Downtown Waterfront and ‘Runseeing’ Tour

Downtown Duluth sits right on Lake Superior, and there are wonderful opportunities to enjoy a series of waterfront paths and some of the city’s downtown highlights. Enjoy a special post-run treat at Caribou Coffee or the Canal Park Brewing Company!

Our route starts in the Canal Park area (though you can adjust to start anywhere convenient on the loop). Begin with a ~1 mile tour of Bayfront Park, which includes the Great Lakes Aquarium, Convention Center, Symphony Hall, and DECC Arena. The head back north along the Superior Hiking Trail along the water, crossing over to Canal Park using the pedestrian Minnesota Slip Bridge.

Turn RIGHT, and run along the Baywalk trail, then out to North Pier to the lighthouse. Then cross over the iconic Aerial Lift Bridge (which lifts for boats), and run out S Pier. These piers offer great views! Come back over the bridge and run north along the Lakewalk trail for 1 mile, passing Sister Cities Park and Gichi-ode’ Akiing Park, to the USS Duluth LPD-6 Anchor and Veterans Memorial. The final section is across I-35 and includes some downtown streets. Use the trail just south of Gichi-ode’ Akiing to cross I-35 into downtown, and run along the streets of your choosing. We chose W. Superior, as it’s a main shopping street. At N. 5th, turn RIGHT to do a quick loop around the lovely buildings and parklike setting of of the Civic Center area (City Hall, Courthouse), then back along 5th Ave. & Harbor Dr. to cross over I-35 to Bayfront Park.

Add-Ons: Enjoy more of the downtown main streets, or more of the Lakefront Trail, heading north.