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.
N Pier. Wikimedia Commons
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.
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.
N Pier. Wikimedia Commons
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.
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Essentials
5.7 miles (9.1 km)
219 feet (66m)
Canal Park area (though can join loop at any convenient spot)
Among the signature places to run in Duluth. The multi-use path follows Rt. 61 along Lake Superior from the Canal Park area for 7.5 miles, north to Brighton Beach. There are spectacular views of the lake, especially for the first 4 miles.
For those who want a longer, straightforward waterfront run, this is a good bet! We've mapped a 7.5 mile section of North Shore Drive along Lake Superior, starting near Brighton Beach and heading north to Palmers. Wide shoulders and water views.
This neighborhood features some really nice variety for running in Duluth. Quiet residential streets with nice homes, trails in Lester Park, Amity Park, and the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. We've also mapped a lovely 10k parkway road run.
This long, narrow sand spit that extends out from Canal Park, makes for a nice run. Combination of road and 2-mile long Nature Trail, that ends at the spectacular point of the Superior Entry Channel. Note: sections of Nature Trail are soft sand!
Lots of variety in one run! Flat, waterfront section of the Superior Hiking Trail starts in Bayfront Festival Park, goes for 1 mile, then continues for 2.4 miles on a hilly, gravel trail between Central Park and Enger Park, with views from the Tower as a reward.
A wooded and quite challenging trail run right near downtown. The Chester Park Trail is a wooded and steep ~3 mile loop, going up and down ravines. The Univ. of Minnesota at Duluth, just east of the park, has a nice campus and track for running.
A 640-acre park featuring more than 10 miles of mainly wooded multi-use trails. Mainly trail running and quite hilly. Use attached map to create your own route. The Woodland and Hunters Park neighborhoods adjacent to the park are also pleasant for running.
Great option for a flat off-road run on this collection of multi-use trails between Duluth and Hinckley. Starting near the Superior Zoo, it's 6 miles to Short Line Park, and another 6 miles to Jay Cooke State Park. Terrain is mainly wooded, with some giant rock formations.
Large state park 18 miles south of Duluth. Great running opportunities on trails through hardwood forests, with views to gorges, river valleys, and large rock formations. We provide recommendations for flat, paved paths and trail running of varying challenge.
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Essentials
5.7 miles (9.1 km)
219 feet (66m)
Canal Park area (though can join loop at any convenient spot)
Review or Comment on This Route/Share a Photo!
Share your feedback on this route and see that of other Great Runs users. Click on the image icon to upload a photo. And please let us know if there are notes or changes we should incorporate!