I wonder if this has ever been true for you. Somewhere around mid-August, you realize that summer is almost over and you have yet to do most of your favorite summer activities. I don’t recall a summer when I wasn’t hit with this abrupt realization. At some point during the first five months of the year, I start making a Minnesota summer bucket list with everything I hope to experience that year. But inevitably, life gets busy. The to-do lists never end and then life throws in something unexpected. Weddings, graduations, and other celebrations fill our weekends. Then one day we wake up and wonder what happened to our short, but precious, Minnesota summer.
As I get a late start to planning this year’s summer adventures, I thought about the experiences I don’t want to miss. These six activities epitomize northeast Minnesota summers for me. In an attempt to inspire you to explore more of what northeast MN has to offer, I thought it would be fun to share my summer bucket list with you. Here are six things you should strive to do this summer.
Northeast Minnesota summer bucket list
1 – Camp in breathtaking places
I spent this winter exploring the mountains and deserts of the southeastern United States. While beautiful in its own right, I missed the beauty, seclusion, forests, and water that cover northeast Minnesota in abundance. From the Minnesota state parks and forests to the Superior National Forest, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), and Voyageurs National Park, there’s no shortage of epic places to camp.
If you’re new to camping, check out these beginner camping tips. You can learn more about camping in the Superior National Forest with this in-depth guide. And find out what it takes to plan a great BWCAW trip here.
2 – Find solitude on a remote hiking trail
One of the experiences I enjoy most during Minnesota summers is feeling completely alone on a remote hiking trail. Few things make me feel more present and alive. The smell and feel of walking through a pine forest is one of my favorite things. Listening to the call of a loon and the songs of chickadees while taking in the fleeting allure of wildflowers never gets old. And when the timing is right, I can’t resist freshly foraged blueberries and saskatoons.
There are plenty of opportunities to find solitude on the hundreds of miles of hiking trails throughout northeast Minnesota. While many trails are regularly crowded, like Bean and Bear Lakes, planning to hike on a weekday and starting early in the morning ensures you’ll have a quieter hike. But on my Minnesota summer bucket list are trails I’ve never hiked and rarely hear of. You can find these sections of trail in Minnesota state parks and forests, the Superior National Forest and BWCAW, and even the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT).
A little research goes a long way here. And here’s a secret pro tip just for you. When I’m researching an area, I keep detailed notes in my note application. That way I have easy access to my bucket list any time I’m looking for a new adventure in northeast Minnesota.
If you’re new to hiking, check out these five easy hikes on Minnesota’s North Shore. While they’re not the quietest routes, following these tips will help you avoid many of the crowds. Even though they’re busy, I’ve found solitude in every northeast Minnesota state park. You can learn more about hiking in Minnesota’s state parks and forests here. This guide to day hiking the Superior National Forest will blow you away with a plethora of trails you’ve never heard of. Finally, you can find quiet solitude on the SHT by choosing less popular and more challenging sections. You can learn more about hiking the SHT here and I highly recommend purchasing the most recent copy of their guidebook here.
3 – Swim in a lake
Jumping into a crisp northeast Minnesota lake on a hot summer day is always a memorable experience. As I’ve traveled throughout Minnesota and the United States, I’ve realized how lucky we are to have the clean and clear lakes that are common throughout the region. They’ve made me a bit of a water snob, commonly saying things like, “I wouldn’t eat fish out of there.” So, the next time you find yourself in northeast Minnesota, don’t forget to set aside time to swim in a lake.
4 – Enjoy a sunset paddle
“This is my favorite thing,” I inevitably say to my husband every time we’re on the water at sunset. Sometimes we’re out to catch fish for dinner. Other times we hop in the canoe to escape the unbearable bugs. But often we go out just to enjoy sunsets we’ll never forget.
Whether you’re headed out for a day trip or a sunset paddle, it’s important to keep water safety top of mind. The unfortunate reality is that every year there are dozens of water fatalities, many of which could have been prevented.
I once heard someone say, “The most experienced paddlers always wear their PFDs (Personal Floatation Device).” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve repeated that since. In recent years, we’ve upgraded our PFDs to allow us to have emergency supplies (aka a ditch kit) on us at all times. A web search will give you plenty of great ideas about what you should carry. This article is a great place to start. Finally, it’s important to understand and comply with all of Minnesota’s boating regulations which you can find here.
5 – Catch and eat fresh fish
The best meal I had last year wasn’t from a fancy restaurant or my well-stocked home kitchen and organic garden. The best meal I had was freshly foraged saskatoons and fresh caught lake trout cooked over a fire on a remote lake in the middle of the BWCAW. While my spouse could fish all day long, I prefer to only fish for what I intend to eat. That means knowing what fish to target by using the DNR’s Lake Finder tool to research the lakes I’ll be fishing before I go. I’m also very intentional about what I keep and quick to call it quits when we have everything we need for the next meal.
In addition to researching the lakes you’ll be fishing; you’ll also want to refresh your knowledge of the current Minnesota fishing regulations. And don’t forget to renew your license. Since we’re often in waters with trout, we add a trout stamp to our licenses every year.
6 – Marvel at the northern lights
Last fall, while I was recovering from and processing my SHT thru-hike in a Superior National Forest campground, I looked up and saw faint lights dancing in the sky. Since our cameras can see the aurora better than the naked eye, I held up my phone camera, and sure enough, it was a surprise northern lights show. I grabbed my tripod and ran down to the lake to try and capture some photos. Shortly after I settled in for the show, a pack of wolves serenaded me from a distance. This is the epitome of Northeast Minnesota bucket list magic.
In all honesty, I’ve slept through more epic northern lights displays than I’ve witnessed. So, for me, I find that my chances improve later in the season as the nights grow longer. Several apps provide aurora notifications and forecasts. But there’s nothing better than looking up while camping under the dark skies of northeast Minnesota and being surprised.
I’ve been fortunate to travel to many remarkable places over the previous two decades. But I’ve never found somewhere that offers the same feeling of home like the northeast corner of my home state of Minnesota. If you haven’t experienced any of these natural wonders, be sure an add them to your bucket list today. And if you have, I’m sure you’ve already added them to your own.
Holly Scherer is a Minnesota-based writer, photographer, outdoorswoman, and guide. She’s most at home in the great outdoors; camping, hiking, paddling, cycling, and gardening. When she’s not on an adventure, she and her husband live in the Twin Cities where they’re fond of saying, “home is where we store our outdoor gear.”