The Superior Hiking Trail

Photos from a few backpacking trips

Allow me to read the words of this post to you:

I’ve been obsessed with thru-hiking a long trail in the US for something like a decade now. I was always particularly obsessed with the Appalachian Trail (AT) after reading a couple memoirs written by thru-hikers, and then I learned about the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) and, finally, the shorter but still substantial one in my own backyard at the time, the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT).

I moved to Virginia in 2017 and have hiked and camped and even volunteered on the Appalachian Trail several times in several Mid-Atlantic states since then, but I still have yet to thru-hike anything.

Hopefully that will change this late summer or early fall!

Thru-hiking one of the three “Triple Crown” trails will take your average backpacker between five and six months. The smaller trails, though, like the SHT, only take between two and four weeks to complete. A much simpler timeframe that doesn’t put your entire life on hold for half a year and won’t break the bank — especially if you already have most of the necessary gear, which I thankfully do. The SHT is roughly 300 miles beginning in Duluth, Minnesota and following (roughly) the shore of Lake Superior north to the Canadian border.

I’ve hiked a few sections of the Superior Hiking Trail over the years, but the last time was the fall before I moved to Virginia. I miss it. I’m looking forward to getting back up there soon.

During my hike, I’ll be publishing a regular hiking journal with photos and video to document the experience. Most of these essays and other media will be paywalled to help offset the cost of thru-hiking, but I’ll also publish free regular summaries. If you want to help me with the project, consider becoming a paid subscriber or making a one-time contribution!

It’s a lovely place and you should really go see it for yourself sometime, especially in the fall.

Here are some photos I’ve taken on the Superior Hiking Trail over the years.

Cascade Creek

Eating a Clif bar in anticipation of that rocky climb

Considerate little bridge

I bought new shoes before this particular trip and did not realize my feet would swell after a couple days. They’re a half size bigger now and those shoes don’t fit anymore.

gotta touch the forest floor sometimes

Lunch break

Lake Superior in the distance

a couple months before moving to VA

Mt Trudee

Spruce Creek

Cascade Falls

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