As winter strengthens its icy grip here on the upper Midwest (or “The North” as some of our branding agents prefer) I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to the warm summers on the Superior Hiking Trail.
The Superior Hiking Trail runs from the Canadian border to the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. It is well over 300 miles long and is a wonderful trail for day hikes and backpacking. The trail is managed by the Superior Hiking Trail Association, and you can find its website here.
The trail crosses national forest, state parks, state, county and municipal properties as well as private land. Negotiating use-agreements with all those entities is a constant work in progress, in part because the trail keeps getting longer and in part because some hikers occasionally forget how to behave when crossing private land.
Most sections of the trail have regularly spaced campsites which are non-reservable but free. Dogs are allowed (on a leash). I imagine the same rules apply to cats, although I have never seen a cat on the trail.
The trail is served by a private shuttle service which (during the warm season) has scheduled pick up and drop off locations and times but will also, with a little notice, pick you up or drop you off pretty much anywhere along the trail or take you to Duluth (which is important to me because that’s where I catch the bus back to the Twin Cities).
In 2015 I hiked from Canada to Finland...Minnesota (about 140 miles). 2016 was shorter — from Finland to Gooseberry Falls State Park (about 50 miles). The following pictures are from my 2016 hike.
Volunteers maintain the trail, campsites, boardwalks and bridges. Some are sturdier than others. This boardwalk swayed enough that I did not stop to take pictures of the two swans I saw on the bog. Falling into a bog while wearing a backpack is a low-survival activity.
Most of any backpacking trip is rocks, dirt, and roots (unless it is raining — then it is rocks, mud and roots). There are sunny open parts of the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) where it is nice to drop your pack, rest in the sun and enjoy the view.
Much of the SHT runs along the ridge line above Lake Superior. The lake is often in view which makes it really hard to get lost. Proximity to the lake also keeps the temperatures cooler in the summer. The Finland portion of the trail is unusual in that it veers away from the lake.
There were plenty of wild blueberries along the trail last year. On past hikes I have seen ripe raspberries and strawberry plants (but no berries). Stopping for berries is recommended, as long as you remember that bears also stop for berries.
Water is one of the best parts of the SHT. It has to be purified to be drinkable (I use a Katadyn filter + iodine tablets) but there is plenty of it on most sections of the trail. Rivers and creeks are generally spanned by bridges on the SHT (you don’t have to wade). There are many scenic waterfalls as well as slower moving water for swimming or feet-soaking. Many campsites are on the water.
There is plenty of iron in the water along the SHT but I believe the color in the image below is from dissolved organic matter (peat).
Moving water is amazing. I do not know the technical term for these holes but they are common in boulders by the rivers along the trail.
Penn Creek as it winds through Penn Creek campsite.
There are plenty of signs along the trail. Most are in far better shape than this one.
For most parts of the trail campsites are spaced every 6 to 10 miles. The trail also goes through several state parks which often have additional sites available (for a fee). All sites have several spots for tents. Some sites are designated “multi group” which means you must share the site with other hikers. Having said that, most hikers are happy to share any site with whoever shows up. Each campsite has a fire ring and a pit toilet. You don’t have to dig cat-holes on the SHT.
I used a hammock this year. I think I will return to using a tent next year. The hammock system was a little heavier and I like having my pack nearby at night rather than hanging up somewhere else. Of course, no matter what your sleeping arrangements are, your food and garbage has to be hung every night to keep it and you safe from critters (ranging from chipmunks to bears).
There is plenty of wildlife on the trail. This is a snapping turtle sunning him (her?) self on a rock. I also saw plenty of birds and rodents...including functioning beaver dams which was a first for me.
Daisy along the trail.
Indian Pipe flower along the trail. This plant does not have chlorophyll but feeds through its roots using a mutually beneficial relationship with a fungus. The flowers will turn light pink when fertilized.
Lily along the trail
And finally, a view of Lake Superior from the SHT.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these images of the Superior Hiking Trail and I hope you have a most excellent new year!