The rest area at Superior has a number of distinctions. It
is the farthest west, the farthest north, and is on an old
federal highway, instead of the Interstate. It also has no
twin. It thus serves traffic traveling in both directions.
Most Wisconsin Interstates have a matching pair of rest
areas serving eastbound and westbound traffic. It sits near
the Southern and eastern terminus of Lake Superior.Being so far north, off the Interstate, and in a less populated area, this is one of the smaller rest areas. Still, the nearby intermingled cities of Duluth and Superior are the center of a huge maritime industry. Lumber, iron ore, grain, and countless other bulk materials come through here. This is the largest port on the Great Lakes, handling 35 million tons a year,
- 46 car and 14 truck parking stalls
- Men's and women's restrooms
- Handicapped accessible
- Diaper changing facilities
- Drinking water
- Vending machines
- Picnic area and tables
- Children's play area
- Pet exercise area
- Recycling areas
- Safety Rest Area opened in 1970, renovated in 2000.
- "Spired-hip" style building
- "Northwest Portal Of Wisconsin" Historical Marker located on site.
Inside is potable water, rest rooms, fending machines and bulletin boards. There is adequate parking for cars and trucks, and the area is well patrolled and kept clean.
Parking
If
you can't park, you can't rest. This area has parking for 46
cars and 14 trucks. As in most Wisconsin rest areas, the car
and truck parking are in separate locations. Cars are out
front and trucks are off to the side. The more secluded area for trucks allows for peaceful snoozing for working truck drivers.
The car parking area is right at the front entrance and lends itself to the more transient nature of automobile travelers.
Overnight camping is not allowed.
Features and
Attractions
Historic markerEvery rest area tries to add points of interest and comfort features. The Superior rest area displays a site marker giving some of the history, lore and geology of the area. As a welcome area on a state border, visitors are invited to explore and enjoy the state.
Most state rest areas also have an area of native natural plantings and a memorial marker. This has not yet been done here, but the area does feature a small play area for children.
The marker here indicates settlement here as far back as the 1600's, Native populations thrived here for far longer. Lake Superior is the largest lake of the largest fresh water lake system in the world and is a subject of legend. Also legendary is the north woods area that surrounds this lake.
Superior is about a hundred miles from any large cities, and about the same distance from Isle Royal, the Canadian border, and the Michigan border. .
Superior is right on the Wisconsin - Minnesota border, That makes it the northwest portal of entry for cars as well as ships. The Minnesota rest area and welcome center is just a few miles form here, located in the adjacent Minnesota town of Duluth.
These days Duluth is the main area of activity up here,and is where the large harbor is located. It is also a large draw for tourists, who come to enjoy the lake views and watch the huge ore carrier and cargo ships come in. The city has a harbor cam and a live updated map showing ships coming and going. Schedules are posted for those coming to watch the ships.
Highway 53. upon which this rest area is built, comes up from Lacrosse WI. Interstate 24, which comes into Duluth, starts at Laredo TX on the Mexican border.
A small play area is also featured, with a soft safe area for children to run around, and an enclosed slide. Though it can not quite be called a playground. it's a good place to let little ones tire themselves out, while any traveling pets work off their energy at the dog run. The play set is constructed of durable materials, proof against the weather.
A soft drink vending machine sits in a field stone enclosure apart from the vending machine in the pavilion. The outside grass is kept meticulously maintained, even apart from the picnic area. Like the vending machine inside the pavilion, profits form the soft drink machine help finance the cleaning crews.
Several recycle centers, collections of bins for separating various materials for recycling, are strategically stationed on the grounds, to encourage travelers to help keep the grounds clean. There are no grills and no places to dump hot ash, so picnics are limited to sandwiches, or perhaps grilling using small propane grills.
For those days when the north woods weather is inviting,
there is a large outdoor picnic area with some sheltered and
some open picnic tables. The tables are steel framed, with pressed synthetic tops and benches, and are mounted in concrete pads to prevent mud and insects from ruining an outdoor meal. They are never removed, and stand all year.
The area is well wooded, as is much of the grounds of the rest area. While there are no official trails or walkways, the grounds allow for a traveler to walk around and stretch the legs a bit before continuing on. The grass is kept short, and is sprayed to combat the ticks endemic to much of Wisconsin,.
Pavilion (Hut)
The centerpiece of any rest area is the main building. I
have always called this the pavilion, though the official
terminology of the DOT calls it the hut. The hut contains
the rest room, drinking fountains, potable water taps,
vending machines, and bulletin boards. Back before everyone had a smart phone and GPS, they also used to have highway maps, weather stations, and a huge assortment of tourist brochures. I miss those days, and recall family vacations where we stopped at rest areas and loaded up. Times change.
The building is constructed to government standards, and like any public works project will probably be around for generations, if not centuries. This is a steel framed masonry building with a field-stone sheathing. It is surrounded by a concrete pad with a full roof overhang. A small outbuilding in the back gives protection to maintenance gear.
The building was constructed in 1970, but expanded a bit and upgraded in 2000. The building style is called "spired-hip" by the DOT. From the looks of things, the 2000 upgrade included the front double entryway, and the out building. A second out building sits further off on the property.
This building is kept open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The interior and grounds are regularly and meticulously maintained.
Interior
The interior is tiled and features a wood ceiling and hard
surfaces walls. This makes for easy cleaning and
maintenance. A couple of hard surfaced benches provide a
place to sit. The building, like those of most rest areas, never closes, and is heavily built to protect against possible vandalism and theft. Cleaning and maintenance crews visit regularly, and a crew was here during my visit, cleaning.
A double entry vestibule helps keep the heat in during winter, and helps keep it out in the summer. It also contains a vending machine.
The main hallway has the usual bulletin boards, notices, and a map dispenser. A central door, usually locked, is a storage closet and office. It also contains the HVAC and electrical panels. Rest rooms and drinking fountains are on either end of the main area.
Large windows look out the front of the building, while the tiled back wall is taken up with notices and doors to the rest rooms and maintenance area.
While this is technically a rest area on a state line, because it is on a federal highway, rather than the Interstate, and due to its location a bit off the
beaten path, it
does not have the usual staffed welcome center.The interior recessed lighting, heavy duty low maintenance surfaces, and glassed in bulletin boards reflect the 24 x 7 usually untended access to the facility, since there is no permanent staff and cleaners are transient. .It serves travelers all year round.
Cleaning crews are supported by the profits from the soft drink machine, and from the vending machine in the vestibule.
Like all Wisconsin rest areas, there is no commercial activity allowed here. Many other states have concessions or contracted services.
Rest Rooms
The basic
purpose of these facilities is to provide rest rooms. The
pavilion has two sets of restrooms for each gender so that
one set will always be available while the other is being
cleaned. Tiled floors and walls, like those in the main area, make cleaning and sanitizing easy. Drinking water, washing water, and changing stations are provided. Surfaces are stainless steel, and every thing is made to long term wear, ease of cleaning, and sanitation.
Windows are set high for privacy and security. They augment the mechanical ventilation of the facilities.
Since Covid, blow dryers are provided, rather than paper towels. Unscented soap is now featured at all Wisconsin area rest stops.