Staying in one of the Duluth rental homes provides ample opportunity to discover some of North America's diverse wildlife species. With its expansive forests, cascading rivers, overflowing streams and vast highlands, Northeastern Minnesota is home to a huge number of the world's rare and hard to find fauna. Look forward to spotting beavers, timber wolves, white-tailed deer, otter, coyote, black bear, moose, eagles and shorebirds while going on a day trip from one of the Lutsen vacation homes. Visit the following wildlife centers, hotspots and sanctuary for the ultimate wildlife viewing.
Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve
The Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve is a popular bird-watching spot along the Lake Superior shoreline, overlooking Lester Park and adjacent to the Skyline Parkway. Fall and spring migration species flock into the reserve, which leaves visitors and locals alike in awe. There are approximately 94,000 raptors that migrate past the reserve from August to November. The area has been acknowledged by the American Birding Conservancy as a globally significant birding area. September and October are the birds' peak migration months, the best months to visit the reserve as well.
International Wolf Center
Get up close and personal with Minnesota's wolves at the International Wolf Center on Highway 169. Day trips and overnight stays can be arranged with the staff. You can choose to interact with the red and gray canids for a few hours or know them in-depth by staying at the center for the entire week. Aside from on-site programs and field trips, specialized activities include the aerial telemetry, where visitors track wolves by airplane; and dog sledding with the center's tamed wolves and the Bear Sanctuary Visit, which is available from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
Opening hours vary depending on the time of the year. It is best to contact the center beforehand to obtain this information. Admission rates are $8.50 for adults, $4.50 for children under 12 years of age, and $7.50 for seniors, as of 2010. Children under 3 years old enjoy free admission.
Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary
For the best place to witness wild black bears in their natural habitat, you might want to visit the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary in Orr. The sanctuary houses around 80 subspecies of bears, including sows with their cubs, large boars and yearlings. A huge bear-viewing deck allows visitors to observe and learn about the bears' habitat, behavior and life cycle. It's a rewarding experience to see bears interacting and playing with each other amidst the meadows and woodlands. Admission prices are at $7 for adults, $3 for those under 18, and children under 5 years old are admitted for free, as of 2010. A gift shop can be found within the sanctuary, where you can purchase souvenirs for your folks back home. Gift shop proceeds benefit the sanctuary.
Other wildlife spots that you may want to visit include the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources hotspots and Superior National Forest's Gunflint Trail.
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