Another 175 miles in an almost due south direction got me to Duluth, Minnesota.  This was a planned stop on my 2022 trip that I dropped due to a combination of high mileage and travel fatigue at the end of the eight week adventure.  Back on the itinerary for this year.  I wanted to see this city and Lake Superior, neither of which I have previously visited.  I stayed at Jay Cooke State Park, which is located about 20 miles southwest of Duluth.  A beautiful park in an area of geography that I found surprising, the best thing about the campground is the new bathhouse that was situated only about 100 feet from my site.  The St. Louis River with its beautiful rapids flowing over ancient stones is a key feature of the park. 

One thing that surprised me about Duluth was the terrain.  I expected it to be relatively flat, but the western shore of Lake Superior is formed by tall hills that rise at least a couple hundred feet and provide beautiful vistas of both the lake and the downtown Duluth skyline.  Duluth has a very vibrant area on the lake that is made up of restaurants and shops, and we spent an afternoon checking out that area. 

Duluth was the second location on this trip where I had a friend meet me and provide company for part of the journey.  After three weeks of exploring on my own, having someone to explore with was a welcomed change.  Unfortunately, the weather on our final day in Duluth was gray and damp and did not lend itself to lots of exploring or outdoor activities.  Duluth seemed to be a nice city, albeit one that has a frustrating amount of extensive highway construction in the downtown area.  I don’t feel as though I experienced the best it has to offer, and while it was enjoyable, this visit did not live up to expectations.