Easy:

The Lakewalk. A paved pathway leading from Canal Park all the way to Brighton Beach on the northern outskirts of the city, the Lakewalk is a must-do stroll for taking in waterfront scenery in Duluth. The most popular section, from Canal Park to 21 st Avenue East, is entirely along the water’s edge.

Park Point beach. Minnesota Point is the slender, seven-mile-long sand bar (the world’s largest baymouth bar) on the other side of Duluth’s aerial bridge. The neighborhood of Park Point is here, and the entire beach on the lake side is accessible and open to the public. Access points range from cross-streets to the beach house at the Park Point Recreation Area located near the far end of the point. One caveat: steer clear of any three-leaved vegetation. Poison ivy is a common ground cover here, but easy to avoid, if you know it’s there.

Waabizheshikana Trail. Contouring the edge of the estuary beneath Spirit Mountain Recreation Area, this trail is located well away from the lake (so it is often 10 degrees warmer here) and features incredible river and wetland views, including waterfowl and other birds. No hills!

Moderate to challenging:

Hawk Ridge. This hilltop path is part of the Duluth Traverse mountain bike trail, but also a multi-use trail, so shared by boots and bikes. It features incredible lookouts over east Duluth neighborhoods and Lake Superior. One of the most spectacular autumn bird migrations in North America occurs annually along this ridge, right around the time you will be here!

Congdon Park. A short, hidden gem of a trail, best accessed from 4 th Street, featuring catwalks over a creek in a tight, remarkably secluded canyon. https://duluthmn.gov/parks/parks-listing/congdon-park/

Hartley Park, Chester Park, or Lester Park. All of these Duluth city parks have extensive and beautiful trail systems (the Superior Hiking Trail passes through all three). Lester features river and waterfall views, Chester follows a steep cascading creek down the hill and then back up the other side. Hartley is forested hills and wet meadows, but with a great lookout from Rock Knob. There is also a perfectly flat and relatively straight trail at Hartley along Old Hartley Road. https://duluthmn.gov/parks/parks-listing/

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