By John Keefover of Keefography
REVISED NORTHBOUND SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL
THRU-HIKING ITINERARY
A revised day-by-day itinerary from my Northbound Thru-Hike of the SHT June ‘22.
While I was preparing for my Northbound Thru-Hike of the Superior Hiking Trail I originally shared my planned itinerary for the trip which you can find here: SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL THRU-HIKE ITINERARY. For more information about the trail itself check out my article HIKING & BACKPACKING THE SHT. If you want to read an even more in-depth Trip Report check out my SHT THRU-HIKE RECAP starting with Chapter 1.
This revised itinerary covers each day from the mileage, food resupplies, notable photo opportunities, and campsites I stayed at. You can plan all you want before a Thru-Hike but plans always change when you’re actually on the trail! Somedays you might feel like pushing hard, some you might want to take it easy, or you might come across a campsite that you just absolutely love. The trail provides. I’ll be updating this with each days more thorough trip report paired with stories, trail conditions, and photos along the way once I publish them. You can use this itinerary to compare my original plans to the actual route for my trip. This can be help to plan your own Thru-Hike, Section Hike or Day Hike on the SHT! If you’re curious about what gear I brought with me for 19 days and 310 miles check out my Superior Hiking Trail Thru-Hike Gear List Summer 2022.
Most Thru-Hikers get their food mailed to post offices in towns along the trail. For my hike though I did not deviate off of the trail at all except when I was able to get a ride into town for food and drinks. I had several food re-supply points set up with friends, family members and other local photographers ready with food I set aside for them for a certain section. They met me at specific trailheads on a set date. I broke up the trail into 7 sections so based on the itinerary the most food I carried at any point was 3 days worth of food.
I started Northbound on June 12th and finished in 19 days for an average of 16.3 miles per day. Before setting off be sure to check up on latest trail conditions from the Superior Hiking Trail Association or the SHT Group on Facebook. Please consider becoming a member and/or donating to the SHTA as well so that they can continue to build and maintain this wonderful trail! Become a member here: https://superiorhiking.org/join/
If you enjoy this free content please consider making a CONTRIBUTION, buying my 2023 PHOTOGRAPHY CALENDAR, purchasing PRINTS, and following along on Social Media at Instagram, Facebook, & YouTube. Your support is greatly appreciated to help cover travel costs, permits, gear acquisitions, and time commitments needed to get outside and share these adventures with you all. Thank you!
DAY 1: SUNDAY 6/12/22
Total Mileage: ~10 Miles. Southern Terminus - Jay Cooke State Park Campground. Walk in site costs $32.
Photo Ops: Southern Terminus Sign, Wildflowers & Ferns, Railroad Bridge Vista, St. Louis River, Sunset at the Jay Cooke Swinging Bridge.
Notes: A big reason why I chose to hike Northbound (NOBO) on the trail is that there are no designated SHT campsites in the Southern section before Duluth, besides right at the Southern Terminus at the Red River Valley campsite. That means you will need to book a campsite at a private campground, get an AIRBNB, or a hotel room. Getting a reservation exactly where you want it to be on a specific starting time is ideal. If you’re hiking Southbound you might end up taking more or less time and might arrive at this area on different dates than you were anticipating. I stayed at the Jay Cooke campground which is 10 miles from the Southern Terminus. It’s actually less than 10 miles away, but the trailhead to park at the Southern Terminus is 2 miles before it so to walk to the Terminus and backtrack to the trailhead is 4 miles, then it’s 6 miles to the big campground. You could book one of the more private backpacking sites along the river, but I decided to be closer to the next section of trail for the next day. The big campground is also a nice access point to catch the sunset from the iconic Swinging Bridge! Whichever campsite you’re looking for you will have to book well in advance with popularity of the area. Book your campsite here: https://reservemn.usedirect.com/MinnesotaWeb/
The St. Louis River from the bridge at Jay Cooke State Park
DAY 2: MONDAY 6/13/22
Total Mileage: ~17 Miles. Jay Cooke State Park Campground - Spirit Mountain Campground. Walk in site costs $40.02. *Ended up at my house instead after evacuating my hiking partner off the trail due to knee injury towards the end of the day.
Photo Ops: Sunrise at Jay Cooke Swinging Bridge, Forbay Lake Dam, St. Louis River Fond du Lac Reservoir, Mission Creek Stone Bridge, Ely’s Peak, Stewart Creek Stone Bridge, Gogebic Creek Stone Bridge.
Notes: Once again there are no SHT campsites in the Southern section before Duluth and there is no dispersed camping allowed along the trail. I opted to stay at the Spirit Mountain Campground on the spur trail which connects to the main trail again via a loop trail. Book your “Walkin Tenting” campsite here: https://www.spiritmt.com/campground. If you have time after hiking the campground is close to the Spirit Mountain Adventure Park featuring an Alpine Coaster, Zip-line, mini golf, disc golf, and a big jumping pillow. This section passes over plenty of creeks and some have impressive stone bridges.
Unfortunately my hiking partner aggravated a knee injury and we had to bail out right before we got to our campsite at Spirit Mountain. My girlfriend was able to pick us up on Skyline Parkway and brought us to our apartment to access his situation and get out of the cold and windy conditions.
Fog rolling in on Ely’s Peak outside of Duluth
DAY 3: TUESDAY 6/14/22
Total Mileage: ~18 Miles. Spirit Mountain Campground - My Apartment
Photo Ops: Knowlton Creek, Kingsbury Creek, Oneota Creek, Peace Ridge on the Brewer Park Loop, Abandoned Basketball Court and Baseball Field, Enger Park, Canal Park, Rose Garden at Leif Erickson Park.
