The Great Lakes Circle Tour is a designated scenic road system connecting all of the

Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes in the mid-east region of North America that connect to the Atlantic Ocean via the Saint Lawrence River. There are five lak ...

and the

St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connecting ...

. It consists of routes for circumnavigating the lakes, either individually or collectively. It was designated by the Great Lakes Commission in 1988.

Tours

Great Lakes Circle Tour on Interstate 75

Lake Superior Circle Tour

In Michigan, the Lake Superior Circle Tour (LSCT) runs from the state line at

Ironwood Ironwood is a common name for many woods or plants that have a reputation for hardness, or specifically a wood density that is heavier than water (approximately 1000 kg/m3, or 62 pounds per cubic foot), although usage of the name ironwood in E ...

to Sault Ste. Marie. In between it follows U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) to

Wakefield Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 99,251 in the 2011 census.https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/census/2011/ks101ew Census 2011 table KS101EW Usual resident population, ...

, M-28 to Bergland and M-64 to Ontonagon. At Ontonagon, the LSCT continues east along M-38 to M-26. It follows M-26 to

Houghton Houghton may refer to: Places Australia * Houghton, South Australia, a town near Adelaide * Houghton Highway, the longest bridge in Australia, between Redcliffe and Brisbane in Queensland * Houghton Island (Queensland) Canada *Houghton Township, ...

and then follows US 41 north to Copper Harbor. There is a loop route along M-203 between

Hancock Hancock may refer to: Places in the United States * Hancock, Iowa * Hancock, Maine * Hancock, Maryland * Hancock, Massachusetts * Hancock, Michigan * Hancock, Minnesota * Hancock, Missouri * Hancock, New Hampshire ** Hancock (CDP), New Hampshir ...

and Calumet. Travelers following the tour need to backtrack down US 41 to Houghton and then follow US 41 back to M-28 in Covington. US 41/M-28 carries the tour to

Harvey Harvey, Harveys or Harvey's may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Harvey'' (play), a 1944 play by Mary Chase about a man befriended by an invisible anthropomorphic rabbit * Harvey Awards ("Harveys"), one of the most important awards ...

where M-28 carries it eastward. There is a spur routing along M-77 running north from Seney to Grand Marais. The mainline tour departs from M-28 to loop northward along M-123 through

Newberry Newberry is a surname, a variant of Newbury. Notable people with the surname include: * Booker Newberry III (born 1956), American singer and keyboardist * Brennan Newberry (born, 1990), American professional stock car racing driver * Brian Newb ...

Paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in parad ...

and back to M-28. Then it follows M-28 for a third time until reaching Interstate 75 (I-75) where it follows the freeway north to Sault Ste. Marie. It leaves Michigan on the

Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge spans the St. Marys River between the United States and Canada connecting the twin cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The bridge is operated by the International Bridg ...

crossing into Ontario. Once in Ontario, the tour follows city streets through Sault Ste. Marie to Highway 17, the

Trans-Canada Highway The Trans-Canada Highway (French: ; abbreviated as the TCH or T-Can) is a transcontinental federal–provincial highway system that travels through all ten provinces of Canada, from the Pacific Ocean on the west coast to the Atlantic Ocean on ...

. It follows Highway 17 north along the mountainous shoreline through a remote region of Ontario. The highway curves to the west north of Sault Ste. Marie, and hugs the northern shore of the lake to

Nipigon Nipigon () is a township in Thunder Bay District, Northwestern Ontario, Canada, located along the west side of the Nipigon River and south of the small Lake Helen running between Lake Nipigon and Lake Superior. Lake Nipigon is located approximat ...

. It meets Highway 11, which is

concurrent Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to: Law * Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea'' * Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...

with Highway 17 thereafter. The tour follows the

Thunder Bay Expressway The Thunder Bay Expressway, originally known as the Lakehead Expressway is a high-capacity at-grade suburban limited-access road around the western side of Thunder Bay in the Canadian province of Ontario. The route travels in a generally north– ...

through

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario; its population i ...

. At the intersection of the Harbour Expressway, Highway 11/Highway 17 turns west; the tour continues south, now on Highway 61. south of Thunder Bay, the tour crosses the Pigeon River into Minnesota. The LSCT follows

Minnesota State Highway 61 Minnesota State Highway 61 (MN 61) is a highway in northeast Minnesota, which runs from a junction with Interstate 35 (I-35) in Duluth at 26th Avenue East, and continues northeast to its northern terminus at the Canadian border near Grand Portag ...

