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The city of Duluth, Minnesota is considered one of the best travel destinations for outdoor enthusiasts in the US. In Duluth, things to do must include trips to natural attractions, because the city offers an abundance of great environments for various exciting outdoor activities. BBonline recommends these 2 Duluth wilderness expeditions.
Superior National Forest
8901 Grand Avenue Place
Duluth, Minnesota 55808
(218) 626-4300
www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/superior/
The Superior National Forest is one of the top ten most visited national forests in the country. It is situated close to the US-Canada border, in an area called the Arrowhead Region. The park covers a total area of more than 3.9 million acres, which is comprised of wooded areas and water bodies. Surface water makes up around 445,000 acres of the forest, and this provides excellent opportunities for you to perform activities such as boating and fishing. There is a reserve called the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, which features rivers and interconnected lakes that are ideal for canoeing. Anglers will find a wide variety of fish species in the waters, including northern pike, walleye, lake trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass and others.
The wooded areas are filled with fir, pine and spruce trees, and they are home to animals such as moose, deer, black bears and the rare gray wolves. There are also many hiking trails and campgrounds in the forest if you want to spend time bonding with nature. You can also visit historic structures in the forest, and these include the Kekakabic Forest Guard cabin, the Prairie Portage cabin and the Sawbill Guard cabin. If you are vacationing in Duluth, things to do must include an expedition to the Superior National Forest, because it has so many interesting activities to offer. There are also a number of Duluth Bed and Breakfast options in and around the forest.
Hawk Ridge
3980 East Skyline Parkway
Duluth, Minnesota 55808
(218) 428-6209
www.hawkridge.org
The Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory is known as one of the best hawk-watching spots in North America during autumn. Every year, an average of more than 90,000 raptors will fly past Hawk Ridge between August and November. Some of the raptors that you can see from the observatory include American kestrels, broad-winged hawks, sharp-shinned hawks, red-tailed hawks, rough-legged hawks, northern goshawks, bald eagles, golden eagles and vultures. Rarely, hawk-watchers can catch sight of the gyrfalcon, and the peregrine falcon as well. From the observatory, you can watch these fascinating birds flying along the ridge, sometimes at eye level.
The best time to go hawk-watching in Hawk Ridge is between the middle of September to the end of October, because this is the period of time when peak migration occurs. Some days, hundreds or thousands of raptors can be seen flying past the ridge. For tourists in Duluth, things to do usually include a trip to this observatory, because it offers a rare opportunity for people to see the beauty of hawk migration. If you wish to visit the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory, you can ask the staff at your Duluth Inn for driving directions.