Lake Superior Quick Road Trip-

 Lake Superior

July 2022

Did you know that the great lakes contain about 20% of the earth’s fresh water? Today, I am writing specifically about a trip to Lake Superior. Well, I guess it was more of a detour after taking care of some family business in Wisconsin.

My home base is in Northern Utah. My wife, sister and I decided to take the Ford Expedition and make a quick trip to Wisconsin and then head up the North Shore of Minnesota. We left mid day Sunday and drove pretty much non stop, except for food and gas, until we got into southern Wisconsin. We had left with good timing so I asked my company if they would mind if I stopped and took another detour near Wamsutter, WY and try to locate a few pieces of Turritella Agate. I tried to follow some pointers and directions that I found online, but I’m sure we all know how that goes with limited time. Throw in multiple back roads and it can really cost some time when exploring new areas which is why it’s always best to try and give yourself plenty of time. Despite, the timing, roads, and directions I was using, I was able to locate a few pieces that I felt were nice, but I left the area thirsty for more and that will be another adventure for another time. After on hour and a half or so, we got back on the interstate and headed to Wisconsin. I enjoy driving through Wyoming. We were fortunate to drive through some small thunderstorms in the Wyoming desert, which is awesome to see as long as things don’t get too crazy while you’re driving. There is wildlife all over the place and very few people in this region of the country. I often find mule deer right off the side of the road and of course there are antelope everywhere. There were a couple of mature mule deer bucks with their soft looking velvet antlers feeding on a hill as we kept heading east. The sun was setting behind us as we neared Laramie, WY. Wyoming desert sunsets with scattered thunderstorms are a sight to see and worth pulling over for and taking a few  pictures. I also like to inhale the fresh air with the scent of desert rain. It’s invigorating. We got to Nebraska in the dark and continued to drive through. Nebraska is a looooooooooooooong state and most of the terrain appears to be the same, although we did not see it in the dark this trip. Lots of whitetail deer start to pop out of the thick woods and into the field in the mornings and evenings here. As morning time came, we made it to Iowa, and I’ll just say green, corn, and beans in July. We did stop at a Fazzoli’s restuarant in Dubuque before crossing the Mississippi River. Man I love those breadsticks and it definitely hit the spot for that time during the trip. It was enjoyable to eat it on a bench along a bike path near the Mississippi. Such an amazing river. I feel the bridges are also fascinating every time I cross them. After driving for about 20 hours, we finally got to our hotel in Wisconsin. After taking care of some personal things, we left the next day headed further north toward Silver Bay, MN. It was an additional 6 hour drive.  

Now I’m going to make it clear, the main reason I wanted to come up this way was to see if I could find any Lake Superior Agates. I made this clear to my wife and sister as I knew they may not enjoy waiting on me as I searched to fulfill my lusts for nature’s bounty. Neither had a problem and both seemed excited to see the North Shore of Minnesota.  As I was driving North I started seeing many dirt roads and recalled in researching that many people will find the Superior Agates where ever there is gravel around so I decided the next dirt road I came to I was going to pull off and take a look. I got out and started walking over the dirt looking on top of the road to see if anything stood out and I came back with a handful of rocks that I thought might look neat if tumbled and one Lake Superior agate. I believe the other were a type of Chert, but I am not positive. I was very excited to have found a small nicely banded Superior Agate and was hoping for more, but when I got back to the car I told the girls that I would expect that I wouldn’t find a nicer agate during the trip and I was right. Lake Superior Agates are very unique and can have some amazing colors and bands on them. They often wash up along the shorelines after heavy winds, but the area gets hit very hard during the summer. I was able to speak with a few locals and they told me the best way to find the agates along the North Shore was to find gravel beaches and dig. Most of them would be small, but bigger ones are found occasionally through digging. I was also told that typically the best time of year to find them, is during the colder months when there are more storms and less people. 

Lake Superior was amazing. There were things about it that reminded me of the Oregon Coast. The Lake looks like an ocean and the water was extremely clear. With only a half a day to explore, I know I didn’t even scratch the surface of things to do here. There are miles upon miles of beaches. Lots of waterfalls, hikes, fishing, and trails for bike riding. I also stopped at the Beaver Bay Agate Shop in Beaver Bay. Very cool rock shop and I couldn’t resist purchasing some extra agate rough for a tumble with the kids to watch them shine up and find some of that banding that pops. I might have also bought some Superior Agates that were tumbled. These agates are some of my favorites that I have seen. I’m also going to add that when I first started looking for where to look for agates around Beaver Bay, it was difficult to find access since there is a private road that heads down toward the beaches. It took some walking around, but I was able to eventually find a path Northeast of the bridge that crosses Beaver River that will drop down onto a gravel beach. There is a sign that states that it is private property, but it is accessible to the public and they ask you to respect the property. I don’t know whose land that is , but I throw out a huge thank you for allowing myself and the public on that property. Please be respectful of all property access and clean up any trash that might be found. Another stop we made was a lighthouse called Split Rock Lighthouse, where we were able to go into the lighthouse. which is something I haven’t done before. There was an admission charge, but I feel if you have never been inside a lighthouse, it was well worth it. There is additional beach access when you pay the admission as well. I would have liked to explore this more, but time was limited. Gooseberry Falls State Park is also along this stretch of road and is a very unique stretch of river with a few waterfalls and they allow people to play in the water including walking under the water. The water in the river looked very stained, but there were several families and groups enjoying different falls. I would love to hear from those who know this area better as I will definitely be heading back and I know I missed so much in the little time we had. Next time, it will be for more than a morning.