(MN 61) between the Canada–United States border (near Thunder Bay) and the city of

Duluth , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...

. In Duluth, the tour route follows I-35 southbound to the US 2 exit to Wisconsin. Lake Superior Circle Tour Bayfield County Wisconsin

The circle tour crosses into Wisconsin on the Bong Memorial Bridge carrying US 2 between Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. In Superior, the tour route follows US 2/ US 53 to

Wisconsin Highway 13 State Trunk Highway 13 (often called Highway 13, STH-13 or WIS 13) is a state highway running north–south across northwest and central Wisconsin. WIS 13 serves as a major north–south route connecting the communities of Wisconsin Del ...

(WIS 13). Near Ashland, the tour route returns to US 2 across Northern Wisconsin to Hurley and the border with Michigan at Ironwood.

Lake Michigan Circle Tour

The Lake Michigan Circle Tour (LMCT) loops around Lake Michigan following state highways. These highways are usually the closest to the lake. The LMCT follows state highways in the US states of

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

Indiana Indiana () is a U.S. state in the Midwestern United States. It is the 38th-largest by area and the 17th-most populous of the 50 States. Its capital and largest city is Indianapolis. Indiana was admitted to the United States as the 19th s ...

Michigan Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the List of U.S. states and ...

and

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

. A special "spur route" follows the SS ''Badger'' ferry across the lake between

Ludington, Michigan Ludington ( ) is the largest city and county seat of Mason County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,076. Ludington is a harbor town located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Pere Marquette River ...

and

Manitowoc, Wisconsin Manitowoc () is a city in and the county seat of Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The city is located on Lake Michigan at the mouth of the Manitowoc River. According to the 2020 census, Manitowoc had a population of 34,626, with ove ...

Illinois

The LMCT follows

Illinois Route 137 Illinois Route 137 (IL 137) is a state highway in northeast Illinois. It runs from the Wisconsin Border north of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, Winthrop Harbor south to North Chicago, Illinois, North Chicago, west to Libertyville, Illinois, Libertyvi ...

from the Wisconsin state line south on

Sheridan Road Sheridan Road is a major north-south street that leads from Diversey Parkway in Chicago, Illinois, north to the Illinois-Wisconsin border and beyond to Racine. Throughout most of its run, it is the easternmost north-south through street, closest ...

and joins Lake Shore Drive (U.S. 41). The route then follows U.S. 41 as U.S. Routes 12 and 20 run concurrent but split quickly. The tour then follows U.S. Route 12 into Indiana.

Indiana

The LMCT follows I-94 and

US 12 U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is an east–west United States highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan, for almost . The highway has mostly been superseded by Interstate 90 (I-90) and I-94, but unlike most U.S. routes that ...

in Indiana. The Indiana portion of the Lake Michigan Circle Tour is the urban stretch of the lake. It begins on the Illinois line in the City of Hammond. US 12 continues eastward through the 2nd most populous portion of the State of

. The Gary- Hammond PMSA, a portion of the Chicago-Gary-Kenosha, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area (CMSA) which includes all of

Lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

and

Porter Porter may refer to: Companies * Porter Airlines, Canadian regional airline based in Toronto * Porter Chemical Company, a defunct U.S. toy manufacturer of chemistry sets * Porter Motor Company, defunct U.S. car manufacturer * H.K. Porter, Inc., ...

Counties. The third county along the shore, LaPorte County is in the

South Bend South Bend is a city in and the county seat of St. Joseph County, Indiana, on the St. Joseph River near its southernmost bend, from which it derives its name. As of the 2020 census, the city had a total of 103,453 residents and is the fourt ...

CMSA. The only "rural" area is the across northern Porter County, where route passes through

Indiana Dunes National Park Indiana Dunes National Park is a United States national park located in northwestern Indiana managed by the National Park Service. It was authorized by Congress in 1966 as the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore and was redesignated as the nation ...

