One Of The Best Views In Minnesota Can Be Found At This Hidden Roadside Lookout

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is blessed with many scenic drives that afford travelers one stunning view after another. However, not all of these drives and vistas are all that well known. One that I want to tell you about is a road Up North that runs from Silver Bay (or Beaver Bay, if you prefer to start there) through the charming town of Aurora to its western terminus at Gilbert. Because it traverses a few county, local, and U.S. Forest Service Roads, the route bears several numbers and designations, but it’s best described (and known) as the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway. And along this byway, there’s a roadside lookout in Minnesota that you’ve got to visit!

The official start (or eastern terminus) of the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway is Silver Bay.

But you can also access the byway from Beaver Bay, as well, via Lax Lake Road. In fact, the Beaver Bay Wayside, at the intersection of Lax Lake Rd. and MN-61, has an informative placard about the byway.

The road through the forest offers really stunning nature views.

In summer, it’s often fringed with wildflower, including bursts of purple lupine in late June and early July.

Even in the winter, this drive can be incredibly beautiful.

Of course, it’s winter in northern Minnesota, so roads can get slick. Check the weather and road conditions before you go, and prepare appropriately.

As the road winds toward Hoyt Lakes it approaches the Laurentian Divide, which separates the Mississippi River basin from the Hudson Bay drainage.

There, you’ll find a rest stop with a lookout. This is Skibo Overlook.

A compass orients you as you gaze across the divide and sweeping 180-degree-plus vistas of the Superior National Forest.

Informational placards explain the history and geology of the region, and offer descriptions of the communities and people of this part of the Iron Range.

A map on one of the pla

Even if you do nothing but look at the view, this is a rest area that is more than worthy of a stop.

This roadside lookout in Minnesota is definitely the payoff - but the journey is very much a reward in itself. The Superior National Forest Scenic Byway will take you through beautiful Northwoods landscapes that are beautiful any time of year. Before hitting the road, be sure to pack all the essentials you’ll need for a car trip - and, of course, be sure to bring plenty of snacks, as there are no towns or services along the most of the route.

Have you driven the Superior National Forest Scenic Byway and stopped at the Skibo Overlook? Let us know what you thought in the comments!