In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, we have a lot of beaches to choose from. Beautiful rocky shores and luxurious sandy dunes alike await Minnesota lake-goers every summer. Each type offers its own beauty, but there is one beach in particular that is truly unique. Iona’s Beach on is a North Shore beauty with a special surprise when the waters wash its rocks.
The beach is located on the North Shore - but it’s a little hard to find.
Justin Meissen/Flickr About three miles north of Gooseberry Falls, you’ll find it right at mile marker 42 on Highway 61. There is a parking lot available.
When you walk up to the beach, you’ll notice a sign stating that it’s a Scientific and Natural Area.
minnesota_snas/Flickr There are dozens of these areas across Minnesota. They achieve this designation by being ecologically or geologically significant to Minnesota. At Iona’s Beach, a sign explaining the significance of the beach is on display.
The most obvious sign that Iona’s Beach is truly unique is its pink color.
minnesota_snas/Flickr The pink rhyolite rocks stand out in an area surrounded by dark gray cliffs.
The rocks come from a nearby pink rhyolite cliff that has been worn down over thousands of years.
minnesota_snas/Flickr As storms rocked the choppy waters of Lake Superior, the rocks broke off the cliff. Then, the constant waves smoothed them into small pebbles.
The pebbles are fairly uniform in size and color.
minnesota_snas/Flickr This makes for an interesting - and truly unique - place to take a walk along the shore. Better yet, the beach is not as well known as other spots along the North Shore. It is usually not too busy
The lake is quite clear in this area, making it easy to see the millions of rocks that make up the beach.
James St. John/Flickr But that still isn’t the most amazing thing about Iona’s Beach…
This place has one more trick up its sleeve. Iona’s Beach is famous for the gentle tinkling of the rocks as the waves hit the shore. When you stand still enough, you can hear what sounds like hundreds of bells ringing out over the rocky expanse. Check out this video to hear it for yourself:
Justin Meissen/Flickr
About three miles north of Gooseberry Falls, you’ll find it right at mile marker 42 on Highway 61. There is a parking lot available.
minnesota_snas/Flickr
There are dozens of these areas across Minnesota. They achieve this designation by being ecologically or geologically significant to Minnesota. At Iona’s Beach, a sign explaining the significance of the beach is on display.
The pink rhyolite rocks stand out in an area surrounded by dark gray cliffs.
As storms rocked the choppy waters of Lake Superior, the rocks broke off the cliff. Then, the constant waves smoothed them into small pebbles.
This makes for an interesting - and truly unique - place to take a walk along the shore. Better yet, the beach is not as well known as other spots along the North Shore. It is usually not too busy
James St. John/Flickr
But that still isn’t the most amazing thing about Iona’s Beach…
Looking for another great Minnesota beach? Check out the hidden beach in Minnesota that will take you a million miles away from it all.
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