tom's historic logging camp

My friend and I always stop here during the winter months and say hi to owner Bill. He relentlessly opens almost every day rain or shine. Even when the Trail isn't open behind the gift shop, the gift shop remains open. The gift shop is almost more like a general store or any novelty you could every want, and reasonably priced. While I was up here during the summer I had eaten at "Bill's Jewel" the sandwich shop (which I came to find out from him that at one time they were cabins at a camp) the bread was made locally and the topping were very fresh. All in all one of the best places to stop for some inexpensive fun on Scenic 61.

So I saw a quick glimpse of this jeweled haven from the highway and I immediately made the Hubs find it. I couldn't help myself. If you're the kind of person who stops for 'the worlds largest...' While on road trips then you MUST take a detour to Tom's! It's amazing and reminds me that America used to be a simple place where you could take a summer trip to the lake and stop for some fun and an ice cream cone. It's packed to the brim with odds and ends, a suitable souvenir for any age available. Life sized and oversized statues. Food. History. It doesn't get any better than this!! It is northern Minnesota though, so it does close for 'the season'. We were just lucky enough to catch them open on their last weekend!! This is forever on my must-see list from now on!

My family visited this place on Labor Day weekend. We visited the gift shop, toured the logging camp and ate at the lunch counter. The store had typical types of tourist gifts, but they also had some interesting handmade items and a decent selection of postcards. The staff was very polite and had some very good stories and were entertaining. The tour was self-guided, but the items were well displayed and we observed many items and photos that we've never seen before. It was a good learning experience and nature walk. The sandwiches that we ordered for lunch had custom breads and a good variety of meats and vegetables. My family still talks about the sandwiches today. If you have time, I would recommend checking out this place.

We brought two young children (2 and 5) here. They LOVED it, from the trout feeding to the wacky house, to feeding the animals. They kept track of finding the horseshoes in order to get a prize (a good idea to keep young children engaged). Nice gift shop with a range of prices. I encourage locals to take advantage of this opportunity to learn more about the logging camps. The exhibits are NOT Disney park quality--but neither are the prices! We had a good lunch at the little cafe on the property.

Ok, it's not for everyone... but we needed to stop for a bathroom break and we found ourselves in Tom's Logging Cabin. Importantly, the restrooms are clean and tidy :-)The gift shop is a giant room full of Minnesota souvenirs laced with curiosities and oddities. I thought it was fantastic fun- stuffed animals, native american drums, and old copper kettles share a shelf with MN wild rice, local pottery, and bear poop candy. I bought some of the handmade soaps, and they are absolutely divine!It's a fun place to stretch your legs if you need a break!

we stopped here for lunch after walking around the glensheen mansion. we were on our way north up the scenic highway. i have never previewed this place on tripadvisor. we just happened to stop by. the cafe is small and tidy. a nice gentleman inside employs his son and daughter. They make sandwiches. They were good. the prices were fair. The meal was adequate for our hunger needs. We then walked across the parking lot to the gift shop. There are a lot of items there that you can get in gift shops in the grand canyon or the black hills, or really any where else. But we did find a nice assortment of gifts that are indicative of northern minnesota. if we were traveling through the area and wanted a sandwich, then yes, we would stop here again.

We stopped there on our way to grand marais to break up the trip with the children. The owners are really nice people. They had my oldest daughter on a fun scavenger hunt to earn a prize. In the middle of the tour my batteries does on my camera and she gave me free batteries. My husband and I enjoyed the old time stuff and reading the way things used to happen. It was also great to talk to our children about how things have changed. Looking forward to stopping back in a few years.

The gift shop is very good, and the logging camp tour is great. Got to see how my great-grandfather lived working for the robber barrons. Looks like a tough life. Feeding the fish is awesome, they kind of go into a feeding frenzy, neat! This is really worth a stop.

Yes, this may be a tourist trap, it is a nice little shop with a museum out back - adults are only $5. Nice place to stretch your legs. There are several pieces that are very interesting, and they provide some wonderful information about logging camps.

The previous reviewer describes this as a "tourist trap". Yeah, I'd agree... but the little ones will have fun. I wouldn't leave Duluth for it, or drive out of the way, but if you're traveling along the North Shore- then I would stop. It is located between Duluth and Two Harbors on Hwy. 61's Scenic Drive. There's a big sign- you won't miss it.Tom's Logging Camp offers a self guided tour through a recreated 1900's logging camp. While following the walking path, they have animals to feed (trout, lamas, chickens, goats, and bunnies). Our children (5 and 8) weren't that interested in the logging stuff, but they enjoyed feeding the animals. I knocked one star off because I thought the fee was a little high ($5/adults, $4/children, 5 years and younger are free). After we paid $14, we bought food pellets via dispensers for $.25/turn. We probably spent another couple dollars.Our children found a little toy to buy in the gift shop. It's like the other gift shops along the North Shore.We didn't try the food, but it looked like a good place to grab a lunch or ice cream cone.I recommend wearing some bug spray (although the bugs weren't real bad while we were there). The experience is outdoors, so I would stop if the weather is nice. We probably spent an hour here.

Over the past 20 years, we've stopped in at Tom's Logging camp several times.. whenever we've driven up to Two Harbors or beyond. My daughters, who are in their 20s now, have always loved the place - the shop and also the trail loop with the spitting llamas and fish. If you have young kids, you have to stop - their memories of the place will stick for a lifetime.

This is your typical tourist trap. Nothing of note here except maybe a bathroom break between two harbors and Duluth. On the funny side I was looking at a BBQ sauce that stated High Corn Fructose Syrup free and then in the ingredients list on the sauce what was the first ingredient? High Corn Fructose Syrup. I showed this to my wife and it got funnier. The woman working behind the desk said and I quote, "This is not some vinegar based sauce the use in Kansas City but this is yankee bbq sauce." What made this hilarious is if you know anything about BBQ. North/South Carolina is the capital of Vinegar based sauces and Kansas City is known for its barbecue sauce. It is an integral part of the Kansas City barbecue scene. The sauces found in the region are tomato-based, with sweet, spicy and tangy flavor. I would again only recommend this for a midway bathroom break between Duluth and Two Harbors....

On our way home from Grand Marais my husband, myself and 3 children (9,9 & 6) stopped in. Cute little place to learn done history, stretch your legs, feed some animals and have an ice cream cone. The owners are very nice and their gift shop is very reasonably priced with some unique items for sale.

Every time I head North to Duluth, this is a fave spot for me and my kids. We love the little trail through the camp, feeding the trout, the goats, llamas and chickens. Then we spend some time looking for the perfect treasure in the gift shop. A North Shore must.

Kids get a real kick out of feeding all the animals and fish in the trout pond! Lots of free roaming bunnies are a big hit too. Lots to learn about the "ild days for young and old.