Multiple day hiking trails surround North Shore's Lutsen

Gitchi-Gami State Trail south of Lutsen, Minn.
Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR.

Minnesota village boasts several miles of walking paths

Lake Superior vistas, mountain summits, and a scenic aspen-birch forest await day hikers on trails in the Lutsen, Minn., area.

The tiny village sits about two-thirds of the way up the North Shore between Duluth, Minn., and the Canadian border. The best way to reach Lutsen is to take Minn. Hwy. 61 north from Duluth.

Among the many great day hikes around Lutsen are:
g C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Trail (Lutsen segments) – Head 0.75 miles (1.5-miles round trip) west to the Tait River or go east 1 mile (2-miles round trip) to the stream flowing out of Mistletoe Creek into Vat Lake in the Superior National Forest. Park in the lot off of County Road 4 north of the County Road 164 intersection, about 6.5 miles north of Lutsen.
g C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Trail (Tofte segments) – In Superior National Forest, walk west a little more than a mile (2.25-miles round trip) across the Temperance River to Blind Temperance Creek or go northeast 5.2 miles (10.4-miles round trip) to the Lutsen Trail intersection. Park in the pullout lot at the County Road 2 and County Road 166 intersection about 4.5 miles north of Tofte.
g Gitchi-Gami State Trail (Lutsen Segment) – The trail heads south/west from Lutsen Ski Hill Road. Take it to Rollins Creek for a 3-mile round trip. Park at the designated GGST parking area.
g Gitchi-Gami State Trail (Tofte Segment) – Starting at Tofte Town Park, the trail heads north/east. LeVeaux Creek is about two miles away for a 4-mile round trip.
g Gitchi-Gami State Trail (Ray Berglund State Wayside segments) – Parking at the wayside, either head south/west to LeVeaux Creek for a 4-mile round trip or north/east to Rollins Creek for a 2-mile round trip.
g Lutsen Access Trail – Day hikers can head through a forest of aspen and birch overlooking Lake Superior in the Lutsen Scientific & Natural Area. From Lutsen, take County Road 5 (aka Ski Hill Road) north. In about 1.5 miles, you’ll come to a ditch crossing the road; park off the road here. The trail heads east into the woods for a 3.33-mile round trip.
g NF-1230 Ski Trail – An old forest road turned ski trail makes for a solid hike up the bluffside starting in the Superior National Forest and ending in the Lutsen Scientific & Natural Area. The 3-mile round trip crosses all three of the SNA’s forests. Park in the dirt lot off of County Road 5, about 1.1 miles north of Hwy. 61 in Lutsen.
g Oberg and LeVeaux Mountains Trails – Day hikers can choose between these trails, each of which leads to the summit of two prominent hills in Superior National Forest’s Sawtooth Mountains. Both are well-worn paths and spurs off the Superior Hiking Trail. To reach the trails, from Lutsen take Hwy. 61 south. Turn right/north onto the unpaved Onion River Road (aka Forest Road 336); after passing the mountains, a parking lot is on the road’s left/west side.

Read more about day hiking Northeast Minnesota in my Headin’ to the Cabin: Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.

Day hike one of two forested ‘mountains’ along Lake Superior in northern Minnesota

Oberg Lake is visible from a vista along the Oberg Mountain Trail.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Forest Service.

Great vistas, lookout tower awaits at summits

Day hikers can choose between trails that lead to the summit of two prominent hills in Superior National Forest’s Sawtooth Mountains.

Both the Oberg and the LeVeaux mountains trails are well-worn paths and spurs off the Superior Hiking Trail. Though technically hills, locals label them as mountains, and for normally flat Minnesota, they do indeed feel more the latter rather than the former.

To reach the trails, from Lutsen, Minn., take Minn. Hwy 61 south. Turn right/north onto the unpaved Onion River Road (aka Forest Road 336). After passing between the two mountains, turn into the parking lot for the Superior Hiking Trail on the road’s left/west side.

From there, hikers have two options: Oberg Mountain or LeVeaux Mountain.

Oberg Mountain Trail
Fantastic vistas await day hikers on the trail to the summit of the slightly higher of these two mountains. The Oberg Mountain Trail runs 2.25-miles round-trip through the woods.

