Conditions

Linking people with nature by footpath along Lake Superior's North Shore.

May 21, 2013: The trail is now completely free of snow. However, with 2-4 inches of rainfall in the past few days, the trail is extremely muddy and has standing water in some places. Reports are the rain will last through Wednesday and then the trail will start to dry out.
May 1, 2013: ENCAMPMENT RIVER BRIDGE OUT: The Encampment River Bridge, in the trail section from Co Rd 301 to the Encampment River, has gone out due to high water and ice. This section is therefore closed since the water is too high to cross and the bridge is surrounded by private property. Here are the directions for a 6.8 mile roadwalk around this section: From Co Rd 301 (Fors Rd) trailhead parking lot, take the SHT 0.4 miles until it crosses Co Rd 3 (Hwy 3). Turn left (northeast) and go 4.7 miles to West Castle Danger Road. Turn right (east) and go 1.6 miles to where SHT crosses road. Go left on SHT 0.1 miles to Castle Danger Trailhead parking lot.
April 10, 2013: The new 7th Edition of the Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail (published April 2013) includes the two newest sections north of Duluth, Martin Road Trailhead to Lismore Road Trailhead, 6.9 miles, and Lismore Road Trailhead to Normanna Road Trailhead, 6.9 miles. These two sections are not signed yet. They will officially open on June 1st. Also, Lone Tree Campsite in the section Lismore Road to Normanna Road section, is not built yet; it will be built in late May.
April 2, 2013: NEW! - The new Seventh Edition of the "Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail," published by the Superior Hiking Trail Association in April 2013, is your best source of detailed information about the Superior Hiking Trail. It includes complete trailhead parking information, maps, campsite information, water sources, and a mile-by-mile description of the trail. The SHT starts at Jay Cooke State Park and continues through Duluth for 42 miles(no SHT backcountry campsites in this section). Then the trail is contiguous from the Martin Road Trailhead to the end of trail at Otter Lake Road Trailhead, close to the Canadian border (255 miles of main trail)(93 backcountry campsites, no fees, permits or reservations required). The Guide price is $15.95. ***SHTA also sells a complete set of five pocket maps to the trail for $2.50. These maps are Map A Sucker River to Two Harbors; Map 1 Two Harbors to Tettegouche; Map 2 Tettegouche to Oberg Mt; Map 3 Oberg Mt. to Woods Creek; and Map 4 Woods Creek to Canada.
December 29, 2012: WINTER TRAILHEAD PLOWING: here is a list of the Superior Hiking Trail trailhead parking lots that are plowed in winter. Use "The Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail" for directions to these trailheads. *** Duluth Section: Munger Trail at 123rd Ave W, Rose Garden, Hartley Nature Center, Martin Road. ***North Shore Section: Normanna Road, Fox Farm Road, Lake County Demonstration Forest, Castle Danger, Gooseberry Falls State Park, Split Rock River Wayside, Beaver Bay, Silver Bay, Tettegouche State Park, Finland Recreation Center, Crosby-Manitou State Park, Temperance River Wayside, Britton Peak, Oberg Mountain, Lutsen Mountains Recreation Area, Caribou Trail, Cascade River State Park, Bally Creek Road (northern most parking lot only), Pincushion Mountain (but no hiking on the ski trails), Kadunce River Wayside, Judge Magney State Park (big parking lot isn't plowed but there is room to park cars right by the contact station).
September 10, 2012: The trail is open and in good hiking condition EXCEPT for the Jay Cooke State Park trailheads and the Fond du Lac Trailhead in western Duluth, due to the June flood. These trailheads will not re-open until at least next year. The Magney-Snively Trailhead in western Duluth is closed to due damage to Skyline Parkway -- it will re-open when Skyline Parkway is repaired in this area.
August 7, 2012: There is a new trailhead parking lot on Lake County Rd 6 (in the Finland, Little Marais area). Instead of the parking lot in a gravel pit, the parking lot is now 0.2 miles west of the gravel pit on Co Rd 6, where the SHT actually crosses Co Rd 6.
May 11, 2012: Please make sure you camp only at designated campsites. People have been camping illegally on state park and private land! Campsites are required to be shared by parties. There is always room to squeeze another tent in at the site, so be polite. Please use only the main camp fire ring and do not make any additional rings anywhere. The camp fire rings must be dug down to a depth of 18" to get out all roots and they are placed away from trees with overhanging branches.

Back to Home