Wildest Coast along the Great Lakes?

[Frank Petronio]

I live a few miles from Lake Ontario, which doesn't really have any unpopulated wild-looking coastline except for a few smaller parks on the US side.... I'm just wondering, where is the wildest shoreline along the Great Lakes?

I'm thinking of the scenes at the end of the movie "Road to Perdition" -- wherever that was? Somewhere North of Chicago....

I imagine it might be the South shore of the Canadian side on Superior, but what is the wildest shore on the US side? And where are some of the gems near more populated areas?

[Brook Martin]

North of Duluth on Minnesota's North Shore. Rugged rocky shorelines.

[Walter Calahan]

North of Duluth on Minnesota's North Shore. Rugged rocky shorelines all the way to Canada. Worth the adventure. Did it 7 years ago.

[evan clarke]

North of Duluth on Minnesota's North Shore. Rugged rocky shorelines.

Here'san example..EC

[vinny]

Lake Superior north of Sault Saint. Marie Ontario, the further north you go, the better. Oops, you said U.S. side, my bad. I don't like the end of that movie
because they used ocean sounds instead of lake michigan waves for the audio track. Listen, it's very obvious.

[Frank Petronio]

As opposed to Northern Michigan?

[gregstidham]

Has anyone seen the Michigan Dunes? I always see the sign, but I have never made time to stop. Maybe Frank wants something wilder. I'm curious anyhow.

[Frank Petronio]

Oh I am just thinking about Summer/Fall adventures, I think I need to drive to Minneapolis for some work and from there go exploring on my way back East. I am thinking about going via Canada too.

[BradS]

northern Minnesota...definitely. Way more wild than the UP.

[Darryl Baird]

Northern Michigan:
1) Sleeping Bear (400 ft high) Sand Dunes, 2) Pictured Rocks is ok too, 3) I remember Porcupine Mountains were very steep and rocky, Presque Isle is ok.

found this photo (http://tinyurl.com/46qs3t)

have fun

[bob carnie]

Frank

The home of the greatest hockey player of all time *no not Wayne Gretsky* is a good starting point.

Parry Sound, Ontario all the way up the coast line is quite impressive. Say your a friend of Bobby Orrs and you may get a few pints of beer brought your way.

Up around Killarney area is magical territory as well.

[jdavis]

Second the motion for Northern Minnesota - lots of state parks along the shoreline with great hikes along the rivers - good waterfalls and streambeds in addition to the rocky shorelines.

Also some wonderful pebble beaches.

In addition - the Superior National Forest has some great wilderness to go wandering in - chase some moose! The Superior Hiking trail is a great place to start, or go to the Lutsen Ski resort and take a ski-gondola up to the top of the mountains and start walking.

Don't ignore the town of Grand Marais - lots of cute buildings and a great wood boat building school that always had neat photo opportunities.

Lastly - Isle Royal National Park - very beatiful and rugged. It looks like parts of coastal Alaska.

[Brook Martin]

If time permitted a few days in the Boundry Waters Canoe Area could be easily had. Take a left on the Gunflint Trail at Grand Marais. Outfitter are everywhere and can set you up with everything you need. Talk about some killer fishing...

[Jerry Flynn]

Frank,

If you are driving back East from Minnesota and have time, take the long way through Canada over the top of Lake Superior through Thunder Bay to Sault St. Marie. Until the Trans Canada Highway (Rt 17) opened in the early 1960's there was no way to get there other than by water. It is, therefore, pretty wild: not a lot of towns etc.

[Chilidog]

I'm headed up to Minnesota's north shore in August.

I plan on testing out some new (well actually used, but new for me) equipment.

That is until the family gets tired of waiting for mer to "take the darned picture, already" ;)

[Heroique]

Lastly - Isle Royal National Park - very beautiful and rugged. It looks like parts of coastal Alaska.

The poster above just resurrected this 2008-era thead, but since we’re now in the middle of the 2011 travel season...

Yes, Isle Royal is the wildest shoreline of the Great Lakes – if the least accessible.

The Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore is quite wild for being so easy to access. Even if you see shoreline industry in one direction. One of the “gems” near a populated area. Just a stone’s throw from Chicago.

[domaz]

Porcupine Mountain State Park is a really nice park in the UP with rugged coastline and hills (not mountains by Western standards though). It has many long backpackable trails. Haven't been there in years though.

[Mark Sampson]

Frank-
did you ever get up that way?

[Frank Petronio]

No, never did but I like collecting reference material for future trips ;-p

[Alan McConnell]

Up around Sleeping Bear Dunes area, take the ferry over to North or South Manitou Islands. North is more wild than the South. If there is a distant storm on the lake, the boat ride can be very wild and fun, unless you get sea sick.

[Zaitz]

I can't speak for other parts of the Great Lakes but the North Shore in MN has been great to me. Steady 30+mph winds:

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5624019810_af7d364d79_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/zboumeester/5624019810/in/photostream/)

That was at a good 15 foot drop down into the water too. Nothing like getting blasted by ice water and wind in April, that was fun. A bit slippery though.

[jeroldharter]

If you are looking for a short trip out of Minneapolis, the Lake Superior shore north of Duluth is really your only choice unless you want to drive forever. There are several state parks along the route.

Depending on time of year and your luck, the bugs can be impressive. I try to be careful not to let bugs inside the bellows.

Michigan is far afield from Minneapolis. The north shore of Wisconsin has some nice areas: Apostle Islands, Madeline Island, Bayfield. Isle Royale NP is more for backpacking. I went there years ago before there was a hotel and it was a miserable slog in August.

[chassis]

My list of Great Lakes shorelines:

- Lake Superior shore north of Duluth (as mentioned)
- Porcupine Mountains area of Michigan's upper peninsula
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan's UP
- Presque Isle Harbor, Presque Isle, Michigan (northern lower peninsula)
- North Channel / northern Georgian Bay

[Two23]

The Canadian shore of Lake Michigan is very, very wild. So wild there are no roads. There is an area that has some roads called "Thousand Islands" or something like that, west of Toronto. Rent a house boat and you might go days and not see another soul. The Arrowhead of MN is very nice, and leaves are supposed to be spectacular this year.


Kent in SD

[John Clifford]

"The Canadian shore of Lake Michigan is very, very wild."

MMmmm!! I bet those Michigan folk are really wild about the recent annexation of their land by the warlike Canadians.

[aduncanson]

I am relieved to learn that it is not Wisconsin that is occupied by Canadians. I would hate to think that foreigners have control of so much of our beer production.

Oh Yeah, they do.