Superior Hiking Trail

Above the North Shore of Lake Superior, this Minnesota footpath runs roughly 310 miles along the ridgeline overlooking the great lake, linking overlooks, river gorges, and boreal forest from Duluth toward the Canadian border.

Backpackers find a friendly long trail, with about 40,000 feet of cumulative gain spread over gentle grades and a chain of free first-come backcountry campsites spaced for flexible daily mileage. Frequent road crossings make section and day hiking easy to arrange.

Practical detail: no permit is required and camping at the designated sites is free, an unusually welcoming setup among long trails. Water is drawn from the many streams that tumble toward the lake, and biting insects peak in early summer.

September and October are the standout months, when the maples and birches flare into color above the blue water; summer is pleasant but buggier, and winter brings snowshoe and ski use. Completed in the 1980s and 1990s by volunteers, the trail is regularly ranked among the finest in the Midwest.