Eagle Mountain, Minnesota's highest point

This guide is for hikers planning a summit day from the North Shore. It covers how to reach the trailhead, what the trail is like, which permit applies to a day hike versus an overnight trip, and what to carry. The U.S. Forest Service (Superior National Forest) manages the trail; its pages and the Minnesota DNR are the sources here.

Eagle Mountain at a glance

For scale: the Minnesota DNR lists the state's lowest point as the Lake Superior shore at 602 feet. Subtracting that from the summit's 2,301 feet gives a difference of 1,699 feet between the state's highest and lowest points. That is simple arithmetic on the two DNR figures, not a measured climb on the trail.

How to get to the trailhead

The USFS Eagle Mountain Trail page gives these directions:

1. From Highway 61, turn north on County Road 4 (Caribou Trail) just north of Lutsen. The Superior Hiking Trail Association places that turn at Highway 61 milepost 92.0.
2. Follow County Road 4 until it ends at Forest Road 170.
3. Turn right on FR 170 and go 3.5 miles to the Eagle Mountain Trailhead parking lot, on the left (north) side of the road.

The lot allows overnight parking. The USFS page does not list a parking fee. Check the Superior National Forest alerts page for forest road work before you drive.

The hike, mile by mile

The USFS describes the route plainly: "The trail is rocky and uneven, and the last one mile is a steep climb."

• First 2.5 to 3 miles: heading north from FR 170, "you will gradually climb."
• Whale Lake: the Eagle Mountain Trail meets the Brule Lake Trail here.
• Last half mile to mile: the USFS page says both "the last one mile is a steep climb" and that the final half mile "is steeper and rocky." Plan for the hardest work near the end.
• The summit: "Along the flat ridge-top are excellent vistas. The highest point is marked by a brass survey disk on the west side of the ridge."

What "wilderness trail" means here

Because much of the route is inside the Boundary Waters, the USFS maintains it as a wilderness trail. In the agency's words, it is "narrow with uneven footing caused by rocks and roots," "uphill segments do not have stairs," and it "is not cleared as frequently as a non-wilderness trail, and portions may be overgrown." If you are used to state park trails with boardwalks and stairs, this is a different kind of hike.

The longer approach from Brule Lake

You can also reach the summit from the west. Starting at the Brule Lake trailhead on Brule Lake Road (FR 326), the Brule Lake Trail follows a series of lakes with small elevation changes for 6.7 miles to the junction with the Eagle Mountain Trail at Whale Lake. From there you continue up the Eagle Mountain Trail. That route uses wilderness entry point #78.

Do you need a BWCA permit to hike Eagle Mountain?

Yes. The USFS states on its Boundary Waters permits page that "permits are required year-round for all day and overnight visits" to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Which permit depends on whether you stay the night and when.

A few more rules from the USFS permit page:

• Keep it with you. The group leader or individual "MUST have their permit with them at all times" in the wilderness.
• Quota permits go on sale at 9 a.m. Central on the last Wednesday in January. A reservation also requires a $32 minimum deposit (holding fee), with any difference refunded when the permit is issued. Interagency Senior and Access pass holders pay $8.
• Walk-in quota permits can be picked up the day before or on the day of entry if quota remains.
• Group size: nine people and four watercraft at most, together, anywhere in the wilderness.
• Band members: members of the Bois Forte, Grand Portage and Fond du Lac bands do not need a permit, with an 1854 Treaty Authority ID card.

Wildfire closures (fall 2026)

After wildfires started by a July 7, 2026 lightning storm, the USFS issued an emergency closure order (Forest Order 09-09-00-26-11) for portions of the Boundary Waters and areas along the Echo Trail north of Ely. The alert runs from October 1, 2026 to April 1, 2027, and the order is issued for the Gunflint, Kawishiwi and LaCroix ranger districts, applying to the areas listed in its Exhibit A. Check the current Superior National Forest closure order and its maps before you go, and call the Gunflint Ranger District if you are unsure whether your route is affected.

What to carry and wilderness rules

The USFS puts responsibility on the hiker: be prepared "with good footwear, ample water, emergency supplies, and sufficient time to make the trip." Its specific advice:

• Map and compass. "A compass and accurate map are essential." If you navigate by GPS, bring a map and compass as a backup.
• No cell coverage. The USFS says "there is no easy way to get assistance in, nor any easy way to get people out in emergencies."
• Water. No potable water. "Boil or filter your water."
• Layers. "Dress in layers and be prepared for every kind of weather situation."
• Dogs on a leash.
• Leave no trace. Trails are non-motorized only. Use only the fire rings, tent pads and latrines provided, and pack out your garbage.

Seasons

The USFS lists the trail as open year-round. In winter the Gunflint Ranger District office keeps reduced hours (Tuesday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., from October 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027), so get any permit questions answered before you head up.

Eagle Mountain and the Superior Hiking Trail

Eagle Mountain is not on the Superior Hiking Trail. The SHT's own high point is 1,829 feet, in a balsam forest with "no view," according to the Superior Hiking Trail Association. The SHT section from Cascade River State Park to Bally Creek Road offers "views of Eagle Mountain," per the SHTA. For other summit hikes near Lutsen and Tofte, see our Oberg Mountain guide and the Superior Hiking Trail day hikes guide.

Before you go

1. Fill out the free self-issued permit at the trailhead kiosk for a day hike. Carry it.
2. Plan 7 miles round trip on rocky, rooty trail with a steep final climb. Start early enough to finish in daylight.
3. Bring a paper map and compass. There is no cell service.
4. Carry water or a filter. Nothing on the trail is safe to drink untreated.
5. Camping overnight between May 1 and Sept. 30? Reserve a quota permit on Recreation.gov for entry point #79 or #78.
6. Check the current Superior National Forest closure order for wildfire closures, and the alerts page for forest road work.

Related guides: All North Shore guides · Minnesota hikes and waterfalls · The Gunflint Trail · Things to do in Grand Marais · Camping near Grand Marais

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Sources

• U.S. Forest Service, Superior National Forest, Eagle Mountain Trail: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/superior/recreation/trails/eagle-mountain-trail
• U.S. Forest Service, Superior National Forest, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Permits: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/superior/passes/boundary-waters-canoe-area-wilderness-permits
• U.S. Forest Service, Superior National Forest, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/superior/recreation/boundary-waters-canoe-area-wilderness
• U.S. Forest Service, Superior National Forest, Post Wildfire Closures, Effective October 1, 2026: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/superior/alerts/post-wildfire-closures-effective-october-1-2026
• U.S. Forest Service, Forest Order 09-09-00-26-11, Exhibit A: Described Areas (PDF): https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/nfs/files/r09/superior/publication/alerts/09-09-00-26-11%20Exhibit%20A%20-%20Described%20Areas-10012026.pdf
• Minnesota DNR, Minnesota facts: land: https://dnr.state.mn.us/faq/mnfacts/land.html
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Caribou River Wayside to Lutsen trail sections: https://superiorhiking.org/trail-section/caribou-river-wayside-to-lutsen/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Grand Marais to Otter Lake Road trail sections: https://superiorhiking.org/trail-section/grand-marais-to-otter-lake-road/