From the parking lot, follow the Superior Hiking Trail east and across Onion River Road. In 0.15 miles, the trail splits; go right/south onto the stem trail.

Most of the uphill portion of the trail comes next on the switchback stem that leads to a loop near the mountain top. Along the stem, the trail gains about 220 feet elevation.

Upon leveling out, the stem joins the loop on the mountain’s western side. Go right/south.

The loop offers nine overlooks. Among the views is the Onion River and LeVeaux Mountain to the southwest. Stretching southeast-northeast of the mountain is Lake Superior. Rollins Creek runs from the base of the mountain’s north side to the southeast into Lake Superior. Moose Mountain rises to the northeast. Oberg Lake, which sports beavers, is on the north side below the mountain.

Maples and pines dominate the mountain, making this a colorful autumn hike. In spring, throated blue warblers light the forest with song.

On the mountain’s north side, the trail climbs about a hundred feet to its summit at 1555 feet elevation. It then slowly descends as coming back to the stem trail. From there, retrace your steps back to the parking lot.

LeVeaux Mountain Trail
A lookout tower awaits day hikers at the top of the LeVeaux Mountain Trail.

The longer of the two trails, it runs 3.5-miles round-trip. The trailhead sits on the parking area’s west end by following the Superior Hiking Trail into the forest.

The first leg offers an opportunity to see deer and even moose. To spot them, though, you’ll need to hike near dawn or dusk when they feed.

Along the way, you’ll pass a stem trail for the Onion River Camp and cross that river.

After a mile, the trail reaches the loop on the mountain’s northwest side. Go right/southeast.

In another 0.15 miles, the trail splits once more. Stay on the loop by going left/southwest. From there, the trail turns steep for about 0.2 miles as it gains 150 feet elevation.

The prize for the hard work is the mountain’s summit, 1550 feet above sea level, at which sits a lookout tower. The tower, referred to on some maps and documents as “US Forest Service Fire Lookout Tower, Onion,” dates to 1928.

South of the tower is a lollipop trail that circles the top of the mountain’s southwest side. It’s about 0.3-miles round trip and worth the walk for the views.

Cliffsides here can be steep, so don’t allow children close to the edge or go on the other side of the guard railing.

Where that lollipop’s stem reaches the main loop atop LeVeaux, take the trail south then northeast as it circles the mountain’s small top. Among the sights are LeVeaux Creek to the west as it runs to the southwest and joins Lake Superior. The lake itself stretches from south of the mountain to the northeast. The Onion River heads from the valley north of the mountain to east then southeast of it. Oberg Mountain is to the northeast.

On LeVeaux’s north side, the trail switchbacks down about 140 feet and below the cliffside rejoins the Superior Hiking Trail. Go right/northeast onto the SHT, which is the same path you took from the parking lot.

Click image for larger version

Read more about day hiking Northeast Minnesota in my Headin’ to the Cabin: Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.

Bluffside heads through North Shore forest

Quaking aspen grove. Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR.

Lutsen Access
Trail follows
old forest road

Day hikers can head through a forest of aspen and birch overlooking Lake Superior near Lutsen, Minn.

The Lutsen Access Trail serves primarily as a snowmobile route (Some maps will show it as the Lutsen Access Snowmobile Trail.). The 3.33-mile round trip segment of the trail described here can be hiked during other seasons, though. By midsummer, however, you’ll want to wear pants and even long-sleeved shirts as the undergrowth flourishes.

From Lutsen, take County Hwy. 5 (aka Ski Hill Road) north. In about 1.5 miles, you'll come to a ditch crossing the road; park off the road here (If no parking is available, drive north and park on Moose Mountain Drive.). The trail, which used to be a forest road, heads east into the woods of Superior National Forest, skirting the bluffside with Lake Superior to the southeast while Eagle Mountain rises in the northwest.

Aspen-birch forest
Within short order, the trail enters an aspen-birch forest. The nearly pure stands of the two trees – popular in the making of paper and particleboard – dominate here, though balsam fir also can be found.

After a half mile, the trail crosses into the Lutsen Scientific & Natural Area. As with other SNAs, the Lutsen unit preserves three undisturbed woodland areas: the bluffside’s aspen-birch forest in its southern portion; a paper birch-sugar maple forest in its central section; and predominantly sugar maple forest across the rest.

