A First Timers Experience on the Superior Hiking Trail
My sister Katie and her friend Libby just got back from an amazing experience on the Superior Hiking Trail. After some convincing, I was able to get her to share her journey. I am so proud of what they did! Here is her experience:
The Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) is a trail I had heard about years ago, but I never knew much about where it was or what it was like.
My friend and I had just finished a week-long canoe trip in the Boundary Waters, and she asked if I was interested in going on a short backpacking trip on Minnesota’s North Shore hiking trail.
Oddly enough, I had purchased a SHT guidebook about 15 years ago and forgotten all about it, but in that moment, I was immediately interested in the idea.
I’ve been going to the Boundary Waters since I was a teen, so I was pretty familiar with wilderness adventures. However, I had only gone on one backpacking trip, and it was when I was younger with a friend through her church.
I was by no means an expert, but I felt confident I could pull off five days walking in the north woods of Minnesota, even though I’m now 15 years older and not in the best shape!
My friend and I decided we were going to go backpacking on the Superior Hiking Trail. We began to plan a week-long adventure for the following summer.
I began to do what I love the most: plan! I read through the guidebook I had, found a free class at REI, and joined a Facebook group for the Superior Hiking Trail.
We researched, looked at packing lists, and checked the guidebook. We shopped, compared gear, and shopped some more!
Neither of us has loads of extra cash, so we decided to be thrifty shoppers for some items, and invested in a few we thought were most important, like our backpacks, trekking poles, and a lightweight tent.
Before we bought top-of-the-line items and invested more in gear, we wanted to be sure this was something we’d do again.
Getting to the Superior Hiking Trail
This past August, after planning and preparing on and off over the last year, we packed our backpacks, got up before the sun, and drove from the Twin Cities to Grand Marais.
There are two common shuttle options for the SHT — the official Superior Hiking Shuttle and independent local operators you can find via the SHTA community and Facebook groups. Check current schedules in advance, especially outside peak season, as services and pickup points can change.
We reserved a shuttle with the Superior Hiking Shuttle and arrived in Grand Marais with enough time to fill our water bottles at the gas station in town and drive over to the trailhead. The plan was to park our car where we’d end our hike, take the shuttle south to our starting trailhead, and then hike north back to the car.
We unloaded our packs in the trailhead parking lot and boarded a shuttle.
The Superior Hiking Shuttle van picked us up, and our driver was a friendly older woman who had great stories to tell as we traveled toward our entry trailhead at Oberg Mountain.
She told us about a group she had dropped off earlier in the week and how she had to go back the next day and pick them up because “the trail just wasn’t what they thought it would be.” My friend and I looked at each other with wide eyes and agreed we didn’t want to be that kind of people!
The Superior Hiking Trail
We started at the base of Oberg Mountain, the first of three mountains we would ascend on day one. In our research, we learned that the suggested daily mileage for an average hiker is around 8 to 12 miles. We figured we were capable of that because, after all, it’s just walking, right?
But when you add a 35-pound pack on your back (yes, we overpacked!), 90-degree heat and humidity, rocky and root-covered uphill terrain, and an insufficient amount of water, you learn very quickly that it is not just walking.
It is sweating, blisters, bugs, mud, rocks, tree roots, climbing up and down, aching legs, doubt, and repetitive mantras to keep going. The trekking poles we debated buying became one of the most beneficial purchases we made.
By the end of day one, we were aching, exhausted, and extremely dehydrated. All we wanted to do was collapse into our sleeping bags and cry, but I don’t think either of us could have produced tears at that point.
Rationing water due to poor planning left us with headaches and sick feelings. We were ready to give up.
We no longer wanted this and ached for the lakes of the Boundary Waters. Backpacking wasn’t what we thought it would be, and our hearts were broken.
That night we barely had enough energy to put up our tent. We skipped dinner, barely talked, and curled up in our tent.
We found sleep as soon as our heads hit our pillows and slept hard for the next 12 hours. In the morning we pumped water, made coffee, and ate oatmeal.
We looked at each other and decided we could do this. We had to do it. We are tough, outdoorsy girls, and we don’t quit.
We pep-talked each other, got excited, and decided today was going to be a good day. We could do this!
We hiked and loved every part of it. The scenery and overlooks were rewarding and beautiful, and the campsites felt like home. We fell in love with the Superior Hiking Trail.
We met fellow hikers on the trail and in campsites. People shared their struggles and successes and listened as we shared ours. We were encouraged and cheered on, and we were able to encourage others too.
The community on the trail was incredible and inspiring. Our hike ended miles short of where we wanted to be and where our car was.
On day two, we accepted we would not be hiking 12 miles a day, and we were okay with that. It allowed us to enjoy the outdoors and hike our own hike.
We had an amazing experience and learned so much on this trip. We were able to go on a second hike earlier this month, and we can’t wait to get back on the trail again!
This adventure was an experience that is hard to explain in words. We are grateful and encourage everyone to get out on the trail. If you’re apprehensive about backpacking but would like to try, start with a day trip to one of the state parks. Look online for Superior Hiking Trail tips and trip reports.
Happy hiking, and hike your own hike!
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