The FINAL DAY of our Lake Superior Bike Tour! We did it! We biked around the world’s largest lake! We bike 106 miles from Kenton, Michigan, through Wakefield, Bessemer, and Ironwood. Across Northern Wisconsin on Highway 2, through the Kakagon and Bad River Sloughs, and finally back into Ashland, WI. Plus our tips for biking in heat and humidity!

While biking through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan on our Lake Superior Circle Tour, we were for the most part away from the shore of Lake Superior, rolling through the deep forests and waters of the Northwoods. We started off Day 18 of our cycling tour on the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, passing through the mining communities of Negaunee and Ishpeming. Later we discovered the most “Yooper” bar in the entire U.P….you don’t want to miss it!

Sometimes you encounter the weirdest roadside attractions while bike touring. On our Lake Superior Circle Tour, we discovered Lakenenland, a quirky junkyard sculpture garden, while biking from Au Train to Negaunee, Michigan. We also spent time cycling on the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, visiting the Ore Dock in Marquette, and sipping craft brews at Ore Dock Brewing Company.

One of the best things about bike touring is trying local delicacies along the way. When you are in the U.P. of Michigan, you have to try a pasty! On Day 16 of our Lake Superior Circle Tour, we started at Luce County Campground, biked along the Fox River and through the Seney National Wildlife Refuge, passed through Munising, and ended our day in Au Train.

The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is full of picture perfect sandy beaches and roaring waterfalls. It’s a wonderful part of the Lake Superior Circle Tour, but bike touring on M-28 can be sketchy. See our complete route for bike touring through the Hiawatha National Forest, Tahquamenon Falls State Park, and the woods and wetlands of the UP. Plus our recommendations for a cheap campground for cyclists!

On Day 14 of our Lake Superior Bike Tour we crossed the Soo Locks on the Sault International Bridge and reentered the US after spending nine days cycling through Canada. In this blog post, we discuss what it’s like to go through customs on a bike, our favorite spots in the Hiawatha National Forest, a great sandy swimming spot on Lake Superior, and a free campsite along the North Country Trail.

Apple fritters the size of your face! Rain! and finally getting off the Trans-Canada Highway! The last stretch of our Lake Superior Circle Tour in Canada took us to the easternmost city on Lake Superior, Sault Ste. Marie, or “The Soo.” Read about our favorite restaurant on the Lake Superior Circle Tour, a great bike shop for touring cyclists, and a good cheap place to stay in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

Biking around Lake Superior takes you through some of the most beautiful country in Ontario. Lake Superior Provincial Park is one of the most amazing places to visit on the Lake Superior Circle Tour, from sandy beaches to dark and dreamy inland lakes, you won't run of places you'll want to explore. Plus we found a secret cove just outside the park where you can camp for free in a grove of cedars.

Biking from White River to Wawa, Ontario was one of our favorite portions of the Lake Superior Circle Tour. One of our favorite roadside attractions around Lake Superior is the giant Wawa Goose. Lake Superior Provincial Park after Wawa is one of the most beautiful places to bike around Wawa. Make sure to stop and swim at Old Woman Bay. Plus our review of Rabbit Blanket Campground.

The Trans-Canada Highway from Marathon to White River diverges from the shore of Lake Superior. The environment gets hotter and drier and the logging industry in the surrounding area means that cyclists have to combat dozens of trucks on Highway 17. White River is the home of Winnie the Pooh, and of course, we didn’t miss the opportunity to stop at a quirky Lake Superior Circle Tour Attraction. Plus our review of free campsites for cyclists near White River, Ontario.

Day 9 of our Lake Superior Bike Tour took us from Terrace Bay to Marathon, Ontario on the Trans-Canada Highway. This section of the Lake Superior Circle Tour is wild and remote. We ended at a free campsite in Marathon, Ontario--Pebble Beach. This beautiful cobble beach is our favorite beach on the entire Lake Superior Circle Tour and one of our favorite places that we camped.

Day 8 of our bike tour around Lake Superior took us from Nipigon to Terrace Bay on the Trans-Canada Highway. Along the way, we stopped at Gravel River, Pays Plat, Rossport Beach, Aguasabon Falls, and the Terrace Bay Lighthouse. We camped for the night at a free campsite on Terrace Bay Beach. We also encountered construction along the Trans-Canada, and we have some tips for how to deal with construction while biking around Lake Superior.

Biking from Thunder Bay to Nipigon is the most challenging and dangerous part of biking around Lake Superior. This is the busiest stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway, and there is very little shoulder to bike on. We’ve got all the details about cycling from Thunder Bay to Nipigon and the road and shoulder conditions on Highway 17, and some tips for how you can stay safe. Plus our review of the free campsite at Kama Bay Lookout.

Day 5 and 6 of our Lake Superior Bike Tour took us from Grand Marais to Grand Portage. We climbed Mt. Josephine, biked up Highway 61 and crossed the Canadian Border on our bikes. We headed into the Thunder Bay, Ontario, the biggest city on the Lake Superior Circle Tour. Read about our bike route into Thunder Bay and our recommendations for bike shops, lodging, and the best Canadian food you’ll find on the Lake Superior Bike Tour.

Our bike route on Day 4 of our Lake Superior Circle Tour took us from Silver Bay to just north of Grand Marais, MN. Cycling the North Shore is one of the best bike routes, taking you along the rocky shores of the worlds largest freshwater lake. While biking north on Highway 61 and the Gitchi Gami State Trail, you’ll pass Palisade Head, Tettegouche State Park, Cross River Falls, Temperance River State Park, the Kadunce River, and the deep boreal forests of Minnesota. Plus a weird mini golf-goat combo place.

In many ways, Minnesota’s North Shore is a destination for recreational and hard core cyclists alike. Read more about our Lake Superior Bike Tour route from Duluth to Silver Bay on Highway 61 and the Gitchi-Gami State Trail, including fun stops like Two Harbors, Silver Creek Cliff Tunnel, Gooseberry Falls, Black Beach, and more.

Here’s our bike route from Brule River to Duluth on the Lake Superior Circle Tour, including navigating Superior, Wisconsin on bike and crossing the bridge into Duluth, Minnesota as a cyclist. We felt accomplished on Day 2 of our Lake Superior bike tour, entering a new state and checking off a few of the breweries on the Lake Superior Ale Trail. And we built a new dynamo bike wheel! Plus read about our first ever Warmshowers stay…

Day 1 of our Lake Superior Bike Tour took us from Ashland, Wisconsin to the banks of the Brule River. We battled deer flies and heat as we cycled across the Bayfield Peninsula. We swam at Corny Beach, painted in Port Wing, and drank ice cold water from free-flowing artesian wells. Read all the details about our Chequamegon Bay bike route right here.