The NF-1230 Ski Trail intersects the trail within the SNA. Continue heading straight/east.

Bigtooth aspen can reach up to 80 feet tall while the quaking aspen is a bit shorter at 65 feet. The three varieties of birch found in Minnesota can grow 60-70 feet high. Their leaves turn a golden yellow in autumn.

Perfect soils
About 800 feet from the NF-1230 Ski Trail intersection, the trail re-enters Superior National Forest. It curves northeast and in about 1600 feet comes back into the SNA.

Aspen and birch prefer limestone-derived soils, so they thrive on the bluffside, whose bedrock layers once formed the bottom of an ancient tropical sea. The moist but well-drained soils, typical of the North Shore blufflines, is an added bonus for the trees.

In about 3200 feet, the trail reaches an intermittent stream crossing. This marks a good spot to turn back, though the trail does continue northeast back into the Superior National Forest.

A final note: Scientific and natural areas typically don’t contain amenities like state parks do, and the Lutsen unit is no exception.

Click map for larger version.

Read more about day hiking Northeast Minnesota in my Headin’ to the Cabin: Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.

Get up close & personal with Lake Superior

Gitchi-Gami State Trail's Silver Creek Cliff Segment.
Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR.

Incredible views of Lake Superior await day hikers of the Gitchi-Gami State Trail on Minnesota’s North Shore.

As of 2013, about 29.5 miles of the paved bicycle path – which also can be used for day hiking – runs along the world’s largest freshwater lake from Two Harbors to Grand Marais. Plans call for 88.2-mile route.

Construction began in 2001 with segments added every year since, largely thanks to the work of the nonprofit Gitchi-Gami Trail Association in conjunction with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. It largely parallels State Hwy. 61.

Following are segments of the route, from north to south, that can be day hiked.

Two Harbors area
g Silver Creek Cliff Segment – The 1-mile round trip trail makes use of the Old Hwy. 61 roadbed and offers a 4000-foot vista of Lake Superior. Park at the Silver Creek Wayside Park and walk south/west to the western end of of Silver Creek Cliff.
g Gooseberry Falls State Park Segment – The southwest end of a 14.1-mile one–way segment begins at the state park. It can be picked up at either the park’s lower level parking lot or at the visitor center and walked to the Twin Points Wayside for about a 4.5-mile round trip.
g Twin Points Wayside segments – The trail can be hiked either south to Gooseberry Falls State Park (4.5-miles round trip) or north to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park’s West Split Rock River (a little more than 4-miles round trip). Parking is available at the wayside.
g Split Rock Lighthouse State Park segments – From the visitor center, either go south to West Split Rock River within the park (about 4.5-miles round trip) or north to Gold Rock Point (a little more than 4-miles round trip). Park at the visitor center.

Silver Bay area
g Beaver Bay Segment – The north end of the 14.1-mile trail begins in downtown Beaver Bay off of State Hwy. 61 south/west of Slater Drive. Hike the trail as far south as you like; the creek south of Pine Bay Loop makes a good turnaround for a little more than 4-mile round trip.
g Silver Bay Trail Segment – From Rukavina Arena on Outer Drive in Silver Bay, head 2.3 miles (4.6-miles round trip) south/west to West Road in Beaver Bay. Parking is available near the arena.

Schroeder area
g Temperance River Segment – The trail runs north/east through Temperance River State Park and the Temperance River gorge. At 3.1 miles (6.2-miles round trip), it can be accessed with parking at the MnDOT wayside in Schroeder.

Tofte area
g Tofte Segment – Starting at Tofte Town Park, the trail heads north/east. Leaveaux Creek is about 2 miles away for a 4-mile round trip.
g Ray Berglund State Park segments – Parking at the wayside, either head south/west to Leaveaux Creek for a 4-mile round trip or north/east to Rollins Creek for a 2-mile round trip.

Lutsen area
g Lutsen Segment – The trail heads south/west from Lutsen Ski Hill Road. Take it to Rollins Creek for a 3-mile round trip. Park at the designated GGST parking area.

Grand Marais area
g Grand Marais Segment – Park in downtown Grand Marais near the trailhead off of State Hwy. 61 near Eighth Avenue. Head south/west until the trail runs out for a 3-mile round trip.

Read more about day hiking Northeast Minnesota in my Headin’ to the Cabin: Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.