Notes: This will be the last stretch of trail without a SHT campsite. However there is one paid campground on the University of Duluth campus at the Bagley Nature Area. From the Spirit Mountain Campground to the Bagley Nature Area campground it would be around 20 miles. There are 6 campsites there for $25 a night. 4 are reservable ahead of time, and 2 are walk-in only. Reserve your site here or try your luck with a walk-in only: https://umdrsop.d.umn.edu/programs/rental-center/campground.
Luckily for me though I live on the Hillside of Duluth not far from Leif Erickson Park around 18 miles from Spirit Mountain Campground along the SHT. Though since we had to bail last night we didn’t start from the campground. My hiking partner wanted to try to see if he could continue hiking so my girlfriend dropped us both off at the same location she picked us up at yesterday. Right away he realized that he wasn’t going to be able to go on with me though. My girlfriend came back to pick him up and I went on solo for the rest of the trip. Since I stayed at my house the night before and hiked there again on this day, I was able to leave most of my camping gear behind and went with a really light daypack bag for this stretch which was nice!
This section of trail goes right through the heart of Duluth. The creeks in the early section are beautiful, especially Kingsbury Creek which flows right into the Lake Superior Zoo. There are not many other trails where you can hear the roar of a lion when you’re Thru-Hiking! I had thick fog the whole day I was hiking so didn’t get to see most of the overlooks. Enger Park has an amazing view of Lake Superior and Canal Park, where you’ll be heading next. There you’ll see the iconic Lift Bridge, and the Lighthouses and walk along the newly re-built lake walk section. For food options in town close to the trail my recommendations would be these local businesses:
Northern Waters Smokehaus: Amazing smoked fish & meats, deli sandwiches and togo grocery items.
Vitta Pizza: Woodfired Neapolitan pizza.
Hoops Brewing: Head over to their beerhall and order food delivery to your table from nearby restaurants.
Sir Benedict’s Tavern on the Lake: Sir Ben’s is a local hangout with a huge rotating tap list and really good sandwiches. They also have one of the best patios in town with live music every night.
Burrito Union: Burritos & Mexican cuisine right at the trailhead going into Chester Park.
When I got to the Great Lakes Aquarium and the DECC I saw a bunch of those motorized tourist scooters and decided to scoot on through the Canal Park section on one of those rides! I felt like I was flying on that thing compared to walking. Maybe it’s “cheating” on a Thru-Hike, but I didn’t care. I had a blast cruising around. A lot of people often choose to skip the Southern section of the trail including Duluth and start at the Martin Road Trailhead, but i’d suggest doing the whole thing for the whole experience! Even the trails through town are surprisingly great.
A foggy switchback between Spirit Mountain and Kingsbury Creek in West Duluth
DAY 4: WEDNESDAY 6/15/22
Total Mileage: ~28 Miles. My House - Sucker River Campsite. 4 tent pads. Water from Sucker River.
Photo Ops: Waterfalls at Chester Park, Bagley Nature Area, Hartley Pond and the Rock Knob spur trail at Hartley Park, Del’s Pond, Sucker River.
Notes: I re-supplied at my house before setting off for my personal biggest mileage day of backpacking at 28 miles! That’s mostly because the “trail” North of Duluth sucked… Though it was flat which made it easy to crank out miles, the SHT follows along the CJ Ramstad North Shore Snowmobile Trail for many miles. With all of the snow melt and rain we had this spring it was completely flooded pretty much the whole way, not to mention overgrown. I just wanted to get out of that mess as fast I could so I was charging through there.
The best part of this section was actually right in Duluth. Chester Park & Hartley Park are beautiful and so was Downer Park right before you get to the Snowmobile Trail. It felt different than the rest of the trail up to that point with crushed red rocks for much of the trail. Though before you get to Downer Park there’s quite a bit of road walking, specifically through the middle of a cemetery which is kind of weird…
I was originally planning on camping at Heron Pond campsite, but decided to push onto Sucker River Campsite for another ~4 miles instead. I like camping next to a river. The sound of moving water helps me fall asleep. There was also a nice little wooden platform type thing right on the riverbank there where it was nice to sit and soak my feet in the water while eating dinner.
Del’s Pond outside of Duluth
DAY 5: THURSDAY 6/16/22
Total Mileage: ~22.5 Miles. Sucker River Campsite - Stewart River Campsite. 5 tent pads. Water from Stewart River.
Photo Ops: Fox Farm Pond, McCarthy Creek Waterfall, Stewart River.
Notes: I pushed past my originally planned campsite at McCarthy Creek by ~6.5 miles to Stewart River Campsite on this day. This section is also very flat, but at least it didn’t follow the flooded snowmobile trail again! Though it was one of the muddiest and buggiest sections of the whole trail while going through swamps, beaver ponds and creeks. I liked this campsite a lot. It was right on the river with a neat wooden bridge going over it. I was pretty tired though after hiking 50 miles in 2 days and the bugs were relentless. In my original itinerary post I said this area had the worst bugs I’ve ever experienced on trail and it held up to that expectation again!
Recent beaver activity on Fox Farm Pond
DAY 6: FRIDAY 6/17/22
Total Mileage: ~18.5 Miles. Stewart River Campsite - Crow Valley Campsite. 6+ tent pads. Water from small stream.
