Discover Duluth: Osaugie Trail, Vol. I-III

Running parallel to Highway 2 in Superior, Osaugie Trail is a nice change of pace from the incessant inbound/outbound traffic in the city’s East End neighborhood.

While it’s not as breathtaking as, say, Duluth’s Lakewalk, the urban trail does offer some fantastic views along its 5-plus miles of pavement.

The stretch I’d recommend for casual walkers/cyclists/etc. starts at Loon’s Foot Landing, which sits directly across Superior Bay from Minnesota Point’s abandoned depot building. It’s a great place to begin, as parking is free and there are usually plenty of spots. Additionally, I can never get enough of the towering ore docks at this location — see attached photo galleries — which are, unfortunately, in the process of being demolished.

From here, head west toward Barker’s Island. (We’ll save the eastern stretch to Moccasin Mike Road/Wisconsin Point and beyond for another day.)

Unless you’re rollerblading, I’d recommend taking the unpaved nature trail, which runs along some seldom-used railroad tracks. More than anything else, this semi-official section of Osaugie is worthwhile because you’ll get a nice view of Hog Island — which, if you’ll remember, was already the “star” of its own “Discover Duluth” photo essay.

Right next to that tiny-yet-lovable island is the American Spirit, which has been laid up at Ogdensburg Pier since the last shipping season ended. Viewing this glorious ship so closely is a guilty pleasure, though, as the fact that it’s still in town is a sign of how bad the economy is affecting its industry.

On the bright side, rejoining the traditional Osaugie route at this juncture puts you right next to McDonald’s. Nothing like a fistful of meat to drown your recession sorrows, right?

Anyway, stomachs fueled up, it’s time to get back to the trail: Your waterfront(ish) adventure moves uphill a little bit, showing off more of the bay, Minnesota Point and the expensive homes on the eastern tip of Barker’s Island.

Moving forward, you’ll also see Barker’s Island the hotel and marina, the SS Meteor whaleback ship museum and, to your left, the iconic Fairlawn Mansion. (The only time you might want to avoid this area is during the Lake Superior Dragon Boat Festival, which is held every August by area rotary clubs. Nothing against this wonderful community event, but it draws insane amounts of people — at least compared to most days in “Soup Town.”)

As our adventure draws to a close, you’ll again see why this stretch is so perfect for casual nature enthusiasts: its other “bookend” is also a spacious parking lot. At the western tip of the Osaugie you’ll find the Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center, a nice educational experience to round out your day, a playground with a view and a Perkins.

In case, you know, you’ve managed to burn off all those McD’s calories in less than 30 minutes….

“Discover Duluth” is an ongoing photo essay series by Matthew R. Perrine that highlights points of interest in and around the region. For more photos from this set, click on the accompanying photo galleries.