Video of Two Harbor’s Sonju Trail beach

Trail through Lakeview Park.

Topo map of Sonju Trail.

A number of great sights – a trio of Great Lakes docks, wildlife including white-tailed deer, and a lakeside pine forest – await hikers on the Sonju Trail in Two Harbors, Minn. But perhaps the most impressive part of the trail is the rock beach overlooking Burlington Bay.

The paved bicycle and walking trail runs from Paul Van Hoven Park through Lakeview Park for about 2.4-miles round trip. The rock beach at the trail’s northeastern end, however, offers a chance to sift through a variety of weathered stones, take in a beautiful view of Lake Superior’s blue Burlington Bay, and to quickly reach those lakeside pines.

To reach the rock beach, from downtown Two Harbors drive north on Minn. Hwy. 61. Turn right/south on Park Road. Upon reaching the beach, park in the small lot on the road’s left/east side. Alternate parking is available farther down the road at Lakeview Park.

As with most Lake Superior beaches, there is little sand but plenty of rocks. If lucky, you may even spot an agate. Look for striped rocks that are a shiny bluish-green or an orangish-red; the former occurs because of copper in the stone and the latter because of iron oxide.

Here’s a video of the beach overlooking Burlington Bay:

Skunk Creek flows through the beach into the bay. Taking the sidewalk south over the streamlet to Lakeview Park allows day hikers to enjoy a walk on paved paths through a woods of extremely tall evergreens.

Be aware that on maps and in other literature this trail is referred to by several different names – including the “Sonju Lakewalk Trail,” “Sonju Harbor Trail,” and the “Two Harbors Lake Walk Trail.”

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of Gooseberry Falls State Park guidebook.