Cascade Vacation Rentals Blog | A Guide to all things North Shore

1 10, 2020

John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon
John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon

John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon

Martha Finley2025-02-19T16:13:00+00:00Events & Holidays|

Each January, the beloved John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon is held in northeast Minnesota. The race is named after the mail carrier, John Beargrease, who delivered mail up and down the North Shore via dogsled and rowboat in the late 1800s until his death in 1910. The race began in 1980. Today, there are three races for teams to choose from: The full marathon, the 40-mile race, and a 120-mile race. All races begin in Duluth at Billy's Bar. Teams then follow a hilly course through the Sawtooth Mountains. The 40-mile race ends near Two Harbors while the full [...]

1 10, 2020

Bentleyville Tour of Lights
Bentleyville Tour of Lights

Bentleyville Tour of Lights

Martha Finley2024-12-11T15:29:32+00:00Activities & Attractions, Duluth|

History of Bentleyville Tour of Lights Back in 2001, Esko resident Nathan Bentley decided to decorate his home with some Christmas lights he picked up. Over the next few years, his light display grew and became more elaborate. In 2004 they starting calling the display "Bentleyville". People from all over the Northland would drive out to his new home in Cloquet to experience Bentleyville firsthand. Nathan decided to create a true Christmas experience with Bentleyville. He added firepits for visitors to gather around roasting marshmallows, and a Cookie House with free cookies, hot apple cider, and coffee. A Growing [...]

1 10, 2020

Le Grand Du Nord Gravel Bike Race
Le Grand Du Nord Gravel Bike Race

Le Grand Du Nord Gravel Bike Race

Martha Finley2025-05-06T15:37:05+00:00Events & Holidays, Grand Marais|

Le Grand Du Nord Gravel Buke Race With an abundance of gravel roads and trails, the North Shore is a prime destination for gravel bike enthusiasts. Clearly, it's no surprise that in recent years, the popular pastime has grown to include some well-known gravel bike races. The first big bike race of the year, held each May on the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, is the Le Grand Du Nord Gravel Bike Race by Heck of the North Productions. As described on their website, the Le Grand Du Nord "represents one of the most amazing gravel courses in the [...]

30 09, 2020

Grand Portage Rendezvous Days
Grand Portage Rendezvous Days

Grand Portage Rendezvous Days

Martha Finley2025-07-31T14:28:47+00:00Events & Holidays, Hovland/Grand Portage|

Grand Portage Rendezvous Days and Celebration Pow Wow is a weekend-long celebration honoring the Anishinaabe culture and the area's historic fur trade. The historic trade took place between the Ojibwe and the French in the 1730s and with the British in the 1760s. During this time, traders made a nine-mile portage, named the Grand Portage, around the Pigeon River. The portage allowed them to access the fur-rich areas of the state and establish trading relationships. Throughout the years, the relationship between the Anishinaabe and the traders was strong. The Great Rendezvous was celebrated each year at the end of [...]

30 09, 2020

Pine Marten
Pine Marten

Pine Marten

Martha Finley2021-02-25T16:43:01+00:00Animals|

The American (or pine) marten is a predator species that belong to the weasel family. Before the late 1800s, the marten was common in northern Minnesota. Because of logging, most of its wooded habitat was lost and by 1920 pine martens had almost disappeared from Minnesota. The full recovery of the population by 1990 is a DNR management success story. Habitat Pine martens were once thought to live only in old conifer (evergreen) forests. But now biologists have learned that martens now live in all of northern Minnesota in both deciduous (leafy) and conifer forests. Adult martens live in an [...]

24 09, 2020

Bald Eagles
Bald Eagles

Bald Eagles

Martha Finley2021-02-25T16:43:24+00:00Animals|

Minnesota is fortunate to be home to the largest population of nesting bald eagles in the United States outside of Alaska. In 1989, there were 390 occupied breeding areas in Minnesota, today there are over 700. The average wingspan of an eagle ranges from 7-7.5 feet. The average weight of a female bald eagle is 10-14 pounds, generally males weigh approximately 25% less than females from the same area. An eagle can see something the size of a rabbit running three miles away. They can fly up to 30 mph but can get up to 100 mph when diving for [...]

15 09, 2020

Northern Lights
Northern Lights

Northern Lights

Martha Finley2025-11-14T15:49:02+00:00Activities & Attractions, Nature|

One of the Earth’s natural wonders, the Northern Lights, cast radiant, multi-colored lights over the northern landscape. They most commonly appear between 60-75 degrees longitude, making the North Shore a hot spot for seeing a display. What causes the Northern Lights? Also known as Aurora Borealis (meaning“Dawn of the North”) the Northern Lights are created by solar winds interacting with the earth's magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is the sphere that gives Earth its magnetic field and protects us from space. The magnetosphere ensures that these winds are drawn to the poles, where particles rain in [...]

3 09, 2020

Black Bear
Black Bear

Black Bear

Martha Finley2025-11-03T18:22:09+00:00Animals|

The black bear is the only species of bear found in Minnesota. If you spot a bear while visiting Lake Superior's North Shore, it's almost guaranteed to be a black bear. Generally, you will find them in heavily forested areas, like the Superior National Forest and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Black bears are 5-7 feet in length and can weigh anywhere from 150-500 pounds. They follow their noses and use their mental maps of the landscape to locate food sources. Because of this, black bears can travel a fair distance each day along a similar route looking for [...]

1 09, 2020

Ely Tunnel
Ely Tunnel

Ely Tunnel

Martha Finley2023-10-18T13:55:41+00:00Activities & Attractions, Duluth, Spooky Places on the North Shore|

Did you know that the North Shore is home to two unique abandoned train tunnels? The most well-known is the Ely Tunnel in Duluth. Located in the Magney-Snively Natural Area, the Ely Tunnel is a 520-foot tunnel that now serves as a popular rock climbing and hiking destination. History of the Ely Tunnel During the height of the iron ore boom, train transportation of raw materials from the Iron Range in north-central Minnesota to the port towns along Lake Superior was an essential element in a successful industry. Every day, all across Northern Minnesota, trains barreled through the landscape. [...]

31 08, 2020

River Otter
River Otter

River Otter

Martha Finley2021-02-25T16:45:11+00:00Animals|

The river otter is Minnesota's largest aquatic carnivore that lives in most northern Minnesota lakes, ponds, and streams. It can swim and maneuver better than many fish and swims with only the top of its head out of the water. Otters are playful, often wrestling or spending hours sliding down muddy or snow-packed stream banks. They also play by nudging sticks across the water, and dropping pebbles to the bottom and retrieving them. North American river otters can remain underwater for nearly 4 minutes, swim at speeds approaching 7 mph, dive to depths nearing 20 yards, and travel up to [...]