Split Rock Lighthouse Cliffs

About this spectacle

Perched atop a dramatic 130-foot sheer anorthosite cliff face above the cold expanse of Lake Superior, Split Rock Lighthouse is one of the most photographed lighthouses in North America. Visitors standing along the cliff edge feel the raw power of the Great Lakes — wind-whipped waves crashing far below, the vast blue-gray water stretching to the horizon, and the yellow brick lighthouse anchored impossibly close to the precipice. In autumn, the surrounding forest blazes with color against the grey rock and steel-blue water. In winter, ice formations cling to the cliff faces. Sunrise casts long golden light across the lighthouse and lake, creating dramatic silhouettes. The surrounding Minnesota state park offers trails along the ridgeline with sweeping panoramic views north and south along the Lake Superior shore — a landscape of rugged beauty shaped by ancient volcanic rock and glacial forces.

When to go

Sep — Oct

Getting there

Nearest airport: DLH. Nearest city: Duluth.

Booking options

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