See how 10,000 ships travel between Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes every year at Soo Locks. Historically significant, the first versions of these locks were built in 1855 to accommodate a 6.4 m (21 ft) drop between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, and they still are noted for their engineering prowess. Today vessels traveling through the lock system here transport more than 86 million tons of cargo. The locks are named for the two cities on either side of the St. Marys River, one in Michigan and one in Canada. Both cities are names Sault Ste. Marie, with Sault pronounced as "Soo." The locks now make up 2.6 km (1.6 mi) of a canal that is run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Plan your Soo Locks visit and explore what else you can see and do in Sault Ste. Marie using our Sault Ste. Marie travel route planner.
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Soo Locks reviews
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I had an experience with Soo Locks before, but not as big as the ones in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. They are gigantic! One of the biggest in the world. Watching huge vessels passing through the Locks is a.... more
I had an experience with Soo Locks before, but not as big as the ones in Sault Ste. Marie, MI. They are gigantic! One of the biggest in the world. Watching huge vessels passing through the Locks is a.... more »
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We headed to Soo Locks thinking we were just going to look down on a ship going through. That was just one small part of what all there is to see. The Visitor Center is excellent and has some great.... more
We headed to Soo Locks thinking we were just going to look down on a ship going through. That was just one small part of what all there is to see. The Visitor Center is excellent and has some great.... more »
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It's free to walk around the Army Corps of Engineers area as long as you present an ID. The park is beautiful and there's a covered area to watch the ships pass through. This is a great spot for a weekend getaway. Sault Ste. Marie is awesome.
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Fascinating to watch the big ships move through this elaborate system. Lots of great info in visitors centre. Worth stopping for if you have any interest in marine activity. Restrooms in visitors centre could use some updating and more regular cleaning.
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