. Starting from Chicago, US 12 enters Hammond, Indiana, before Whiting. Here, US 12,

US 20 U.S. Route 20 or U.S. Highway 20 (US 20) is an east–west United States Numbered Highway that stretches from the Pacific Northwest east to New England. The "0" in its route number indicates that US 20 is a major coast-to-coast route. S ...

and

US 41 U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...

all share Indianapolis Boulevard. Along the lakefront, is Lakefront Park and Wihala Beach County Park. Located here is the Horseshoe Casino. Whiting also provides easy access to

Wolf Lake ''Wolf Lake'' is an American supernatural drama television series that originally aired on CBS from September 19 to October 24, 2001. Nine episodes were produced, but only five aired before the series was canceled by CBS. The full series, inclu ...

, which is a remnant of the wetlands and lakes that formed along the shores of Lake Michigan creating a massive wetlands on the

and

border. US 12 turns more southerly as it passes west and south of

Indiana Harbor Indiana Harbor may refer to: * Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, a harbor and artificial waterway in East Chicago, Indiana connecting Lake Michigan to the Grand Calumet River * Indiana Harbor (East Chicago), the section of East Chicago located east of ...

, an industrial complex of mills, refineries, and docks. Entering

East Chicago East Chicago is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 29,698 at the 2010 census. The city is home of the Indiana Harbor and Ship Canal, an artificial freshwater harbor characterized by industrial and manufacturing act ...

, US 12 turns east onto Columbus Drive, heading through the Indiana Harbor neighborhood of

. From

US 12 becomes Industrial Drive in Gary. The alternate route for the Circle Tour is along I-94, which is joined with I-80 as the Borman Expressway. Entering Hammond the first stop could be the South Shore Welcome Center located on Kennedy Boulevard off the interstate. Hammond developed because of the wetlands and numerous lakes. The area was not considered suitable for farming or development, until the meat packing industry began to thrive in Chicago. With the creation of refrigerated rail cars, a source of ice was needed. The lakes of

northern Indiana Northern Indiana is a region of the U.S. State of Indiana, including 26 counties which border the states of Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. Northern Indiana is also considered part of the Great Lakes Megalopolis. The area is generally classified i ...

were seen as a source of that ice and meat packing moved across the line, creating processing plants and ice house. Gary is on both routes of the Circle Tour. I-80/I-94 and US 12 both enter the city. US 12 is closer to the lake, entering from East Chicago on Industrial Drive. Named appropriately for the industries and the Gary Airport that developed along the lakefront. U.S. Steel's Gary Plant began in 1906, and brought major industries to this area. Located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan, the city offered direct access to the iron fields of northern Michigan and Minnesota and the coal fields of Ohio and West Virginia. Following Industrial Drive, US 12 heads southeast, crossing under the

Indiana Toll Road The Indiana Toll Road, officially the Indiana East–West Toll Road, is a tolled freeway that runs for east–west across northern Indiana from the Illinois state line to the Ohio state line. It has been advertised as the "Main Street of the ...

. At 4th Street, it turns east into downtown Gary.

Downtown Gary Downtown Gary is split by Broadway into two separate neighborhoods in north-central Gary, Indiana. Emerson and Downtown West combine to form what is known as Downtown Gary. It was part of the original plat built by the United States Steel Corpor ...

is the home of the Railcats Minor League Baseball. Continuing east into the

Miller A miller is a person who operates a mill, a machine to grind a grain (for example corn or wheat) to make flour. Milling is among the oldest of human occupations. "Miller", "Milne" and other variants are common surnames, as are their equivalent ...

community of Gary, and this is the closest the circle tour comes to the Chicago, South Shore and South Bend Railroad, the last interurban in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

. Lake Street to the north will take motorists to Lake Michigan and over to Marquette Park, the first dune park along the Indiana Shore. Continuing on US 12, which is now called the

Dunes Highway A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...

, the buildings end and forest and wetlands dominate. At County Line Road are the signs to

's West Beach facility and the east end of the

community. This is also the location for parking for the Marquette Hike/Bike trail. Crossing County Line Road on US 12 you enter Portage, in

Porter County Porter County is a county in the U.S. state of Indiana. As of 2020, the population was 173,215, making it the 10th most populous county in Indiana. The county seat is Valparaiso. The county is part of Northwest Indiana, as well as the Chicago m ...

