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

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 Finley2023-05-23T14:00:56+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 or around 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 United States." [...]

30 09, 2020

Grand Portage Rendezvous Days
Grand Portage Rendezvous Days

Grand Portage Rendezvous Days

Martha Finley2024-08-01T15:38:37+00:00Events & Holidays, Hovland/Grand Portage|

Grand Portage Rendezvous Days and Pow Wow is a weekend-long celebration honoring the Anishinabe 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 Anishinabe and the traders was strong. The Great Rendezvous was celebrated each year at the end of the [...]

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 Finley2024-08-16T14:12:15+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 Finley2024-09-23T14:08:51+00:00Animals|

The black bear is the only species of bear found in Minnesota. Generally, you will find them in heavily forested areas. 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 food. Black bears usually try to avoid people, but sometimes come in conflict with humans when they eat crops, destroy apiaries, or break into garbage cans and birdfeeders. Along the [...]

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 [...]

21 08, 2020

Stand Up Paddleboarding
Stand Up Paddleboarding

Stand Up Paddleboarding

Jaye2021-02-25T16:45:33+00:00Activities & Attractions|

One fun activity that has become more popular in recent years, especially on the North Shore, is Stand Up Paddleboarding (SUP). With this activity, you stand up on a surfboard-like board and paddle yourself around, like you would in a canoe. It's a great solo activity as well as a fun one for a group of friends or a family. It's a lower impact sport that can be done by many skill levels. You can rent a SUP from various places along the North Shore, and even sign up for a guided SUP tour! This is also an activity where [...]

1 08, 2020

Fisherman’s Picnic
Fisherman’s Picnic

Fisherman’s Picnic

Martha Finley2024-03-22T14:53:15+00:00Events & Holidays, Grand Marais|

Summertime festivals are celebrated throughout the country and are usually events that local residents and visitors look forward to. In Cook County on Lake Superior's North Shore, Fisherman's Picnic in Grand Marais is the big festival that everyone looks forward to. Fisherman's Picnic is an annual event taking place over the first full weekend in August. The festival weekend is filled with live music, food vendors, kiddie rides, street sales, a parade, and more. Plus, don't forget the famous Fishburgers! All About Fisherman's Picnic Live Music at Fisherman's Picnic Known locally as Fish Pic, this is the [...]