Photo Ops: Pine Ridge Overlook, Encampment River, Crow Creek, Wolf Rock, sunset at Crow Valley Overlook near campsite.
Notes: This is the last stretch of the swampy southern section! There’s also LOTS of road walking and snowmobile trails here again though… After crossing Highway 2 due North of Two Harbors the trail follows the Snowmobile trail and then once it hits Gun Club Road there’s a reroute East on the road and south onto Fors Road due to a private landowners dispute. Please respect all of the Private Property the SHT goes through so that we can continue to have access to the trail and prevent further re-routes from happening again. I re-supplied at the Fors Road Trailhead from my friend who had to drop out of the hike. It was good to see him again though a bummer he couldn’t come along with me.
After Fors Road the trail climbs up to Pine Ridge Overlook. Up here it finally starts to feel like the SHT I know and love along the North Shore. There’s an expansive view all along the pine studded ridge. There’s also two fun wet river crossings here as well! The first one is the Encampment River. For an interesting read on the Encampment check out this article: Encampment is Minnesotas Most Elite Northwoods Enclave. Don’t stray from the water crossing through there. After the Encampment River water crossing is the Crow Creek water crossing. This was an incredible pace with large canyon walls around the river. The trail climbs out of the other side and up to the Castle Danger trailhead. If you’re feeling ambitious and have a hungering for pie, you can take a short detour from the trailhead east along the road to Rustic Inn Cafe. The pie is amazing but so is all of their other food! Since I just got a food re-supply wasn’t too concerned about food, at least not enough to make the 4.5 mile detour roundtrip to Rustic Inn.
After the trailhead the trail goes up to Wolf Rock which has a beautiful view looking back to where I just came from and a glimpse of Lake Superior. Shortly after that is the campsite I stayed at: Crow Valley. It’s a beautiful site with a little creek flowing right through the middle of it. For sunset I definitely recommend backtracking to the Crow Valley Overlook just before camp for an excellent view towards the sunset and the river valley below.
Crow Valley Overlook at sunset
DAY 7: SATURDAY 6/18/22
Total Mileage: ~15.9 Miles. Crow Valley Campsite - South East Split Rock River Campsite. 2 tent pads. Water from river.
Photo Ops: Sunrise at the Crow Valley overlook, Gooseberry Falls State Park, Split Rock River falls, Split Rock River Pillars, the big rock island at the campsite.
Notes: After leaving the crowded campsite behind the trail was a muddy mess leading up to Mike’s Rock Vista which was completely grown in. Soon after that the trail meets up and follows along with the Gooseberry River. It’s interesting seeing it here where it’s calm compared to the further downstream where the waterfalls are through the gorge. You could also see the evidence of the historic spring flooding we had this year with trees piled up everywhere on the river and the erosion on the riverbanks. Some of the trail was even washed away. Then the river starts picking up. First you hear it and then you see the waterfalls. The bridge crosses over Fifth Falls and the trail continues on the East side of the river. If you have time and haven’t been here before it’s definitely worth checking out this state park more. The Upper & Lower Falls are incredible and you can get right up close to them. I’ve seen them many times before though so I continued on.
Unfortunately there’s another large re-route here leaving the park. I’ve heard next year the “Gooseberry Gap” will be completed and this reroute won’t exist anymore though. If you’re reading this and hiking this section in 2022 be prepared to walk the paved Gitchi-Gami Bike Trail that follows along Highway 61 and Lake Superior. After 2 miles the SHT reroute actually crosses the highway over to the dirt Blueberry Hill Road for another mile or so of road walking.
After that we’re finally back on the SHT and the trail soon comes to the 2nd State Park of the day at the Split Rock River, part of Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. There are many beautiful waterfalls and rapids here. There’s also a deep wet river crossing. At the top of the “loop” there used to be a bridge. Actually there were 2 bridges at different locations and times. The mighty river destroyed both of them. The SHT decided they will no longer build or maintain bridges there so it is now a wet crossing. The water was up to my waist and I’m 6’ tall. If there’s heavy rainfall or you’re hiking in the early spring be careful. Definitely recommend trekking poles to maintain your balance.
All of the campsites along the river here are really neat. Sine there is that water crossing the East side of the river is typically less populated. My favorite site is actually the SE campsite too. There’s waterfalls all around it, you can see the Pillars of the Split Rock right across from there site and there’s a really cool rock island you can walk to in the middle of the river there. It is a small campsite though so if there’s multiple people there already you might have to backtrack or continue on ~5 miles to the next site.
My Zpacks Duplex tent set up at the SE Split Rock River campsite
DAY 8: SUNDAY 6/19/22
Total Mileage: 12.4 Miles. South East Split Rock River Campsite - East Beaver River Campsite. 3 tent pads. Water from river.
Photo Ops: Split Rock River, Christmas Tree Ridge, Beaver Pond, Fault Line Valley Vista, sunset at waterfall at camp.
Notes: This is a beautiful section of trail with ridge line views of Lake Superior and inland forests, and sandwiched by the notable rivers on each end. This was a short mileage day for me. I was in full swing with my hiking stride and actually finished 12.5 miles before 11 AM! My mother hiked out to meet me from the Beaver Bay Trailhead where she had my next food re-supply. We also went into town to eat at the Lemon Wolf Cafe, which had huge portions of good food for a great price. Decided to stop by The Green Door liquor store for some cider as well. My mom & then hiked the half mile or so to the campsite on the Beaver River. We topped off all of my electronics with her portable battery before she headed back home.
