Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0, Aaron Carlson / Wikimedia Commons
Length
1 day
Total distance
169.5 mi
Driving time
3 h 32 min
Est. tolls
$0
Stops
4
Driving
Easy
Best months
Sep–Oct
Budget
$
A one-day, one-way drive from Minneapolis to Duluth that follows the St. Croix and then WI-35 through Wisconsin: 169.5 miles and 3 h 32 min of driving with no tolls, with Interstate State Park, Big Manitou Falls at Pattison State Park, lunch at Grandma's and the Aerial Lift Bridge.
Drive time3 h 32 min
Distance169.5 mi
Est. tolls$0
Interstate State Park: basalt gorge and glacial potholes on the St. Croix
Pattison State Park: 165-foot Big Manitou Falls
Aerial Lift Bridge: the Duluth landmark that rises for ships
The story
The straight shot to Duluth is I-35 almost the whole way. This route leaves the interstate behind for most of the day: you drive about 25 miles of freeway out of the Twin Cities, then it is river road and Wisconsin two-lane until the last few miles into Duluth.
The first stop is Interstate State Park at Taylors Falls, where the St. Croix River squeezes through a basalt gorge and more than 400 glacial potholes are a short walk from the car. From there MN-95 follows the river through Stillwater, then US-8 carries you into Wisconsin.
WI-35 is the heart of the day: about 90 miles of lakes, farms and pine woods through Luck, Frederic, Siren, Webster and Danbury, with little traffic. Near the end it runs straight into Pattison State Park, where Big Manitou Falls drops 165 feet into its gorge and a pedestrian tunnel under the highway leads to the overlooks.
Then it is a short run into Superior and across the harbor to Canal Park for a late lunch at Grandma's, a Duluth institution at the foot of the Aerial Lift Bridge, and an afternoon on the piers. The day is 169.5 miles and 3 h 32 min of driving, no tolls.
Day by day
1
Day 1 · 8 stops
Minneapolis to Duluth by the St. Croix and WI-35
Leave the Stone Arch Bridge at 8:10, see the potholes at Interstate State Park, drive WI-35 to Big Manitou Falls, then reach Canal Park for a late lunch at Grandma's and the Aerial Lift Bridge by about 4:22 p.m.
Logistics8:00 AM · 10 min
Start in Minneapolis: Stone Arch Bridge and Mill Ruins Park
The 1883 stone-arch railway bridge over the Mississippi at St. Anthony Falls is now a pedestrian and bicycle bridge; Mill Ruins Park sits beside it on the west bank. Stretch your legs on the bridge, fuel up and get going.
Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0, Runner1928 / Wikimedia Commons
Time
10 minutes to start
Stone Arch Bridge and Mill Ruins Park
102 Portland Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Season: Typically open year-round; check current dates
I-35W north, MN-36 east to Stillwater, MN-95 north along the St. Croix to Taylors Falls, then US-8 to Interstate State Park
I-35W and MN-36 east cover about 22 freeway miles out of the Twin Cities, then MN-95 takes over: 26 miles of two-lane road through Stillwater and up the St. Croix valley to Taylors Falls.
Basalt cliffs and more than 400 glacial potholes line the St. Croix gorge. Park by the visitor center and follow the Glacial Potholes Area trail, 0.5 miles one way on asphalt, rock and some stairs, to the world's deepest explored pothole. A state park vehicle permit is required.
Photo: CC BY 2.0, James St. John / Wikimedia Commons
Distance
0.5 mi
Time
About 70 minutes including the potholes walk and the river overlooks
Fee
$7
Parking
Park by the visitor center
Interstate State Park (Minnesota side), Taylors Falls
307 Milltown Road, Taylors Falls, MN 55084
Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Season: Typically open year-round; check current dates
US-8 east into Wisconsin, then WI-35 north through Luck, Frederic, Siren, Webster and Danbury to Pattison State Park
The long Wisconsin leg: cross the St. Croix on US-8 and follow WI-35 north for about 90 miles through Luck, Frederic, Siren, Webster and Danbury, with farms, lakes and pine woods and almost no freeway. Fuel up and swap drivers in Siren or Webster.
Big Manitou Falls is 165 feet high. From the main picnic area a pedestrian tunnel under WI-35 leads to 0.5 miles of short overlook trails with views of the falls from both sides of the river. A Wisconsin state park vehicle admission sticker is required.
Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0, Aaron Carlson / Wikimedia Commons
Distance
0.5 mi
Time
About 60 minutes for the tunnel, the overlooks and the river view
Fee
$16
Parking
Main picnic area
Pattison State Park (Big Manitou Falls)
Superior, WI
Hours: 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. year-round
Season: Typically open year-round; check current dates
Late lunch at Grandma's Saloon & Grill, Canal Park
A Canal Park fixture since 1976, at the foot of the Aerial Lift Bridge, serving stuffed sandwiches, burgers, wings and onion rings. Downstairs dining runs 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, so a 1:52 p.m. arrival fits. Check the current menu for prices.
