reluctant to cross the vast expanse of Lake Superior, some 20 species of migrating raptors and vultures concentrate in impressive numbers at its western tip in the skies above Hawk Ridge. Managed by the Duluth Audubon Society, Hawk Ridge is one of the best sites in the United States to witness this annual flight. Peak migration occurs from the second week in September through the third week of October.
Visit Duluth's new Hartley Nature Center. Hartley Park is 660 acres of forests, fields, ponds and wetland communities with rocky outcrops and views of Lake Superior. The nature center opened in Summer, 2003, and features several elements of sustainable building design – including a ground source heat pump, and solar panels that will produce more electricity than the building uses.
Swing away at one of many nearby golf courses – including city-owned Lester Park and Enger Park, Lakeview National in Two Harbors, Nemadji just across the bridge in Superior, and Black Bear just south of Duluth in Carlton. Or take a scenic drive of just over an hour and test your skills on the highly regarded courses at Giants Ridge or Superior National at Lutsen.
Take a ride on the North Shore Scenic Railroad. (218-722-1273 or 800-423-1273)
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