I probably would’ve kept on hiking this day, but I had a few other friends planning to join me here at this campsite. My buddy John Schwager came out first and actually made a vlog as he usually does on his trips. Go check out the video here: https://youtu.be/0dKqzX0CD20. Later on our other backpacking YouTuber friend Rob Pelton came out at the same time as my photography buddy Matt Varin. I hooked them all up with my remaining ciders from the liquor store and we hung out for a bit at the campsite next to to the river. It was nice catching up with those guys. Rob will be joining me tomorrow as well, and the other two will be heading back home in the morning.
Fault Line Creek Overlook with a glimpse of Lake Superior in the background
DAY 9: MONDAY 6/20/22
Total Mileage: ~8 Miles. East Beaver River Campsite - East Palisade Creek Campsite. 4+ tent pads. Water from East Palisade Creek.
Photo Ops: Sunrise at camp on the Beaver River, Overlook on a ridge before Silver Bay Trailhead, Penn Creek falls, Bean & Bear, Round Mountain.
Notes: This was the shortest mileage day of the whole trip and was planned that way. It was well timed too as that day was the hottest day of the trip by far with temps pushing over 95 degrees and very humid! Rob & I were struggling with the heat as was everyone else we came across on trail. This is one of the most picturesque sections of the whole trail and is actually pretty difficult too with lots of rugged elevation changes. The little slot canyon waterfall at Penn Creek provided a nice natural air conditioner for us to escape the heat and cool off a bit. There’s tons of overlooks through here on towering cliffs. Bean & Bear is probably the most photographed spot on the trail and is actually where the cover photo for this post is from.
After leaving the overlook behind we headed further into Tettegouche State Park. We passed the Round Mountain Spur Trail that goes up to the overlook and both agreed it was way too hot to head up there now. We said we’d come back later for sunset, but spoiler alert: we didn’t. Originally I planned on staying at the Round Mountain Campsite but it was very overgrown with little sign of use and beavers made the water source questionable at best. West Palisade Creek was about the same. East Palisade Creek was the better campsite by far of these three in this area. Bean & Bear is the best campsite in this stretch, but I’ve stayed there before and it’s usually always full. After we went to bed a gnarly summer storm passed through for a few hours with strong wind, a downpour of rain, constant lightning and rolling thunder. Check out Rob’s video of his time on trail with me here.
Round Mountain & Mount Trudee as seen from the approach from Bean & Bear Lakes
DAY 10: TUESDAY 6/21/22
Total Mileage: ~14.5 Miles. E Palisade Creek Campsite - Section 13 Campsite. 4 tent pads. No water source. Carry water from Sawmill Creek .5 mile before camp.
Photo Ops: Sunrise at the Round Mountain, Mount Trudee, The Drainpipe, High Falls at Tettegouche State Park, Fantasia Overlook, Wolf Lake Overlook, Lime Squeezer, Sawmill Dome, Picnic Rock, sunset at Section 13.
Notes: I left early in the morning to continue North and Rob went back to his car the other way. After the storm last night the trail was like a river and it immediately climbs up to Mount Trudee. I was really looking forward to the views from up here but it was completely socked in with fog unfortunately. Of course the fog started to burn off shortly after climbing down! There are some incredible overlooks along the way here, and even more if you’re up to exploring the spur trails. Soon I came to the infamous “Drainpipe” which has recently been tamed. It used to be a difficult rock scramble over huge boulders, but they’ve recently built a giant set of wooden stairs to make it easier and to help prevent erosion as well.
If you’re hiking through here around the time this is published be sure to check out the trail conditions over at the Superior Hiking Trail Association. As of my hiking and this writing, the swinging bridge over the Baptism River is closed since it was flooded this spring during the snow melt and heavy rain. This creates a reroute of a few extra miles down the campground road and over the Park Road Bridge by the Visitors Center and then up the other side of the river. Before continuing on from there I’d recommend checking out the High Falls on the Baptism. I skipped it as I’ve been and photographed it many times before.
After leaving Tettegouche State Park the trail enters the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center campus. I did this hike in part to raise awareness & funding for Wolf Ridge! Specifically for their “Superior View Hike Class” which brings over 2,400 kids out onto the SHT every year where they cover Ecology, Stewardship & Outdoor Education to teach them how and why we should protect this area for everyone to enjoy in the future! You can learn more about the fundraiser here. There are many amazing overlooks through here including Fantasia Overlook, Wolf Lake, and the Superior View Overlook where Wolf Ridge Naturalists bring the kids out to. That’s where I met Wolf Ridge Naturalist Joe Walewski for a food re-supply. It felt like a fitting place for a re-supply considering the fundraiser!
From Wolf Ridge the trail goes through the “Lime Squeezer” which is a very narrow corridor in-between some boulders that’s very neat to walk through! After passing through the claustrophobic boulders, the trail climbs up to Sawmill Dome and Picnic Rock for expansive views of the surrounding area. It’s a pretty steep descent down to the trailhead on County Road 6. They’ve really expanded the trailhead here turning it into a giant parking lot from the 2-4 cars that used to be able to fit there before. Shows just how popular this next campsite is at Section 13. There were no cars there though when I walked by. There’s no water up on the cliffs at Section 13 so be sure to fill up at Sawmill Creek along the way. The cliffs up there are simply amazing and has one of my favorite views. I set up camp settling in with no one else there. When I was eating dinner on the cliffs at sunset a group of 15 people came to set up at the group site there!