. Portage owes its growth as a bedroom community to the creation of the

Port of Indiana The Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor is an industrial area, founded in 1965 and located on the Lake Michigan shore of Indiana at the intersection of U.S. Route 12 and Indiana State Road 249. The primary work done in the area is the manufacturing of ...

complex. US 12 continues eastward as the

passing quickly through the town of

Burns Harbor Burns Harbor is a town in Westchester Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States on the shores of Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana. It is part of the Chicago metropolitan area. The population was 1,156 at the 2010 census. Burns Harbor is ...

bills itself as the gateway to the Indiana Dunes. Its location with both

Indiana Dunes State Park Indiana Dunes State Park is an Indiana State Park located in Porter County, Indiana, United States, east of Chicago. The park is bounded by Lake Michigan to the northwest and is surrounded by as well as within the authorized boundaries of Ind ...

and

support their claim. The

continues east into the town of Chesterton, which lies mostly south of US 12, US 20 and I-94.

Beverly Shores Beverly Shores is a town in Pine Township, Porter County, Indiana, United States, about east of downtown Chicago. The population was 613 at the 2010 census. History Beverly Shores began life as a planned resort community. The Chicago, Lake Shor ...

was a dune development of the Bartlett Family. Today, it is a residential community with remnants of the various development ideas used to lure home buyers into the dunes. Spanish Eclectic train depot and town hall, and the Old North Church with the

Century of Progress Architectural District The Century of Progress Architectural District is a historic district in Beverly Shores, Indiana. The district is on Lake Shore Drive within the Indiana Dunes National Park. The district comprises five buildings, all from the Homes of Tomorro ...

homes from the

1933 Chicago World's Fair A Century of Progress International Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, was a world's fair held in the city of Chicago, Illinois, United States, from 1933 to 1934. The fair, registered under the Bureau International des Expositio ...

are still present in this diverse architectural community. Michigan City is just east of Beverly Shores after US 12/

has passed through the Town of the Pines, turned northward along County Line Road. As the

turns east into the Laporte County and the Michigan City limits, you come to the east end of

at Mount Baldy. The road continues as northeast toward

leaving

at Michiana Shores.

Michigan

The LMCT enters Michigan in Berrien County along

. Near New Buffalo the tour switches to follow I-94 north to the Benton Harbor/ St. Joseph area. Here the LMCT follows BL I-94 and M-63 back to the freeway, this time the I-196/

US 31 U.S. Route 31 or U.S. Highway 31 (US 31) is a major north–south U.S. highway connecting southern Alabama to northern Michigan. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with US 90/ US 98 in Spanish Fort, Alabama. It ...

freeway. At

Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...

, the LMCT turns onto BL I-196/US 31. Formerly it also followed BUS US 31 through Holland until that designation was removed. The Circle Tour continues to follow US 31 northward deviating at

Muskegon Muskegon ( ') is a city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Muskegon County. Muskegon is known for fishing, sailing regattas, pleasure boating, and as a commercial and cruise ship port. It is a popular vacation destination because of the expans ...

, Montague/

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea. It is the main thoroughfare running south from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament Sq ...

and Pentwater for the various business loops. At Ludington, the Lake Michigan Circle Tour meets a '"connecting route" over the '' S.S. Badger'' carferry. The tour continues to follow US 31 to Manistee where it joins

M-22 M-22 are a British-German DJ and producer duo consisting of Matt James and Frank Sanders. On March 22, the duo met, through a joint production, which is the reason for their stage name. History On March 22, 2015, the duo met during a joint p ...

up and around the

Leelanau Peninsula The Leelanau Peninsula ( ) is a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan that extends about from the western side of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan into Lake Michigan. Leelanau County encompasses the entire peninsula. It is often referred to ...

, with a special spur loop following M-109. It rejoins US 31 at Traverse City and follows US 31 to the northern terminus of US 31 south of

Mackinaw City Mackinaw City ( ) is a village in Emmet and Cheboygan counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 846 at the 2010 census, the population increases during summertime, including an influx of tourists and seasonal workers who serve ...

. There it runs along

I-75 Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from St ...

north to the

Upper Peninsula of Michigan The Upper Peninsula of Michigan – also known as Upper Michigan or colloquially the U.P. – is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula by ...

