Duluth

Outdoor Duluth Facts
Here’s a place for the adventurous types to learn exactly what we offer, by the numbers.

105 municipal parks totaling 3,264 acres, plus:
– Two 27-hole golf courses.
– 41 tennis courts.
– 29 baseball/softball fields.
– 22 neighborhood recreation centers.
– 11 senior centers.
– 45 miles of snowmobile trails.
– 44 kilometers of cross-country ski trails.
– 8 self-guided hiking trails.
– Regional zoo.
Dozens of rivers and creeks within the city.
Secluded waterfalls throughout town.
Hartley Park is 975 acres; Barton Peak Forest Park is 2,775 acres. By comparison, New York’s Central Park is just 860 acres.
Rockclimbing opportunities throughout the city.
Home to the North Shore Scenic Drive, designated a National All American Road
30-mile scenic drive follows ancient shoreline 600 feet above the city.
Abundance of wildlife; including bear, deer and moose within city limits.
Fishing opportunities: salmon, lake trout, sturgeon, walleye, other big-water fish, plus the annual smelt run.
International sculpture garden features works from sister cities in Sweden, Russia, Canada and Japan.
Rose garden blooms with more than 40,000 roses.
Enger Tower overlooks the city and was dedicated by Crown Prince Olav of Norway.
Park Point beach is the world’s longest natural sand bar, jutting seven miles into Lake Superior.
Rated by Golf Digest (July ’98) as first in the nation for quality and accessibility in public golf.
Recognized by the Audubon Society, Hawk Ridge acts as a funnel for tens of thousands of migratory hawks, eagles and other birds of prey.
Some of the most vertical downhill skiing in the Midwest.
Gateway to Lake Superior’s scenic north shore.
– 2.5-hour drive to the Canadian border.
– Split Rock lighthouse.
– Gooseberry Falls State Park.
– Tettegouche State Park.
One-hour drive from the Iron Range.
– Largest open-pit mine in the world.
– Supplied the iron that built the nation.
Just over one-hour drive to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness/Quetico Canadian Provincial Park.
– Thousands of acres of untouched wilderness.
– Much of the area is accessible only by canoe and portage.

“State of the Air 2002” report places Duluth among the top 10 metropolitan areas in the United States with the least smog pollution according to data released by the American Lung Association from EPA Air Quality Index research.

Lake Superior Facts
Just how much is a quadrillion, anyway?

Largest freshwater lake in the world.
350 miles east to west, 160 miles north to south.
31,280 square surface miles.
Average depth: 483 feet.
Deepest point: 1,333 feet.
3 quadrillion gallons, or 2,900 cubic miles, of water.
Elevation: 600 feet above sea level; not to exceed 602 feet, as ordered by the International Join Commission.
Large enough to dramatically affect weather patterns in surrounding areas; in Duluth, that means warmer winters and cooler summers.
Final resting place for over 350 shipwrecks, including the famous Edmund Fitzgerald.
Shoreline length, including islands: 2,726 miles.
Empties into Lake Huron via the St. Mary’s River.
Is large enough to contain all the other Great Lakes, plus three additional lakes the size of Lake Erie.
Water flows into the lake from a drainage basin area of 49,300 square miles.
It would take 191 years for the rivers in the drainage basin to refill the lake.
Named by French explorers as le lac superieur, meaning upper lake.
Known for its clear, cold water and agate beaches.
Average water temp.: 40°F.
Could cover all of North America in water three feet deep.
Seasonal storms can lead to waves over 20 feet high.

Here are some quick facts about the hospitality options waiting for you in Duluth.

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Lodging

4,200 hotel rooms in the city.
Hotels, motels, lodges, cabins, bed & breakfast inns and campgrounds.
Downtown lodging facilities connected via skywalk.
Unique lodging opportunities; views of the lake, nestled in the northwoods, 100-year-old mansions, etc.
Advanced reservations recommended-Duluth fills up fast.

Dining

Wide variety of styles and flavors-from shore lunch to five star.
Ethnic, specialty or local cuisine options.
Vietnamese, Italian, Mexican, Indian, etc.
More than 50 restaurants within walking distance of downtown.
Home of the hotdish-Minnesota’s traditional fare!

Shopping

Hundreds of specialty shops: local artists, boutiques, etc.
Miller Hill Mall
– Upscale shopping.
– 200 shops.

Fitger’s Brewery Complex
– 1857 brewery filled with specialty shops.
Holiday Center Mall & Downtown Shopping District
– 100 shops connected by skywalk.
– Fine apparel, jewelry, quality toys and gift shops.

Canal Park Shops
– Quaint waterfront shopping.
– Regional art, outdoor clothing & gear, books, toys, gourmet cooking items, candy, antiques, etc.