Sunset on the cliffs of Section 13
DAY 11: WEDNESDAY 6/22/22
Total Mileage: ~16.5 Miles. Section 13 Campsite - Aspen Knob Campsite. 2 tent pads. Water from unnamed creek, unreliable in dry conditions.
Photo Ops: Sunrise at Section 13, boardwalks through Sawmill Creek, Glacial Erratic, Egge Lake, Lilly’s Island on Sonju Lake.
Notes: Woke up early to be on trail and see the morning light on the landscape below around sunrise which was incredible! The trail drops down from the cliffs steeply and into the Sawmill Creek bog where the SHT has recently built a brand new boardwalk to replace the one that was falling apart before. It was well made but there seems like there’s a ton of recent beaver activity around it so I hope they don’t mess it up again. After the bog there’s a giant Glacial Erratic, which is a massive boulder seemingly in the middle of nowhere that was deposited from a passing glacier in the ice ages. When I passed the Leskinen Creek Campsite there was another group of around 15 people there too!
The trail is mostly a green tunnel from Sawmill Creek Bog to Egge Lake. I checked out both of the sites and would say the Northern site is the better of the two for those planning on staying there. I was planning on staying at Sonju Lake though. It was still early in the day so I continued on. First I had to stop at Lilly’s Island though. It’s a pretty little rocky island with a boardwalk out to it. The island and the lake there has a very BWCA feeling to it. Right before the Sonju Lake Road trailhead there is a boardwalk and bridge over the East Branch of the Baptism River. The boardwalk was destroyed in the spring but fortunately the bridge was still intact. I took one of my favorite trail photos at this bridge so was a little sad too see it like that.
I passed a couple more campsites and ended up at Aspen Knob Campsite. The campsite isn’t anything special though. The biggest benefit to staying there was being as close as I could to George Crosby Manitou State Park for a big day the next day with lots of elevation changes through there. In hindsight I should’ve booked one of the backpacking campsites along the river of the State Park because they were all empty when I hiked by in the morning and those are beautiful sites right on the Manitou River.
The newly built boardwalk through the Sawmill Creek Bog below Section 13
DAY 12: THURSDAY 6/23/22
Total Mileage: ~21 Miles. Aspen Knob Campsite - South Cross River Campsite. 4+ tent pads. Water from Cross River.
Photo Ops: Manitou River waterfalls & bridge, Caribou River, Caribou Falls, Crystal Creek bridge, Alfred’s Pond/Ruffy Lake, Tower Overlook, Boney’s Meadow, Cross River rapids & bridge.
Notes: Aspen Knob is right outside of George Crosby Manitou State Park. The hike began with a road walk up the dirt road into the park to the trailhead. From there you head down to the Manitou River. The Day-use shelter on the way was destroyed this spring and sat in ruin on the trail. Once you hit the river take the quick detour to the left to go to the waterfall. It’s a nice spot for a snack and to filter water for the next stretch. There’s a lot of steep elevation changes climbing down and out of the river and around Horseshoe Ridge coming up. Along the river on the SHT are a couple beautiful State Park backpacking sites which I wish I would’ve stayed at last night. The trail then crosses the river over a bridge. It’s hard to believe when you’re walking across it, but this spring it was submerged by water during the snow melt. There was debris all over the bridge still indicating it was under water at one point. Glad it was good to walk across now otherwise it would’ve been very difficult crossing the mighty river.
After the bridge there’s a steady yet steep climb of several hundred feet up Horseshoe Ridge. “Overlooked Overlook” is aptly named, don’t bother with that spur trail as there’s no overlook! Once through Horseshoe Ridge the trail is relatively flat and easy going for many miles. The Caribou River is the next landmark and if you’ve never been and are feeling up to it, go check out the spur trail south to Caribou Falls. It’s one of my favorite waterfalls on the North Shore. If you’re looking to camp here the East Caribou River campsite is a massive multi-group campsite so there will be no issues finding a spot.
Moving on from the Caribou River the trail comes to a very photogenic covered bridge over Crystal Creek. I love this bridge so much. The next major feature through this Green Tunnel is Alfred’s Pond, though on the maps it’s listed as Ruffy Lake. It’s a nice spot for a break on the boggy bench. Dyer’s Creek Campsite right after Alfred’s Pond is a nice little site and was my originally planned destination but decided to keep pushing on. The trail comes to Tower Overlook which has a view of a cell phone tower and Lake Superior. Boney’s Meadow is another marked location along the way though it’s pretty grown in. There’s an opening too check it out closer the Cross River, away from the actual marked spot on the map.
Once on the Cross River there are multiple sites to choose from. The Ledge might’ve been my favorite of the bunch with a nice secluded and raised tent pad off the river, but I opted to go down to the group sites and ended up at South Cross River since there was another huge group at North Cross River. There’s a great bridge over the river right at those campsites that gives you easy access to the water on the other side.
A passing storm over Lake Superior and the Cross River is absolutely lit up at sunset
DAY 13: FRIDAY 6/24/22
Total Mileage: ~13.5 Miles. South Cross River Campsite - Onion River Campsite. 8+ tent pads. Water from river.
Photo Ops: Cross River bridge, Temperance River, Carlton Peak, Ted Tofte Overlook, Britton Peak, Cedar Overlook, Leveaux Mountain.
