The Neighborhood

Skylark and Whitetail Ridge are about 210 miles from the Twin Cities and 65 miles northeast of Duluth.

Area Ecology

Whitetail Ridge is located in the heart of the Lake Superior Highlands ecoregion subsystem, which has been identified as a critical landscape for biodiversity protection by the DNR's Minnesota Heritage Program. This area contains significant old growth northern hardwood and upland white cedar forests. Cliffs overlooking Lake Superior, such as those at 350 ft. high Palisade Head near Beaver Bay, are home to the Peregrine Falcon, the world's fastest bird. In a dive, it can reach speeds of 175 miles per hour. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snapshots/birds/peregrinefalcon.html

North Shore Scientific and Natural Areas (SNA's) include Iona's Beach, Sugar Loaf Point, Butterwort Cliffs, Lutsen, Spring Beauty Northern Hardwoods, and Hovland Woods. Although protected, SNA's are open to the public. Online map: http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/ecological_services/sna/SNAstatemap.pdf.

Sugar Loaf Point on the Lake Superior shore six miles east of Little Marais is the nearest SNA to Whitetail Ridge, and is noted for its exposed, geologically unique 1.1 billion year old basalt lava flow strata http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/sna01069/index.html.


Nearby State Parks

Gooseberry Falls State Park, Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, Temperence River State Park, Tettegouche State Park, and George Crosby Manitou State Park are all within 25 miles of Whitetail Ridge. Tettegouche State Park is less than 1 mile (as the crow flies) from Whitetail Ridge, and visible from Skylark.

Having been logged by the Alger-Smith Lumber Company in the first decade of the 20th Century, Tettegouche (from an old French-Canadian term meaning "meeting place") then passed through the hands of several private owners until 1979, when The Nature Conservancy assisted in purchasing and transferring the land to state ownership.


Tettegouche State Park was established in 1979. Encompassing 9,346 acres of hilly northern hardwoods forest with rivers, inland lakes, and Lake Superior shoreline, it's a superb example of the North Shore Highlands Biocultural Region, and one of Minnesota's most scenic state parks. There are miles of trails over varied terrain for hiking, mountain biking, skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

Two of the park's popular attractions are the foot trail to Shovel point, with spectacular views of Lake Superior; and the trail to the 60 ft. High Falls of the Baptism River. High Falls, the highest waterfall located entirely within the state of Minnesota, is about 1.5 miles from the Park parking lot.

Tettegouche Camp is on the National Register of Historic Places; the old hunting camp cabins are available as walk, bike, or ski-in rentals.


Finland, MN, 5 - 6 miles from Whitetail Ridge

Remote, hilly and scenic, the Finland, MN area was one of the last areas in the state to be settled. As the name implies, the area was first settled mostly by Finnish immigrants, beginning around 1895. Most of the early homes were one room log cabins. In 1907 the railroad came through Finland, improving access to and from the outside world. (Keeping Our Heritage: Finland, Minnesota 1895-1976, by the Finland Schools Reunion Committee.) A brief history of the town can be found at the following site: http://www.finlandmnus.com/Area_History.cfm

St. Urho, the legendary patron saint of Finnish vineyard workers, is reputed to have chased the grasshoppers out of ancient Finland (the country) using his exceptionally loud voice. St. Urho's Day is celebrated in Finland, MN each year in mid-March, with a weekend of festivities and a parade down main street. The crowning of "Miss Helmi" features local men dressed in women's clothing - a fun time for all! For more on the Minnesota origin of the legend: http://www.sainturho.com/origin.htm.


Silver Bay, MN - 8 miles from Whitetail Ridge

Silver Bay, about 8 miles southwest of Whitetail Ridge, is a picturesque and friendly small town (population ~2,000) overlooking Lake Superior. With its flower trimmed boulevards and orderly neighborhoods originally built for Reserve Mining Company employees, Silver Bay has a charming old fashioned atmosphere. The downtown area provides all the necessary basic services: a library, banks, Post Office, Bay Area Health Center, cafes and stores. There's even a nearby airport!

Recreational attractions in Silver Bay include a nine hole golf course, an ice arena, public tennis courts, and Bayside Park, which includes the Silver Bay Safe Harbor and Marina. Summer hiking trails and winter cross country skiing and snowmobile trails are nearby.