. The

Lake Huron Circle Tour The Great Lakes Circle Tour is a designated scenic road system connecting all of the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River, St. Lawrence River. It consists of routes for circumnavigating the lakes, either individually or collectively. It was d ...

joins I-75 at the northern terminus of

US 23 } U.S. Route 23 or U.S. Highway 23 (US 23) is a major north–south U.S. Highway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Mackinaw City, Michigan. It is an original 1926 route which originally reached only as far south as Portsmouth, Ohio, and has sinc ...

and both run together on I-75 over the

Mackinac Bridge The Mackinac Bridge ( ) is a suspension bridge spanning the Straits of Mackinac, connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas of the U.S. state of Michigan. Opened in 1957, the bridge (familiarly known as "Big Mac" and "Mighty Mac") is the worl ...

. North of the toll plaza in

St. Ignace St. Ignace is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Mackinac County. The city had a population of 2,452 at the 2010 census. St. Ignace Township is located just to the north of the city, but the two are administered auto ...

, The LHCT takes Exit 344A to follow BL I-75 while the LMCT takes Exit 344B to follow

US 2 U.S. Route 2 or U.S. Highway 2 (US 2) is an east–west U.S. Highway spanning across the northern continental United States. US 2 consists of two segments connected by various roadways in southern Canada. Unlike some routes, whi ...

. In the Upper Peninsula, the circle tour follows US 2 westward to Rapid River. Here

joins US 2. At Gladstone M-35 joins to form a three-way concurrency south to

Escanaba Escanaba ( ), commonly shortened to Esky, is a port city in Delta County in the U.S. state of Michigan, located on Little Bay de Noc in the state's Upper Peninsula. The population was 12,616 at the 2010 census, making it the third-largest city i ...

. South of Escanaba, the circle tour follows M-35 to

Menominee The Menominee (; mez, omǣqnomenēwak meaning ''"Menominee People"'', also spelled Menomini, derived from the Ojibwe language word for "Wild Rice People"; known as ''Mamaceqtaw'', "the people", in the Menominee language) are a federally recog ...

. Here M-35 ends and US 41 carries the circle tour south into Wisconsin. There is a "spur route" designated along M-183 and Delta County Road 483 on the Garden Peninsula.

Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, the LMCT follows

south to I-43 in the Green Bay area. From I-43, it runs up into the

Door Peninsula The Door Peninsula is a peninsula in eastern Wisconsin, separating the southern part of the Green Bay from Lake Michigan. The peninsula includes northern Kewaunee County, northeastern Brown County, and the mainland portion of Door Co ...

along Highway 57 (Wisconsin), WIS 57 and Highway 42 (Wisconsin), WIS 42 and back south to I-43. It continues along I-43 to Port Washington, Wisconsin, Port Washington where it briefly follows Highway 32 (Wisconsin), WIS 32 for a few miles through Port Washington, Wisconsin, Port Washington then back onto I-43 to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Milwaukee where it re-joins Highway 32 (Wisconsin), WIS 32 to the state border.

Lake Huron Circle Tour

The Lake Huron Circle Tour (LHCT) progresses clockwise from a starting point at the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, Michigan-Sarnia, Ontario. The LHCT continues around Lake Huron, touching on locations including the following:

Michigan

* Bay City, Michigan * Au Gres, Michigan * Alpena, Michigan and the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary * The

* The Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan-Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario A Michigan spur route utilizes a segment of M-134 (Michigan highway), M-134 to DeTour Village, Michigan, DeTour Village.

Ontario

* Sudbury, Ontario * Ontario's Bruce Peninsula and the Bruce Peninsula National Park An Ontario spur route uses the MS Chi-Cheemaun, MS ''Chi-Cheemaun'' ferry to cross the mouth of Lake Huron's Georgian Bay from the Bruce Peninsula to Manitoulin Island and return.

Lake Erie Circle Tour

The Lake Erie Circle Tour (LECT) loops around Lake Erie following state and provincial highways. These highways are usually the closest to the lake. The LECT follows state highways in the US states of New York (state), New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and

and provincial highways in the Canadian province of Ontario.

Michigan

Starting in Detroit, the LECT follows Interstate 75 in Michigan, Interstate 75 (I-75) south from the Ambassador Bridge to exit 43. There it follows M-85 (Michigan highway), M-85 through Lincoln Park, Michigan, Lincoln Park to Trenton, Michigan, Trenton. At exit 28, the LECT rejoins I-75 and runs south through Monroe, Michigan, Monroe to the state line, crossing into Toledo, Ohio.