Notes: Leaving the Cross River behind the trail heads towards Temperance River State Park. The Temperance River passes through a dramatic gorge here with many waterfalls. I’ve been here many times before but this was actually my first time walking on the West side of the river! The East side definitely has better views but there were a few spots that were amazing from the West side, mostly for the change of perspective. At the Temperance I met up with another Backpacking Photographer Benjamin Hancock. He was joining me for this section to the Onion River Campsite.
Before we got to our campsite though there were a few peaks of the Sawtooth Mountains to climb. Carlton Peak was a fantastic climb over a bunch of massive boulders and an impressive granite rock face above. It has a very West coast feel to it compared to the rest of the SHT. Once up at the top there’s plenty of views of Lake Superior and the surrounding area. Ted Tofte overlook up there is also worth checking out, but my achilles was really starting to hurt so we opted to skip it and continue on.
After Carlton Peak is Britton Peak where we met up with another local Photography, Chuck Olsen, who assisted me with another food re-supply. Once I got ready to go for the next section of the trip we said good-bye to Chuck and continued on past creeks, ponds, and another peak, LeVeaux Mountain. LeVeaux and Oberg Mountain are right next to each other and both have fantastic spur trails with amazing overlooks. If you have the time and energy definitely go explore those! We went onto our campsite at the Onion River though. It’s a massive group site and actually has a bear pole to hang your food bag as well. I wish all of the SHT sites had them, there’s only a few that do currently.
One of the many waterfalls & cascades at Temperance River State Park
DAY 14: SATURDAY 6/25/22
Total Mileage: ~17 Miles. Onion River Campsite - Spruce Creek Campsite. 5+ tent pads. Water from Spruce Creek.
Photo Ops: Oberg Mountain overlooks, Moose Mountain Overlooks, Poplar River Bridge, Glove Overlook, Poplar River Overlook, Hunters Rock, Lake Agnes, Jonvick Creek, ridge line overlook before Spruce Creek, Spruce Creek.
Notes: I said goodbye to Ben and went on my way North towards Lutsen. I passed by Oberg Mountain right away. It was very foggy to start the day so all of the overlooks would’ve been socked in up there. The fog was still lingering around when I climbed up Moose Mountain as well. When I went up and over Mystery Mountain next I could hear all sorts of commotion. Turns out the Lutsen 99er was going on today! It’s a big mountain bike race and it actually shares the same trail as the SHT where it passes over the bridge on the Poplar River. I took in the view and cheered on a few bikers before I continued on my way. If you want some food you could walk down to Papa Charlie’s down the road from the Poplar Bridge.
There’s some nice views through here including Glove Overlook, the campsites right on the Poplar River, a really cool view of the Poplar River from up high on a cliff where it’s a perfect S Shape meandering through the valley below, and Hunter’s Rock overlooking Lake Agnes. My plan was to get to Lake Agnes East early on to snag a tent pad at one of the most sought after sites on the trail. When I arrived there wasn’t anyone there! Though it is a beautiful site I wasn’t really feeling it to be honest. In my opinion there weren’t many tent pads that were great for a 2+ person tent, and also this site is sort of known as a party spot being close to a nearby trailhead. As I left the site to continue on I heard a very loud group of people coming down the spur trail and knew that I made the right call skipping it.
Leaving Lake Agnes behind there’s a few creek campsites ahead. Jonvick Creek was first but it looked a little overgrown like not many people use it. The boardwalk over the water was also in disrepair and was a little sketchy to cross in some spots. Seems like the beavers and spring thaws have done a number to it. It is on the list for upcoming trail fixes by the SHTA though and there was nearby supplies on site to rebuild it soon. Before the next creek there was an unnamed overlook from the ridge with a nice view of the inland forest below from a rocky outcrop. Not long after that was Spruce Creek. The bridge here got destroyed in the spring so it was a wet crossing, but it’s not deep or wide so not a big deal. My campsite was right here too at the Spruce Creek Campsite. This was actually one of my favorite sites on the trip and I was glad I decided to skip Lake Agnes for it. I like to camp next to moving water. The creek went right by the site and there were giant moss covered boulders along it in a secluded little area.
The Poplar River from the bridge at Lutsen
DAY 15: SUNDAY 6/26/22
Total Mileage: ~17 Miles. Spruce Creek Campsite - North Bally Creek Pond Campsite. 3 tent pads. Water from Beaver Pond, though I went to the creek that has a boardwalk over it.
Photo Ops: Spruce Creek, Jerry Evjens overlook, Lookout Mountain, Cascade River waterfalls, Hidden Falls, Sunset at Bally Creek Pond.
Notes: After Spruce Creek you soon get to Cascade River State Park. First though there are several ridge line overlooks including the marked Jerry Evjen’s Overlook. The best one is on Lookout Mountain though. Simply incredible up there! Part of me wanting to push onto Spruce Creek Campsite yesterday was to be closer to Cascade Restaurant & Pub where I made it just in time for breakfast! I ate a hearty meal while the staff charged up some of my electronics behind the bar. After leaving no trace on my plate I went on my way.
For Thru-Hikers and Section Hikers this summer 2022 you have to hike on the Eastern Side of the river as the road bridge on the North end of the Cascade River Loop is closed due to construction. Much like the Temperance River I actually haven’t hiked on this side of the river. There really wasn't much of note though on this side. The West side of the river has access to more waterfalls and views. Though towards the North end of the loop the trail does pass by Hidden Falls which was a pretty area. Shortly after the trailhead up North you get a small glimpse through the trees of the Towering Lookout Mountain back where we came from. It juts out and above the landscape with a river right in front of you.
