The Superior Hiking Trail is a footpath along the ridge above Lake Superior, with about 300 miles of main trail and 41 miles of spur trails between the Wisconsin border south of Duluth and the 270 Degree Overlook near Canada. Grand Marais sits beside the last stretch. The Pincushion Mountain Trailhead is 2.25 miles from Highway 61 by road, and the final 54.2 miles of trail run from there to the northern terminus.
The Superior Hiking Trail Association (SHTA), a nonprofit with its office in Two Harbors, builds and maintains the trail. The distances here are the ones it publishes.
The sections closest to town
A section runs from one trailhead parking lot to the next. These are the six nearest Grand Marais, listed southwest to northeast.
| Section | Miles | Trail campsites | Start trailhead | Overnight parking at start |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cascade River State Park to Bally Creek Road | 10.0 | 4 | Cascade River Wayside, Hwy 61 milepost 99.9 | No at the wayside. Yes by the state park campground with a park permit |
| Bally Creek Road to Grand Marais | 8.3 | 2 | Bally Creek Road (Forest Road 158) | Yes |
| Grand Marais to Cook County Road 58 | 4.9 | 2 | Pincushion Mountain, off the Gunflint Trail | Yes |
| Cook County Road 58 to Kadunce River Wayside | 9.2 | 6 | County Road 58 (Lindskog Road) | Yes |
| Kadunce River Wayside to Judge C.R. Magney State Park | 10.0 | 4 | Kadunce River State Wayside, Hwy 61 milepost 119 | No |
| Judge C.R. Magney State Park to County Road 70 | 6.6 | 0 | Magney park entrance, Hwy 61 milepost 123.8 | Yes, with a park permit |
Some of these figures include the spur you walk from the parking lot to the main trail. A thru-hiker covers 9.5 miles in the Cascade section, 8.5 miles in the County Road 58 section and 9.3 miles in the Kadunce section. Driving directions for every lot are on the SHTA's Pincushion Mountain to Northern Terminus page.
Day hikes from Grand Marais
Pincushion Mountain
From Highway 61 at milepost 110, drive 2.0 miles up the Gunflint Trail (County Road 12), turn right on County Road 53 (Pincushion Drive) at the "Scenic Overlook" sign and go 0.25 miles to the lot. There is an outhouse. A steep quarter-mile spur off the main trail climbs to the summit and a panoramic view. In winter this is a popular ski area. Stay off the groomed ski trails on foot.
Devil Track River
Beyond the Pincushion spur the trail drops steeply into the Devil Track River gorge, then climbs and follows the canyon edge high above the river, crossing side branches on bridges. Hiking the whole 4.9-mile section to County Road 58 takes a second car or a shuttle.
Cascade River
The Cascade River Loop goes up one side of the river from Highway 61, crosses on the County Road 45 bridge and comes back down the other side. It is listed at 8.3 miles, and a recent reroute on the west side added about half a mile. The east-side spur crosses Trout Creek without a bridge and may not be passable in spring or after rain. A bridge 0.2 miles upstream of the wayside lot lets you cross the river and make a short loop instead.
Kadunce River
From the wayside at milepost 119, a 0.7-mile spur leads up to the main trail, which passes the deep gorges of the Kadunce. Farther east the trail spends 1.6 miles on the sand shore of Lake Superior.
Devil's Kettle
In Judge C.R. Magney State Park the trail follows the Brule River for more than 2 miles, past Devil's Kettle Falls. You need a state park vehicle permit to park: $7 for one day or $35 for a year as of 2026. Buy it online from the DNR before you go. The park has no office and is staffed only in summer.
The northern terminus
The trail ends at the 270 Degree Overlook. The closest parking is the Otter Lake Road Trailhead. From Highway 61 at milepost 128.9, take the Arrowhead Trail (County Road 16) 4.5 miles, turn right on Jackson Lake Road for 8.4 miles, then left on Otter Lake Road for 2.0 miles. The last section is 1.2 miles: a brief roadwalk, then about a mile on the Border Route Trail, which carries the Superior Hiking Trail to its official end.
