Superior Hiking Trail day hikes

This guide picks out the day hikes that work best from a single trailhead, with distances and Highway 61 mileposts from the Superior Hiking Trail Association (SHTA). It also covers parking rules, shuttle services, seasonal closures and what to carry. It is for North Shore visitors who want a few hours on the trail, not a backpacking trip.

The trail in numbers

All figures are from the SHTA's Know Before You Go, FAQ and trail section pages.

Best day hikes by trailhead

These are hikes the SHTA describes as loops, short sections or out-and-backs to a named feature. Mileposts are Highway 61 mileposts from the SHTA's section pages, listed south to north.

Split Rock River Loop

The SHTA describes "cascading waterfalls and towering Split Rocks." The trail goes 2.5 miles up one side of the Split Rock River and 2.5 miles down the other. There is no bridge over the river at the top of the loop. As of the SHTA's trail conditions page (updated October 5, 2026), both sides of the loop have been renewed and are open, and the SHTA says many hikers cross at the former bridge site in low water, but it "urge[s] caution" and says the river "may be impassable during high water events." Its trail conditions page gives an alternate route on spur trails that crosses near Highway 61.

Bean and Bear Lakes Loop (Silver Bay)

From the Penn Blvd. Trailhead (Highway 61 milepost 54.3, left on Outer Drive for 1.5 miles, then 0.5 miles on Penn Blvd.), take the main SHT 3.6 miles to Bean and Bear Lakes, then the loop trail back, for 6.8 miles total. An alternate start at the Bay Area Historical Society in Silver Bay makes it 7.6 miles. The Silver Bay Multi-Modal Trail Center, at 109 Outer Drive, has parking, restrooms and coin-operated showers, per the SHTA. See our Silver Bay and Beaver Bay guide.

Temperance River to Britton Peak

A one-way section of 4.8 miles that "climbs along thundering Temperance River in gorge" and passes "incredible views from top of Carlton Peak," with a spur to the Ted Tofte Overlook. The Temperance River trailhead has no overnight parking; the SHTA says overnight parking is in another lot in the park with a state park sticker. You need a car or shuttle at the Britton Peak end. See our Temperance River State Park guide.

Oberg and LeVeaux Mountains

Two short loops from one lot on Onion River Road (Forest Road 336). Oberg's 1.8-mile loop has what the SHTA calls "spectacular overlooks," and it is busy in fall. Full details are in our Oberg Mountain guide.

Cascade River Loop

The 8.3-mile loop goes up one side of the Cascade River, crosses on the Cook County Road 45 (Pike Lake Road) bridge, and comes back down the other side. As of November 2026, the SHTA's trail conditions page (updated October 5, 2026) says a new reroute on the west side has made the stretch between the Road 45 trailhead and the wayside spur junction 3.5 miles instead of 3, and that a contractor is working on the east side of the loop, which stays open. Separately, the SHTA's section page says the spur trail on the east side of the river crosses Trout Creek with no bridge, a crossing that "may not be passable in the spring or after rain events." See our Cascade River State Park guide.

Pincushion Mountain and the 270 Degree Overlook

Near Grand Marais, the Pincushion Mountain Trailhead starts a 4.9-mile section with a "steep 0.25 mile spur trail to panoramic vista at Pincushion Mountain summit," then a steep drop into the Devil Track River gorge. At the far northern end, a 1.2-mile stretch from the Otter Lake Road Trailhead follows the Border Route Trail to the 270 Degree Overlook, the SHT's official northern terminus.

Point-to-point hikes, shuttles and cars

For a one-way section, the SHTA's day hiking page lists the options: two cars, a bike stashed at the end, Duluth Transit buses inside Duluth, or a private shuttle. The SHTA itself "does not provide shuttles or transportation for trail users," per its FAQ. Its parking and shuttles page lists the services below as of November 2026. The SHTA says the list "does not imply any recommendation" and offers no guarantee of availability, price or quality, so confirm details with the operator:

The SHTA's tip: park at the end of your hike and take the shuttle to the start, so you can hike back to your car at your own pace.

