Can You Visit the Soo Locks?
Can You Visit the Soo Locks?
Can you visit the Soo Locks? That was the question I found myself asking before I visited the Soo. After some research, I quickly learned that you can visit the Soo Locks, and it is actually encouraged. In addition to being able to enter the grounds of the Soo Locks, there is also a museum that provides information about how the Soo Locks work and a two-story observation deck that allows visitors to watch the Great Lakes Freighters navigate their way through the locks on their journey between Lake Superior and Lake Huron.
The best part about visiting the Soo Locks is that admission is free. There is no charge to visit the grounds of the Soo Locks, the Soo Locks Museum, or the Soo Locks Observation Platform.
In addition, there is even a hotline that provides updates on when the Great Lakes Freighters will be entering the Soo Locks. The number for the hotline is 906-202-1333.
So to answer my initial question, yes, the Soo Locks can be visited and should be visited by any tourist in this area of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Can You Visit the Soo Locks - A Guide on How to Visit the Locks - Table of Contents
- Can You Visit the Soo Locks?
- How to Visit the Soo Locks?
- How do the Soo Locks Work?
- What is in the Soo Locks Visitor’s Center?
- Can I Take a Boat Tour of the Soo Locks?
- Does the Tower of History Provide a Good View of the Soo Locks?
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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How to Visit the Soo Locks
The next question I had before my visit to the locks was, “How do I visit the Soo Locks?” The Soo Locks are located in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and visitors should take the last exit before the International Bridge that connects Interstate 75 to Canada. When visiting, be sure not to miss the exit, as continuing will take you out of the United States. After exiting I-75, signs will lead you to the grounds of the Soo Locks.
While there is no admission to enter the Soo Locks Complex, many of the locations for parking have meters. If you want to park for free, I recommend parking on Portage Avenue. There is plenty of free parking on Portage Avenue in front of the local restaurants and businesses.
The Soo Locks are open to visitors from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm.
The Soo Locks are run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Detroit District. Anyone entering the grounds of the Soo Locks is subject to search. During my visit, there was an employee in the kiosk near the entrance, but I was not subjected to any search or questioning.
The best place to watch the ships enter and leave the Soo Locks is the Observation Platform. The Platform offers two tiers for viewing and includes areas that are open-air and covered with windows.
How do the Soo Locks Work?
After learning that tourists can visit the Soo Locks and figuring out how to visit the Soo Locks, I now wanted to learn how the locks worked. The Soo Locks were constructed on the St. Mary’s River, which connects Lake Superior to Lake Huron. Without the locks, vessels would be subjected to a 21-foot change in elevation. In the photo below, you can see the rapids of the St. Mary’s River, which runs parallel to the Soo Locks.
The Soo Locks Museum, which is mentioned in the section below, provides information on why the Soo Locks are so important. Without the locks, ships would not be able to travel between Lake Huron and Lake Superior due to a 21-foot drop. With the help of the Soo Locks, ships can travel from Duluth, Minnesota, all the way to the Atlantic Ocean.
The signage below, which is on display at the Soo Locks Observation Platform, shows the distance and time to travel from the Soo Locks to various locations.
Now that I had learned about why the Soo Locks were necessary, I wanted to see the locks in action. Thankfully, a Canadian Freighter was just about to enter the Poe Lock, which is the largest of the Soo Locks. This large vessel was on its way to Lake Superior from Lake Huron, meaning the locks would raise the ship 21 feet.
There is no cost to use the Soo Locks, and even civilian boats can use the locks as long as they have a motor and permission from the lockmaster. As the Canadian Freighter entered the lock under its own power, a group of people began to line the second level of the observation deck to watch the lock raise the giant ship.
A few minutes later, another boat entered the Soo Locks’ MacArthur Lock. This boat was a Soo Locks Boat Tour vessel that was returning to Lake Huron from Lake Superior. It was fascinating to watch the freighter be raised 21 feet at the same time that the tour boat was being lowered 21 feet by only using gravity.
The Soo Locks operate by using gravity to add or subtract 22 million gallons of water depending on if the boat needs to be raised or lowered.
While the Canadian Freighter and the Soo Locks tour boat were in the locks, I took a photo every five minutes. The four photos below show what it looks like for a ship to be raised or lowered 21 feet.
The smaller MacArthur Lock was the first to open, and the Soo Locks Tour Boat exited the lock. The photos below show the MacArthur Lock Closing (Lake Superior side) and opening (Lake Huron side.)
About five minutes later (45 minutes after entering), the Poe Lock’s gate opened, and the Canadian Freighter exited towards Lake Superior. The photos below show the freighter before and after the 21-foot increase in elevation.
As the large ship exited the Soo Locks, I decided to check out the Soo Locks Museum.
What is in the Soo Locks Visitor's Center?
The Soo Locks Visitor’s Center is open from 7 am to 10 pm. I highly recommend spending a few minutes walking through the visitor’s center and looking at the exhibits.
One of the exhibits that caught my eye was the Old State Locks exhibit. The original locks at the Soo were built in 1797 to help canoes pass between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. After that lock was destroyed during the War of 1812, the State of Michigan built a new lock in 1855, which was in service until the US Government took over operations and opened its lock in 1881.
The larger Poe Lock opened in 1896 and was replaced and made larger in 1968. Currently, a third lock is being built and is scheduled to open by 2030.
In addition to the State Lock Exhibit, there are many different posters and signs that explain the need for the Soo Locks and how they impact American and Canadian shipping.
Can You Take a Boat Tour of the Soo Locks?
Two companies offer boat tours of the Soo Locks. The first company is Famous Soo Locks Boat Tours (website), which offers tours on their easy-to-spot yellow boats. The second company is Original Soo Locks Boat Tours (website). This company offers tours on its white-colored tour boats.
As of June 2023, the cost for both tours is $30 for adults and $10 for children. Both companies offer tours that go through the locks and last around 90 minutes. A passport is not required to go through the locks as passengers will not disembark in Canada.
During my visit, I chose not to go on a boat tour of the Soo Locks but wanted to make sure that I covered that a boat tour is a great way to see the locks.
Neither company requires reservations, but some tours can sell out. You can purchase tickets directly on their websites which are linked above. I do not receive any commission for clicks or purchases and have linked their websites for your convenience.
Does the Tower of History Provide a Good View of the Soo Locks?
While driving down Portage Avenue, I came across a large concrete tower named the Tower of History. Built by the Catholic Church as the Shrine of Missionaries. The shrine was supposed to be part of a larger complex that the church later scraped, and it was donated to the Sault Historic Sites in 1980.
For a fee of $8 ($4 for children), visitors can take an elevator up to the 210-foot observation platform high about Sault Ste. Marie. From the platform, visitors can have great views of the Soo Locks as well as the cities of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
During my visit, I purchased my ticket and took the elevator to the top. There are actually three observation decks, one is enclosed, and the other two are open-air. I recommend spending most of your time on the open-air upper observation deck, as it is easier to take photos without worrying about the glare from the windows.
The photos below were all taken from the upper observation deck. This observation deck is open-air. Pictured below are the Soo Locks and the St. Mary’s River. You can clearly see why the locks are necessary by looking at the rapids just past the Soo Locks.
The next two photos below shoe a freighter entering the Poe Lock from the Lake Superior side of the St. Mary’s River. It also provides a new view of the International Bridge that connects Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.
After this freighter enters the Poe Lock, it will be lowered 21 feet before continuing to Lake Huron.
Looking in the other direction from the Tower of History provides a view of the Saint Marys Falls Hydropower Plant. This power plant dates back to 1902 and is one of the oldest operating hydroelectric power plants in the United States.
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