From there to the next campsites there’s not much of note besides a few ups & downs. I ended up staying at North Bally Creek Pond Campsite. I’ve stayed at the South Bally Creek Campsite before. I probably would’ve kept hiking but there isn’t another campsite until past Grand Marais at the Devil Track River in ~12 miles. We’ll get there tomorrow. Water from the pond is quite difficult from the Northern site with how boggy it is around the shore. Instead I doubled back to the little creek that feeds into the pond that has a boardwalk over. Water wasn’t that great from there either but it’s something and at least moving a little bit.
An overlook from Lookout Mountain at Cascade River State Park
DAY 16: MONDAY 6/27/22
Total Mileage: ~22 Miles. North Bally Creek Pond Campsite - Kadunce River Campsite. 3 tent pads. Water from Kadunce River.
Photo Ops: Sunrise at Bally Pond, Sundling Creek Boardwalk, Pincushion Mountain Trailhead Overlook, boardwalks through Pincushion Mountain, Pincushion Overlook, Devil Track River, Wildflower Hill, Kadunce River.
Notes: Waking up there was beautiful golden morning light on Bally Creek Pond. When I got to the Sundling Creek Dam boardwalk that same light was still there too and the rising sun was reflecting in the water. This boardwalk is also falling apart and will soon be replaced with a boardwalk like the one they just built in the Sawmill Creek Bog.
Once again the SHT follows along with the North Shore State Trail snowmobile trail for a few miles. Fortunately it wasn’t as bad as the Southern section of the snowmobile trails. They were still overgrown and there were a ton of downed trees on the trail. It almost seemed like they were purposefully cut and placed there though. Not sure if it was intended or if someone was trying to block motorized vehicles from passing through there? Seemed odd.
Passing through Grand Marais I met up with local photographer, Emily Running, for my last food re-supply of the trip at the Pincushion Mountain trailhead. For those looking to re-supply in town or get some real food check out these local businesses:
Hungry Hippie Tacos: Known for their frybread taco shell and Northern style ingredients.
My Sister’s Place: Hearty American food. Was even featured on The Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmerman.
Gunflint Tavern: Local hangout where you can catch some live music and a beer on their rooftop deck with a great view of the Lake.
Voyageur Brewing Company: Check out the beautiful taproom and get a bite to eat from their kitchen. They also have a rooftop patio.
Blue Water Cafe: If you’re looking for a big ole breakfast this is it. After our trip to Isle Royale last year we ate a whole table’s worth of food.
Java Moose: Go-to for coffee in Grand Marais especially if you’re craving something other than insta coffee on trail. They have good sandwiches as well.
World’s Best Donuts: You decide but if you go be prepared to wait in line for these coveted donuts. They’re open until they sell out.
After stocking up on supplies for the final stretch of the trip I continued on through the Pincushion Mountain trail system. This area felt completely different from the rest of the SHT. The trails were dry and dusty, and they recently built a massive boardwalk path that was well made. Pincushion Mountain provides a nice view of Lake Superior and Grand Marais below.
The trail then descends down into the Devil Track River gorge with towering rock walls, rapids and waterfalls. It’s an amazing area and I originally planned on staying here for the night, but it was early in the day and I felt like hiking more. After the impressive Devil Track River the trail passes through several smaller creeks and campsites. At one point the trail climbs up and along the aptly named Wildflower Hill that was absolutely covered in a wide array of wildflowers with an expansive view of Lake Superior. I ended up camping at the Kadunce River which is also another beautiful gorge that turns into a moss covered slot canyon further downstream. It’s worth checking out if you have the time to explore the river. It’s a pretty unique spot to the North Shore.
Bridge over the Devil Track River
DAY 17: TUESDAY 6/28/22
Total Mileage: ~10 Miles. Kadunce River Campsite - Judge C.R. Magney State Park Campground. $30 for a site. Shower, bathrooms & drinking water available. Reserve your site here: https://reservemn.usedirect.com/MinnesotaWeb/.
Photo Ops: The Lake Walk section including The Tombolo island, Little Brule River.
Notes: I started off this day with the Lake Walk Section of the SHT. This stretch is both beautiful and brutal. It follows along the shores of Lake Superior for 1.5 miles. It’s a nice change of pace being right on the big lake instead of in the green tunnel, but the whole shoreline is covered in tiny pebbles. It makes walking challenging when your sinking into the ground and getting little rocks in your shoes. I did see a bunch of people picking agates and beach glass here, it’s definitely a good spot for that. When you’ve already hiked a couple hundred miles though it hurts the feet! The Tombolo rock island lies at the Northern end of the Lake Walk section and it’s a very photogenic island. I’ve photographed it in many different locations, but on this day I was ready to keep moving and get off of that rocky beach!
The trail winds back into the woods and follows along the Little Brule River for awhile. The campsites here are nice, but I actually decided to book a campsite at the Judge C.R. Magney State Park Campground. I mostly just wanted to use the shower there since I hadn’t showered for 2 weeks! In hindsight I wish I would’ve kept on hiking though. There’s a few things to consider with this stretch though. Between SHT campsites there’s a 12 mile gap from the Little Brule River to the Hazel Campsite outside of the State Park boundaries. Hazel was one of the worst campsites on the trail in my opinion. You can get book a campsite at the campground like I did in the middle, but it’s such a stark difference at this big drive in campground that it was strange staying there with people and RVs everywhere. Very short day but it was kind of nice taking a nearo before a big day the next day through a rugged part of the trail in the Northern Section.