Two point-to-point sections from the SHTA's listings that pair well with a shuttle:

• Gooseberry Falls State Park to Split Rock River Wayside: 7.5 miles, including a 1-mile stretch on Breadloaf Ridge overlooking Lake Superior. Note that the walk from the Gooseberry parking lot to the main trail is a 3.34-mile spur. See our Gooseberry Falls guide.
• Silver Bay to Tettegouche State Park and Highway 1: 11.1 miles, "very challenging and scenic," over Round Mountain, Mount Trudee and Raven Rock, down "the Drainpipe," and across the bridge over the High Falls of the Baptism River.

Parking rules and what costs money

From the SHTA's FAQ and section pages:

• No hiking fee mentioned. The SHTA's FAQ and planning pages do not mention a permit or fee for day hiking. For its 94 campsites, the FAQ says "there are no reservations, fees or permits required."
• State park trailheads need a Minnesota state park vehicle permit, which the DNR sells for $7 a day or $35 a year. At Crosby-Manitou and Judge C.R. Magney, the SHTA says day permits can be bought at a self-registration station on site.
• State waysides (Split Rock River, Caribou River, Temperance River, Cascade River, Kadunce River) allow no overnight parking.
• No facilities. SHTA trailheads have "no trash bins, toilets, or water," unless they are shared with a park or wayside.
• No camping or sleeping in your car at any trailhead.
• Full lot? Day hikers "may be able to park on the street or road shoulder" where it is not posted, but should watch for logging trucks on narrow roads.
• Valuables. Remove them and lock your car.

Seasons and closures

The SHTA says the trail is "always open," but with conditions:

• November deer season: the 2026 firearms deer season runs November 7 to 22. As of the SHTA's trail conditions page (updated October 5, 2026), the closures are: private parcels south of Lismore Road (no way through between Martin Road and Lismore Road), a stretch between the Lake County Demonstration Forest and Reeves Road, a full closure from Reeves Road to West Castle Danger Road, all running October 31 to November 22, plus a private parcel between the Lindskog Road and Cook County Road 14 trailheads closed for the whole firearms season. Closure areas are signed. Wear blaze orange or pink.
• Duluth: the trail inside the city closes from mid-October to mid-November for the fall freeze-thaw, and during the spring thaw.
• Spring: the SHTA asks hikers to stay off "saturated or muddy trails." Snow can linger into mid- to late May.
• Summer brings bigger crowds, ticks and mosquitoes. Fall brings color and fewer bugs after the first frost; see our North Shore fall colors guide.
• Winter: snowshoeing is "possible and encouraged," but the SHTA says the trail is not suitable for cross-country skiing. Near Grand Marais, do not walk on the groomed ski trails at Pincushion Mountain.

Before you go

1. Check the SHTA trail conditions page for bridges out, reroutes and hunting closures.
2. Pick a loop or arrange a shuttle or second car for a one-way section.
3. Buy a state park permit if you are parking inside a park.
4. Pack the basics the SHTA lists: water, snacks, rain gear, insect repellent, first aid kit, headlamp and an extra layer. Treat any stream or lake water.
5. Carry a map. The trail is blazed in blue; spur trails are blazed white. Two blazes, one higher, mark a turn.
6. Keep dogs leashed on every section.
7. In an emergency, call 911.

Related guides: All North Shore guides · Minnesota hikes and waterfalls · Shovel Point · Eagle Mountain, Minnesota's highest point · North Shore waterfalls, in driving order · Devil's Kettle hike

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Sources

• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Know Before You Go: https://superiorhiking.org/know-before-you-go/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Trail Sections: https://superiorhiking.org/trail-sections/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Two Harbors to Silver Bay sections: https://superiorhiking.org/trail-section/two-harbors-to-silver-bay/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Highway 1 to Temperance River sections: https://superiorhiking.org/trail-section/silver-bay-to-caribou-river-wayside/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Temperance River to Pincushion Mountain sections: https://superiorhiking.org/trail-section/caribou-river-wayside-to-lutsen/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Pincushion Mountain to Northern Terminus sections: https://superiorhiking.org/trail-section/grand-marais-to-otter-lake-road/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Day Hiking: https://superiorhiking.org/day-hiking/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Parking and Shuttles: https://superiorhiking.org/shuttles/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, FAQs: https://superiorhiking.org/faqs/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Trail Conditions: https://superiorhiking.org/trail-conditions/
• Superior Hiking Trail Association, Plan Your Adventure: https://superiorhiking.org/plan-your-adventure/
• Minnesota DNR, Vehicle permits: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state-parks/permit.html