Superior Hiking Trail
Thursday, August 6, 2026 -
Thursday, August 13, 2026 --
$1900
★★
Tucked along the rugged ridgeline of Minnesota’s Lake Superior shoreline lies one of the country’s most beautiful and underrated long-distance trails. This 8-day guided backpacking adventure explores a 34.6-mile section of the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT)—a wilderness footpath stretching from the Wisconsin border all the way to Canada.
Our journey takes place in early August, when summer heat and humidity begin to taper off and before the first real cold snaps arrive. With fewer bugs and cooler nights, it’s an ideal time to explore the North Coast.
While many debate whether the East Coast or West Coast holds the most dramatic scenery, Midwesterners quietly keep a secret: the shoreline of Lake Superior. The Great Lakes contain over 20% of the world’s freshwater, and Superior stands out as the largest and deepest of them all. From the trail, you’ll enjoy consistently stunning views—miles of forested wilderness stretching toward the inland horizon and the vast blue expanse of the lake rolling out to the east.
Inspired by the Appalachian Trail and envisioned in the 1980s, the Superior Hiking Trail follows the rugged contours of the Sawtooth Mountain Range. The route moves from lakeside viewpoints at 602 feet of elevation to vistas nearing 1,829 feet. The result: an accessible but varied hiking experience, celebrated by Backpacker magazine as one of the top 10 trails in the United States for its exceptional combination of geology, wildlife, and seasonal beauty.
Weather
Weather is always an important concern when backpacking. Historical August weather is much drier than even a month earlier and averages in the high-60's to low-70's during the day and 40’s - 50’s at night. However, be prepared for the possibility of day temperatures in the 80’s and freezing temperatures at night, with the threat of rain on any day. But overall, expect a warm, mostly dry August treat.or activities like snowshoeing and dogsledding.
Probable Trip Leaders
Guide(s) TBD
Cost
$1900
per person double occupancy. Here, double occupancy means that you will share a hotel room with another trip participant. Single room accommodations are available for purchase. You will also be responsible for transportation to and from Minneapolis, MN (MSP) as well as personal equipment, restaurant meals and any gratuities for guides. You may also be charged for any parking charges for leaving your car at the hotel all week if you drive.
Covered expenses include 2 hotel nights, storage fees, 6 days of trail meals, airport transfers, ground transportation to/from/within the National Park, park permits, park entrance fees and awesome guides.
Tipping: In order to keep our prices competitive with (and hopefully favorable to)
other outfitters, we shamefully can’t pay our guides as much as we think they deserve.
Like most other guiding services, we rely on the generosity of our participants to make
up this shortfall by tipping the guides. Gratuity can comprise a significant and important
part of a guide’s compensation. The industry recommended gratuity amount is 10-20% of the
trip cost. Gratuities are always optional and based on level of satisfaction but generally
account for 30-60% of their income through gratuities. Fitpacking supports tipping to the
greatest extent possible while remaining tactful and professional. Guides are not permitted
to solicit tips in any way other than doing an exceptional job supporting and providing
exceptional customer service to our participants. If your guides have served you well,
please support them with gratuities so they can continue living their extravagant lifestyles
of eating powdered meals, sleeping in the dirt and pooping in smelly outhouses and small
holes they've dug.
Important Notes about this trip
The Superior Hiking Trail is characterized by frequent ascents to rocky outcroppings and cliffs that offer sweeping vistas of Lake Superior, the Sawtooth Mountains, and the surrounding inland forests. The trail also descends into river valleys, stream corridors, lakes, and ponds where centuries of flowing water have carved into layers of ancient volcanic rock.
Unlike mountain environments where long climbs and descents dominate the day, the SHT features constant short ascents and descents that create a rhythm of frequent but manageable elevation changes.
Because trail access points do not always align perfectly with ideal daily mileage, the itinerary for this trip should be considered tentative. Adjustments to daily distances or overnight campsites may be required. Any changes will be made with safety, quality, and the overall enjoyment of the group in mind, and our experienced guides will adapt the route as needed to ensure a smooth and rewarding backcountry experience.
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