Between Magney and the terminus the sections are County Road 70 to Arrowhead Trail (8.5 miles, 3 campsites), Arrowhead Trail to Jackson Lake Road (5.1 miles, 1 campsite) and Jackson Lake Road to Otter Lake Road (8.7 miles, 2 campsites). The highest point on the whole trail, 1,829 feet, is in that last section, in balsam forest with no view. The County Road 70 lot holds six cars, with no parking on the road because of logging trucks, and the last 0.4 miles of road to it is signed minimum maintenance.
Day hiking or backpacking
Most trailheads are 3 to 11 miles apart, so nearly every section works as a day hike: out and back, two cars, or a shuttle. The SHTA keeps a list of shuttle services, including one with a base in Grand Marais and one based in Hovland. Several run only May 1 to October 31 and want a reservation.
For overnight trips, plan on about 1 mile an hour once breaks are counted. That is the SHTA's figure for an average backpacker. Backpacking from Grand Marais compares this trail with the wilderness trails inland.
Campsite rules
The SHTA and its volunteers maintain 94 backcountry campsites along the trail. The rules are short:
- Sites are free. There is no permit and no reservation, and you cannot hold a site for your own group.
- Every site must be shared with whoever arrives. Most have room for 2 to 5 tents, one fire ring, benches and an open-air latrine.
- Camp at designated sites only. The trail crosses more than 80 parcels of private land, usually unmarked, and camping anywhere else risks trespassing.
- Stay one night per site. The SHTA asks for this because the sites are meant for hikers who move each day.
- Do not camp at trailheads or sleep in your vehicle there.
- Most sites are designed for 9 or fewer people. Groups of 8 or more are asked to read the SHTA's large groups page first.
- Use a bear canister or hang your food.
- Build fires only in the fire ring. Never burn trash, and obey any burn ban.
- Most sites, but not all, are near a natural water source. Treat all of it. Smaller sources can dry up in late summer.
There are no trail campsites in the Judge C.R. Magney section. The state park campground there charges a fee and takes reservations.
Parking
Overnight parking is allowed at most trailheads in the table, with no limit on the number of days. It is not allowed at state waysides on Highway 61, which near Grand Marais means the Cascade River and Kadunce River waysides. At state parks you need a vehicle permit and should check in with park staff. SHTA trailheads have no trash bins, toilets or water.
Seasons, mud and closures
Snow does not usually melt until mid to late May, and good conditions in the north can run two weeks behind the south. Stay off saturated trail in spring. Unbridged creek crossings can become impassable during snowmelt.
Summer brings ticks, mosquitoes and black flies. Wasp activity picks up from late July through August, often under boardwalks.
The bugs go after the first frost, and campsite use drops sharply after Labor Day. According to the SHTA, much of the trail north of Duluth closes for two weeks each November during the firearms deer season.
In winter the trail is not suitable for skiing. Snowshoeing is encouraged. The SHTA recommends winter backpacking only for experienced winter backpackers.
Before any hike, read the Trail Conditions page. It lists bridges out, washouts and reroutes section by section. As of September 25, 2026, the Cliff Creek bridge between County Road 58 and the Kadunce River was closed, and a short detour went around a washout north of Devil's Kettle. Check the forecast too.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome and must be leashed on every section and at campsites. Pack animals and livestock are not allowed.
Maps and navigation
The main trail is marked with blue paint blazes and trail logo signs. Spurs and overlook trails are blazed white. Two blazes together mean a turn, and the upper one shows the direction. Carry a map and a compass, and do not count on cell service.
The SHTA publishes the official guidebook, databook and maps. Map Series F covers Pincushion Mountain to the northern terminus, and Series E covers Temperance River to Pincushion, including the Cascade River. In an emergency call 911.