Minnesota Arrowhead snowmobile trail makes for great summer hikes

The C.J. Ramstad/North Shore
State Trail is named for C.J.
Ramstad, the owner/editor of
Minnesota sports publications
 and an avid snomobiler who
died in a car accident.

A number of snowmobile trails that crisscross northern Minnesota also can be used as hiking trails during summer. One of them is the C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Trail.

About half of the 146-mile trail that parallels the Lake Superior shore is traversable during summer; that inland stretch links Finland to Grand Marais. Portions of the rest of the trail often are underwater once the snow melts.

This summer trail in turn can be broken into manageable day hikes thanks to several access points.

Most of those hikes will take you into remote, wooded areas where wildlife from moose and black bears to white-tailed deer and wolves can be seen. Fall marks a great time to hike the trail as brilliant maples cover the ridges while bronze-leafed birch and aspen groves hug streams and rivers (One more bonus: The bug count will be low in autumn.).

To ensure you stay on the trail, watch for the snowmobile trail signs, which include diamond-shaped orange blazers, typically found on trees and posts.

Access points for the trail (heading south to north) include:
g Finland – Head west for 2.5 miles (5-miles round trip) to the Baptism River or walk northeast for 1.7 miles (3.4-miles round trip) to Egge Creek. Parking is available off of County Road 7 just south of Airbase Road; take the connecting trail northwest to the trail running through Finland State Forest.
g Cramer – Go southwest for 0.6 miles (1.2-miles round trip) to Rock Creek Cut in Finland State Forest or head northeast, partially through George H. Crosby Manitou State Park, to the creek flowing out of Kowalski Lake. Park at the lot off of County Road 7 south of the Manitou River.
g Tofte – In Superior National Forest, walk west a little more than a mile (2.25-miles round trip) across the Temperance River to Blind Temperance Creek or go northeast 5.2 miles (10.4-miles round trip) to the Lutsen Trail intersection. Park in the pullout lot at the County Road 2 and County Road 166 intersection about 4.5 miles north of Tofte.
g Lutsen – Head 0.75 miles (1.5-miles round trip) west to the Tait River or go east 1 mile (2-miles round trip) to the stream flowing out of Mistletoe Creek into Vat Lake in the Superior National Forest. Park in the lot off of County Road 4 north of the County Road 164 intersection, about 6.5 miles north of Lutsen.
g Grand Marais (Little Devil Track River area) – Walk 2.1 miles (4.2-miles round trip) northwest to Blueberry Lake's shores or go southeast about 0.45 miles (0.9-miles round trip) over the Little Devil Track to the Superior Hiking Trail intersection. Park in the pullouts at the intersection of County Road 6 and Forest Road 1367 in the Superior National Forest.
g Grand Marais (city) – Walk southwest 0.45 miles (0.9 miles round trip) to the Gunflint Trail or head northeast for the same distance to the trail’s second stream crossing in Superior National Forest. Park in the turnaround at the end of Cedar Grove Drive, north of the Cedar Grove Drive intersection in town.

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Best trails for seeing wonders of Minnesota’s Cascade River State Park

Cascade River. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

Among the best ways to see the top sights at Minnesota’s Cascade River State Park is via a day hike. Just three short trails will allow you to enjoy each of the park’s highlights – waterfalls, fantastic Lake Superior views, and brilliant autumn colors.

Waterfalls
The Cascade River drops over two waterfalls as it rambles through a fern-laden gorge of 1.1 billion-year-old volcanic rock. A segment of the Superior Hiking Trail heads about 0.5 miles round trip from a parking lot off Minn. Hwy. 61 south of Cascade River to Cascade Falls and the Cascades, a set of five small waterfalls just above it.

Lake Superior views
Off the state park’s shores the glacial lake the Ojibwe called gichigami – “the great sea” – stretches for 31,700 square miles. The Lake Trail runs 1.2 miles (2.4-miles round trip) along Lake Superior’s rocky beaches and white cedar trees.

Autumn colors
After Labor Day, the park’s birch leaves turn gold, making for an impressive site against the green spruce and fir. The Lookout Mountain Trail, a 3.5-mile loop, takes you through the forest to an overlook 600 feet above the shoreline, offering a view of the Sawtooth Mountain Range and of blue Lake Superior in the distance.

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.