Enger Park gardens and peace bell, Duluth, Minnesota

Last updated on January 6th, 2025

Despite the popularity of Enger Tower, Enger Park’s gardens are among the hidden gems that await visitors to Duluth, Minnesota.

Most, but not all of Enger Park’s gardens are shady escapes on a hot summer day.

Since they are not as well-known as other Duluth attractions, the sprawling gardens tucked under the trees high above the city can be an unexpected oasis of beauty and calm. But don’t think you’ll have them to yourself. While out-of-town visitors may not know about these gardens, they are very popular with Duluth residents.

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Skip the tower, enjoy the gardens in Enger Park

Located on the bluff above the city, Duluth’s Enger Park is best known for its odd stone tower and sweeping views over the harbor.

Enger Tower stands above the gardens.

But don’t just climb the tower and leave.

Instead, take a hint from the stone markers along the parking lot and explore the gardens below the tower.

Even the parking area blooms!

Woodland perennial gardens

The area below Enger Tower includes intermixed gardens and a picnic area. At first glance it might be mistaken for a natural woodland or an old cottage garden gone rogue. However, a closer look reveals carefully designed perennial gardens that include an ever-changing mix of greenery and colorful flowers.

In spring azaleas bloom throughout the garden.

You’ll find a green oasis throughout the growing season.

These giant plants were just beginning to bloom in mid-summer. (I think they are a type of ligularia.)

Even with limited sun, the garden’s many coneflowers look happy and healthy.

While the area nearest the parking lot might be filled with picnicking families, the farther you move into the garden, the more peaceful it becomes.

Spring is the time to enjoy gorgeous azaleas, lilacs, and other flowering trees and shrubs.

I’m in love with these azaleas!

Take in the view

Paths veer off in multiple directions throughout the garden. All are lovely, but don’t miss heading up to the large gazebo on the bluff above the city.

A gazebo now marks an area long appreciated for its sweeping views.

For an even better view, step beyond the pavilion and relax for a while on one of the benches set at the edge of the bluff.

Benches make this a perfect place to admire the view — even on a cloudy day!

That bench isn’t nearly as close to the edge of the bluff as it looks. But it is close enough that you can get great views of Duluth.

Just part of the view from Enger park!

The Superior Hiking Trail also connects with Enger Park’s paths, giving visitors their choice of formal garden paths or a more natural hiking trail.

The Superior Hiking Trail runs through Enger Park.

Either choice is lovely.

The Japanese Peace Garden

At the other end of the park, a small Japanese garden fills a mostly sunny spot.

The Japanese garden packs a lot of drama into a small space.

The Japanese Peace Bell Garden includes a large zen garden (a dry rock garden), some unusual evergreens, and a Japanese bell tower that houses the Ohara Peace Bell.

The garden’s focal point is the Ohara Peace Bell.

The original bell seems to date back to 1686 and once hung at the Cho-ei Temple in Ohara (now Isumi), Japan. While the temple was (apparently) destroyed long ago, the bell survived World War II. But barely. At the end of the war American sailors aboard the USS Duluth found it in a pile of scrap that was to have been melted down to feed Japan’s war effort. It became an American war souvenir instead.

By 1949 it was on display in the Duluth city hall.

However, just a few years later, scholars visiting from Japan recognized the bell. Not only had it come from a temple in Ohara, but it was the oldest surviving temple bell from that city. They asked city officials to return it to its home city in Japan. And so, the bell returned to Ohara and went on display there.

That could easily have been the end of the story as far as Duluth was concerned, as the bell’s time in city was a brief, largely forgotten bit of city history. But the bell’s return meant a lot to the people of Ohara — and they didn’t forget Duluth’s role in returning it.

Officials from Ohara asked Duluth to become a sister city in 1989. In 1993 a “replica” of the Ohara bell (now called the Ohara Peace Bell) was sent to Duluth as a gift.

close-up of Japanese Peace Bell in Duluth

Details on the Ohara Peace Bell.

While the bell in Duluth is constantly described as a replica of the ancient Cho-ei Temple bell, it really isn’t. It’s a “close replica” that displays the Duluth logo and an inscription with the bell’s history. (It’s also the second replica sent to Duluth, as the first cracked shortly after installation.)

And yes, visitors are allowed to ring the peace bell.

Plan your trip to Enger Park Gardens

Enger Park is located high above Duluth along scenic Skyline Drive and the Superior Hiking Trail.

The Duluth parks page currently doesn’t have information on the park’s hours. Explore Minnesota has a little more information, including opening hours and seasons.

The parking lot has a gate that can be closed when the park isn’t open.

The park closes once snow falls and doesn’t usually open until May 1st.
During the rest of the year, the park closes at 10 pm.
There is no charge to visit the park’s tower, gardens, or picnic area.
Parking is also free.
Restrooms and picnic tables are available.
Overnight parking or camping are NOT allowed.

Only a portion of the garden is fully accessible with wide, paved pathways. In other areas, paths wind over bare stone, up steps, or through woodlands via trails covered with woodchips or crushed stone. It’s easy walking, but not all paths are smooth or flat. And some paths follow the bluff edge which, while not super steep, has spots where you wouldn’t want to take a tumble or let a young child do so.

The best time to visit the gardens

Enger Park’s gardens are open from May through October.

The blooming season starts when daffodils fill the woodland floor with spring color and continues through the first hard frost of autumn. The best time for flowers is spring through mid-summer. The best time for fall leaf color is late September into October.

Local families come here for picnic lunches, so don’t be surprised to find lots of children in the picnic area near the parking lot. It can be surprisingly busy mid-morning through early afternoon on week days.

It’s also a popular spot for weddings. That means Saturdays also tend to be very busy.

The flower girl makes her entrance at a family wedding in Enger Park.

More things to do in Duluth

Duluth is both a great tourist destination in its own right and the first stop in a road trip along Minnesota’s spectacular North Shore.

The city truly offers something for everyone: Outdoor adventurers will find ample hiking, biking, skiing, and watersports available right in and around the city. Meanwhile, urbanites will discover a range of arts, cultural events, shopping, dining, drinking, and historical sites throughout the city. There’s even another (very different, but very wonderful) garden along the waterfront.