McQuade small craft harbor earns national award

Talk about it

The recently opened McQuade small craft harbor north of Duluth on Lake Superior has earned a BoatUS Recreational Boating Access Award for providing public access by collaborating with partners.

The McQuade grand opening was July 18, 2008. Working together was the key to the success of the McQuade project, which was met with some resistance when it was first proposed 16 years ago.

But with cooperation between federal, state and local agencies, communities, boating and fishing groups, conservation organizations, and the public, the harbor became a reality.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) manages the three-acre safe harbor and public access site, which logged 2,000 launchings last season.

The project cost $11 million. It includes three launching ramps, a separate kayak ramp, trailer parking for 54 vehicles with trailers and 23 for cars only, three shore-fishing platforms, solar lighting and accessible public walkways protected by two massive stone breakwaters.

Tags: two harbors, mcquade access, northland, outdoors, rec, sports