The old weathered sign on the Lake Walk Section
DAY 18: WEDNESDAY 6/29/22
Total Mileage: ~20.5 Miles. Judge C.R. Magney State Park Campground - Jackson Creek Campsite. 3 tent pads. Water from creek.
Photo Ops: Judge C.R. Magney bridge, steps and waterfalls including Devil’s Kettle, South & North Carlson Pond(though both drastically affected by beaver activity), Caribou Pond, Hellacious Overlook.
Notes: I left the crowded campground behind and started my way up the Brule River through Judge C.R. Magney State Park. The river was really affected by the spring flooding this year. The structure down to the Upper Falls was completely destroyed. Past the Devil’s Kettle Falls the trail is marked as closed, but is still open to Thru & Section hikers. The reason it’s closed is because there are tons of trees pushed onto the trail from the high water on the river during the spring thaw, and there was a lot of erosion along the river bank. It made it hard to find the trail as your working your way around the obstacles, but it’s pretty easy to follow along with where other people have already gone around them, and as long as you know the trail follows the river for the most part you’re not going to get lost.
After finally getting through that messy stretch of downed trees the trail leaves the State Park and has a road walk for a couple of miles before turning back into the woods and towards the Hazel campsite I talked about earlier. It’s a small campsite with no water. Even though it’s not a great site it’s still a somewhat popular one due to the gap in campsites with the State Park. Many people I ran into on this section said they were planning on staying at Hazel but there’s no way there would be room for them all.
After Hazel you eventually come to a flooded opening near Moosehorn Lake that was completely submerged due to beaver activity. There’s an official pink flag marked reroute around it to get to the other side of the clearing. Then the trail comes to South Carlson Pond. Here the beavers have really affected the area. The pond was completely barren. There were dried up mud cracks where water once was, and you could see dried-up lake vegetation withering away. The South Carlson Pond Campsite was very nice but with the water source dried up I would likely not stay there. North Carlson Pond was very similar though there was still some water there. I did see a beaver up on the shore working on a log too.
On the way to the Woodland Caribou Pond Campsite there were some beautiful views from the ridges the trail starts to traverse. There’s an opening with a winding river, rolling hills, and the Lake Superior in the background. This view here was actually better than the marked Hellacious Overlook farther up the trail. The Woodland Caribou Pond campsite is right before Hellacious Overlook. This pond also has a ton of beaver activity but it’s a beautiful and unique spot. I was planning on staying here for the night, but decided to push onto the next site at Jackson Creek Campsite to be a little closer to the Northern Terminus and the end of the hike the next day. I’m glad I did because I passed a bunch of people who were thinking about staying at Woodland Caribou. Jackson Creek Campsite was a very nice secluded spot that I had all to myself. Though the ground was very rocky and full of roots making it hard to stake out the tent. This was also the first time on the trip I had to set up camp in the rain. I didn’t mind much since it was my last night on the trail!
South Carlson Pond nearly completely dried up, perhaps a beaver dam broke this spring
DAY 19: THURSDAY 6/30/22
Total Mileage: ~9 Miles. Jackson Creek Campsite - Northern Terminus!
Photo Ops: Jackson Creek , 270 Overlook, Northern Terminus sign.
Notes: Right when you leave the Jackson Creek Campsite there’s a mess of downed trees to scramble over and around. There’s also a cool view of Jackson Creek that looks like has also had a ton of beaver activity with downed trees all over. I was hoping there would be a view of Jackson Lake, but all there was was just a glimpse through the trees and a tiny sliver of the corner of the lake when it does open up a bit. When you climb up to Rosebush Ridge from there you come to the highest point of the trail at 1,829 feet. You wouldn’t know it if not for the sign there. It was completely grown in with trees all over so there was no view from the highest point.
After coming down from the ridge the trail flattens out again into a swampy area. Just passed the Andy Creek Campsite the bridge over Andy Creek was damaged in the spring. It has a wicked slant to it, but it is still holding on. I crossed it carefully as was suggested on the trail conditions page on the SHTA website. It might not last another winter though. The trail then follows along with an old off road trail which was easy going until you get to the Otter Lake Road Trailhead. This is the last trailhead of the SHT and is shared with the Border Route Trail which is a wonderful and rugged trail through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.
I met my girlfriend at the trailhead here where she was picking me up. First though we had to hike up to the Northern Terminus and the 270 Degree Overlook. At the overlook was an incredible view into Canada with the Pigeon River separating the border and the Swamp River leading into it on the US side. The rolling hills on the Canadian side were beautiful and made me want to go explore over there sometime! Before we hiked back to the car at the trailhead I took a picture at the Northern Terminus sign and wrote in the trail registry to officially complete my Thru-Hike!
Now it was time to relax! I booked a room at the Best Western Plus Superior Inn in Grand Marais. After cleaning up we had dinner at My Sister’s Place where I filled up on wings and a burger. I also reserved a private 1.5 hour sauna for us at the Sisu + Löyly Sauna right on the shores of Lake Superior with a view of Artist’s Point from inside the sauna! That’s it for the trip 310 + miles later. I hope you enjoyed reading my thoughts, plans and experiences on the trail and hope you tune into the trip reports and photos to come from this upcoming trip! I’ll be updating this Itinerary with each day’s full trip reports as they come out.
Posing at the SHT Northern Terminus sign after finishing the Thru-Hike
Trip Report from backpacking the 42 mile long Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore Trail. It follows sandy beaches and dramatic cliffs along Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.