Tammy Nara

There are two state parks in Minnesota with the name Split Rock. I am curious about the other Split Rock State Park in Southern Minnesota, but I’ll focus on Split Rock Lighthouse State Park for this article. It is between Two Harbors and Silver Bay on the North Shore of Lake Superior.

The image of the lighthouse from the beach is one of the most photographed places in Minnesota. The photos below are other views from basically the same spot. On the day I was there, a Saturday in late August 2026, there were people enjoying the pebble beach with its cold water. There were people kayaking, hiking, picnicking, exploring, or just sitting, like me. I ate my lunch here in a spot just above the beach. Someone left behind a Pokemon pin. I wondered if it was there on purpose. If it was, thank you. I saw it and it made me smile.

I have been here many times over the years. A photo of me painting a picture of the lighthouse was taken by a friend in the spot just below the lunch spot. I wanted to sit there again but a family with small children had claimed it and good for them. It’s a great spot. I was happy with my lunch spot.

I don’t have that photo of me anymore, but the painting below is what I was working on back in 2007 while sitting on that rock. That time, a family with small children was in the spot up above. The parent said, “Oooh! Look kids! An artist!”

The next one I painted at home from a photo in 2017. The photo is of my mother-in-law. I think she really liked being there, too. I changed it to become a self-portrait painting the lighthouse.

The Hike

The map gives you a general idea of my route from August, 2026. The blue numbers are mile markers. Yes, mile 1 and mile 3 are missing. That is a bummer but I am not going to worry about it. 5.26 miles is about 8.5 kilometers. I did my best to mark the locations of the lighthouse and Bob’s Steps using my finger and the markup app.

I parked at the wayside rest on Highway 61. It is a trailhead for the Superior Hiking Trail and a short walk to another beach that is usually less crowded than the lighthouse beach. I took off my shoes and let my feet enjoy the cool water. Then I walked past the hike-in campsites. When my daughter was in Girl Scouts we camped here after hiking a section of the Superior Hiking Trail. Maybe the year was 2012? Some people kayak from these sites. I think that would be fun, too.

It was a few miles to the lighthouse beach. By the time I got to the campground I was in need of a restroom. There are no facilities at the wayside rest and I didn’t want to use a latrine at one of the campsites, they were all occupied. There was a line at the campground restroom building but the nearby pit toilet was clean, stocked with toilet paper and hand sanitizer, and had no waiting.

After lunch and some sketching time at the lighthouse beach, I looked for another trail back to my car so I could explore more of the park. A sign with an arrow said, “Bob’s Steps”. Intrigued, I followed the arrow. Apparently, Bob was a person who did a lot of work in the park and was well loved. It was unclear if Bob made the steps or if they were made in memory of him. It was a lot of steps! I am glad I found them at the top and went down instead of the other way around. At the bottom of the steps in another beach. This one had a few people when I first got there but they left and then I had the entire place to myself. Very peaceful.

From there, I made my way back to my car, enjoying the plants, trees, birds, and insects that I had just learned about at a master naturalist class offered through the University of Minnesota Extension Program. I’m so grateful that I was able to experience the week of learning and being outside. Now I know a little bit more about what I see when I am outside and I realize that there is so much more to know!

What are your memories associated with this park? Which trails near here do you enjoy? Can you answer my question about the dragonfly? Add a comment to let us know!