Superior Hiking Trail

The idea began around 1980 with Superior National Forest rangers based in Tofte, who sketched out a short hiking trail linking Britton Peak and LeVeaux Mountain. As they worked they realized the same rocky ridge ran the entire North Shore, and the plan grew into something far larger: a footpath along the whole coast. Real construction began in earnest in 1987, with a log-cutting ceremony at Britton Peak and roughly thirty miles finished by the end of that first year.

From there volunteers and the trail association pushed the route north and south, decade by decade, until it reached its present 310 miles. Along the way they built in 94 backcountry campsites, all free and first-come, so a hiker can walk for days without paying a fee or hunting for a place to sleep. The trail is still cared for by that nonprofit association, which reroutes and rebuilds sections as rivers shift and cliffs erode, so the path you walk today is the work of generations of volunteers.

The stretch that runs behind Tofte and Grand Marais climbs into the Sawtooth Mountains, a line of ancient volcanic hills whose bald rock summits stand a thousand feet or more above the lake. This is where the trail's day hikes shine. The Oberg Mountain loop circles a flat-topped knob with a series of overlooks that take in Lake Superior, inland lakes, and, in autumn, a valley of maples ablaze with color. LeVeaux Mountain next door offers a well-graded climb to broad views inland and over the water.

Carlton Peak rises about 924 feet above the lake, a short but steep scramble up ancient rock to a summit with sweeping views over the Sawtooths and old-growth maple forest. Britton Peak, where the whole trail began, gives a big reward for a short climb from its trailhead northeast of Tofte. None of these takes a full day, so it is easy to link two or three overlooks in an afternoon and still be back in a harbor town for dinner.

Between the summits the trail dives through river gorges and past waterfalls, and it touches a string of state parks along the shore, so a hike here strings together cliffs, cascades, deep forest, and that recurring, breathtaking blue view of the largest of the Great Lakes.

If there is a single best time to walk the Sawtooth section, it is fall. From mid-September into mid-October the sugar maples that blanket these hills turn brilliant red and orange, mixing with the gold of birch and aspen, and from a ridgetop overlook like Oberg the whole forest below becomes a quilt of color rolling down to the deep blue lake. The bugs are gone, the mud is dry, and the air is crisp.

That said, the trail rewards every season. Summer brings long green days and cool lake breezes, spring the rush of snowmelt down the waterfalls, and winter a quiet world of snowshoe tracks. But the fall color on the North Shore is famous for good reason, and the overlooks of the Superior Hiking Trail are among the best seats in the state to take it in.

Start by deciding how much you want. The trail's section design means you can pick a short overlook loop near Tofte or Grand Marais, an all-day point-to-point walk, or a multi-day backpack, all off the same footpath. Trailheads with parking are spaced along Highway 61, and shuttle services help hikers who want to walk one direction and get a ride back. Wear sturdy shoes, because the tread is rocky and rooty and steeper than the map suggests.

For overnights, the 94 backcountry campsites are free and first-come, first-served, with no reservations, so plan flexibly and carry a backup on busy weekends. Filter your water, pack out all your trash, and check the trail association's current conditions before you set out, since reroutes happen. Whether you give it two hours or two weeks, the Superior Hiking Trail delivers the same thing over and over: you climb, the trees open, and there is Lake Superior spread out blue to the horizon.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.