Meal
Lunch
Cuisine
American saloon and grill (sandwiches, burgers, appetizers)
Grandma's Saloon & Grill (Canal Park)
522 Lake Avenue South, Duluth, MN 55802
Hours: Downstairs dining daily 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Season: Typically open year-round; check current hours
The Aerial Lift Bridge, 138 feet tall and 390 feet wide, rises to let ships through the Duluth Ship Canal. Walk the canal piers and the Lakewalk and watch for a vessel; the bridge lifts for ship traffic, and visitors can check the ship-watching schedule.
Photo: CC BY-SA 4.0, Mfield / Wikimedia Commons
Time
About 90 minutes for the piers, the Lakewalk and a ship arrival
Aerial Lift Bridge
Duluth, MN
Season: Typically open year-round; check current dates
Alternative route: Grantsburg and the WI-70 back roads
After Interstate State Park, stay on small roads: US-8, WI-87 and WI-48 through Grantsburg, then WI-70 to Siren and WI-35 north through Webster to Pattison State Park. Whole day from the Stone Arch Bridge: 177.4 miles and 225 min of driving, 7.9 miles and 13 min more than the main route, with the same ~25 freeway miles.
Alternative route
Alternative route: Grantsburg and the WI-70 back roads
After Interstate State Park, stay on small roads: US-8, WI-87 and WI-48 through Grantsburg, then WI-70 to Siren and WI-35 north through Webster to Pattison State Park. Whole day from the Stone Arch Bridge: 177.4 miles and 225 min of driving, 7.9 miles and 13 min more than the main route, with the same ~25 freeway miles.
Distance
177.4 mi
Drive time
3 h 45 min
Toll
$0
Via
I-35W, MN-36, MN-95 via Stillwater to Taylors Falls, US-8, WI-87, WI-48 via Grantsburg, WI-70, WI-35 via Siren and Webster to Pattison State Park, WI-35 and US-2 to Superior, I-35 into Duluth
Alternative finish: Skyline Parkway and Enger Tower
From Pattison, cross the harbor into Duluth on I-535, then climb onto Skyline Parkway, the hillside road above the city, to Enger Tower, a five-story stone observation tower in Enger Park, before dropping to Canal Park. This final leg is 22.4 miles and 38 min, 1.9 miles and 8 min more than the main finish.
Alternative route
Alternative finish: Skyline Parkway and Enger Tower
From Pattison, cross the harbor into Duluth on I-535, then climb onto Skyline Parkway, the hillside road above the city, to Enger Tower, a five-story stone observation tower in Enger Park, before dropping to Canal Park. This final leg is 22.4 miles and 38 min, 1.9 miles and 8 min more than the main finish.
Distance
22.4 mi
Drive time
38 min
Toll
$0
Via
WI-35, US-2 and Hammond Ave in Superior, I-535 and US-53 across the harbor, W 12th St, W Skyline Parkway, Enger Tower Drive (Enger Tower), back down W 3rd St and Lake Ave S
Assumption. Saturday, Oct 24, 2026 departure at 8:00 a.m. Both state parks are open daily and Grandma's downstairs dining is open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Rhythm. Legs of 65, 117 and 30 minutes: 169.5 miles and 3 h 32 min of driving, tolls $0. The 117-minute WI-35 leg is the long one: swap drivers and fuel in Siren or Webster.
Roads. About 25 of the 169.5 miles are freeway: 3.3 on I-35W and 18.8 on MN-36 leaving the Twin Cities, and 3.1 on I-35 into Duluth. The rest is MN-95, US-8 and WI-35, ordinary two-lane roads.
Food. Lunch is late (about 1:50 p.m.) because the Wisconsin stretch has no verified lunch stop here; eat a good breakfast, pack snacks or grab something in Luck, Frederic, Siren or Webster.
Late October. Late in the color season: expect bare hardwoods in places and some evergreen, tamarack and oak color. Dress in layers; the gorge overlooks are exposed.
Current conditions (as of 2026-10-22). Minnesota one-day state park vehicle permit is $7 (Interstate State Park); Wisconsin one-day vehicle admission is $16 with out-of-state plates, $13 with Wisconsin plates, rates effective Aug. 19, 2025 (Pattison). Duluth sunrise is about 7:39 a.m. and sunset about 6:06 p.m. on Oct 24; clocks go back Nov 1, after which the day ends in the dark earlier.
Confirm before you go. Hours and fees come from each operator's site; confirm before you leave.
Sources
Good to know: distances and drive times are typical figures without live traffic, and where routes are shown the route data comes from OpenStreetMap contributors. Toll amounts are estimates and change often, so check them in the DriftKin planner or with the toll authority before you plan around them. Opening hours, fees, prices, permits and closures also change, so confirm with the park or business before you go.
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