Ohio

Crossing into the state of Ohio, the LECT leaves Interstate 75 in Ohio, I-75 to follow Interstate 280 (Ohio), I-280 around the east side of Toledo. The tour then exits I-280 and runs along Ohio State Route 2, SR 2 to the city of Sandusky, Ohio, Sandusky, home of Cedar Point. There it joins U.S. Route 6 in Ohio, U.S. Route 6 (US 6) to Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland. West of Cleveland, US 6 merges with U.S. Route 20 in Ohio, US 20 and SR 2 in a three-way concurrency (road), concurrency. The LECT will continue to follow SR 2 through downtown Cleveland. On the east side of the city, the tour continues on Ohio State Route 283, SR 283 through Euclid, Ohio, Euclid to Painesville, Ohio, Painesville. There it merges onto US 20 until Geneva, Ohio, Geneva. The tour follows Ohio State Route 531, SR 531 east along the lake between Geneva and Conneaut, Ohio, Conneaut, where it returns along US 20 east to the state line.

Pennsylvania

The LECT follows Pennsylvania Route 5 through Erie County, Pennsylvania, Erie County. This is also the routing of the Seaway Trail.

New York

Entering New York, the road becomes New York State Route 5 to Buffalo, New York, Buffalo. There it follows the Peace Bridge to Ontario.

Ontario

The LECT follows Ontario Highway 3 through the province, running the entire length from the Peace Bridge to the Ambassador Bridge.

Lake Ontario and Seaway Trail

Unlike the other four Great Lakes, Lake Ontario is posted not as a circle tour but as part of the US-only Seaway Trail. The trail begins in Erie County, Pennsylvania and travels through Buffalo, New York, Buffalo, Niagara Falls, New York, Niagara Falls, Rochester, New York, Rochester, Oswego, New York, Oswego, and Ogdensburg, New York, Ogdensburg before ending at the Seaway International Bridge near Massena (village), New York, Massena.

History

Plans for the Great Lakes Circle Tours were started in 1985. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) was in consultation with its counterparts in Wisconsin (Wisconsin Department of Transportation, WisDOT), Minnesota (Minnesota Department of Transportation, MnDOT) and Ontario (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, MTO) in May 1986 to establish a tour route around Lake Superior. The project was started by Paula Blanchard, the First Lady of Michigan at the time. She was an adviser to the Michigan Department of Commerce and called for the formation of the tour in the fall of 1985 at a tourism conference. Representatives from the three states and province agreed to the plan. Michigan drafted the first design for the signs in early 1986, sending the design to the other governments for approval. The Great Lakes Commission approved the formation of a Great Lakes Circle Tour in November 1988.

Gallery

File:Lake Superior Circle Tour Bayfield County Wisconsin.jpg, The Lake Superior Circle Tour in northern Wisconsin on WIS 13 File:US 41 Baraga County.jpg, US 41 near the junction with US 141/M-28 File:USRoute151NorthTerminus2.jpg, Lake Michigan Circle Tour near US 10's crossing in Manitowoc, Wisconsin File:PA 5 - Seaway Trl westbound.jpg, Lake Erie Circle Tour along PA 5 in Erie County, Pennsylvania, which is also part of the Seaway Trail and BicyclePA Route Z File:Lake Superior Tour over International Bridge at Sault Ste Marie.jpg, Lake Superior and Lake Huron Circle Tours cross the

References

Works cited

* * *

External links

*
Great Lakes Circle Tour
- General information site on the GLCT and its component routes {{Greatlakes Great Lakes Circle Tours, Scenic highways in the United States Scenic travelways in Canada Great Lakes State highways in Illinois State highways in Indiana State highways in Michigan Scenic highways in Michigan State highways in Minnesota State highways in New York (state) State highways in Ohio Ontario provincial highways Ontario tourist routes State highways in Pennsylvania State highways in Wisconsin

Tours

Lake Superior Circle Tour

Lake Michigan Circle Tour

Illinois

Indiana

Michigan

Wisconsin

Lake Huron Circle Tour

Michigan

Ontario

Lake Erie Circle Tour

Michigan

Ohio

Pennsylvania

New York

Ontario

Lake Ontario and Seaway Trail

History

Gallery

See also

References

Works cited

External links