Hiking the Drifted - North Shore/BWCAW

Over the past four weeks, I twice found myself up on Minnesota's North Shore for hiking and paddling adventures lasting a week each. I always enjoy hiking areas with different geological characteristics. And much like hiking in the southwestern US, the North Shore has a ton of great geology and challenging hikes thanks to glaciers and the pyrotechnics of the land's formation.

The first week was primarily a paddling vacation with my canoeing buddies into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) out of Ely, MN. I was testing out my shoulder after a year-long rehab to see if 6 hour paddles and portaging our Wenonah canoe were still in my toolbox. Mission accomplished - they are. 

Can still portage and paddle!

The second week, my honey and I headquartered near Grand Marais for hikes and leaf-peeping in the Superior National Forest along the Gunflint Trail, in the Sawtooth Mountains and along Hwy 61.

I had plenty of great hiking adventures throughout those two weeks. These trails feature sharp, steep inclines and winding, twisting and often-tree-root-ridden trails. The evidence of the imperviousness of Canadian Shield rock screams at you as you tackle these trails. Finding "easy" or flat trails is a completely different venture than in the Driftless area. I find this hiking good for the soul and soles.

My hikes included:

Eighteen Lake

Eighteen Lake, Superior National Forest, Tofte District

Located near Isabella, MN off Hwy 1

This 2.9 mile hikes closely follows the shore of a small lake located in the Superior National Forest. Wetlands, hardwood forests, pines, small creeks and a few steep climbs to outlooks are all rolled up in this hike. The trail is clear although a bit overgrown in low-lying areas. The two or three steep climbs are primarily in the section to the right of the small (4 sites) rustic campground. The views are so worth it! I would rate this as moderate due to overgrowth on many parts of the trail and extremely steep hills to the outlook.

Dry Lake Trail

Dry Lake Trail,  Superior National Forest, Kawishiwi District

Located near Ely MN off Hwy 116

This is a loop trail but we decided to do an out-and-back after talking to hikers who said the northwest section of the loop was very difficult due to so many large rocks and exposed roots. We hiked 2.5 miles from the Basswood Lake trailhead and back. The trail is rolling and twisty with a number of outlooks along the way that give dramatic views of Basswood Lake. There is a small waterfall that was very dry this time of year but it was definitely a fun if challenging hike with elevation gains of 275 feet. I would rate this as moderate.

View from Wolf Rock

Wolf Rock, Superior Hiking Trail, Castle Danger to Gooseberry Segment

Located near Castle Danger, on Hwy 106, off Hwy 61

While this trail segment of the SHT heads approximately 9 miles to Gooseberry Falls, we were most interested in the very first half-mile section that leads to Wolf Rock. For a quick but steep hike, the reward is expansive views of Superior National Forest, Crow Creek Valley, Lake Superior and the Sawtooth Mountains. Not bad for a mile out-and-back!  Like almost all SHT segments, the trail up and down is seriously serious - but once up on the ridge the hike is easy - and those views!

My new fascination -
rockcap ferns at Topper Lake portage

Topper Lake Portage, BWCAW, Superior National Forest, Gunflint District

Off the Gunflint Trail, Forest Rd 317 (Mayhew Lk Rd)

A small sweet trail (especially sweet without a canoe to portage!) through wetlands and mixed forest features a huge boulder strewn area with ferns, lichen and moss growing everywhere. Less than a mile but a great stretch when driving up the trail to the Chik-Wauk Museum at the end or the Trail Center restaurant in the middle of the Gunflint Trail for the best malts and shakes around.

Divide Lake

Divide Lake Trail, Superior National Forest, Tofte District

Near Isabella MN, off 600 Rd.

Tucked deeply into the forest, this beautiful canoe lake straddles the Laurentian Divide. On one side of the Divide, the waters drain to Lake Superior; on the other, the waters drain to Hudson Bay (Divide Lake's waters drain to Superior). This 2.7 mile hike was probably the flattest of all these hikes. It meandered around the larger lake on the east side of the road. The trailhead is at the 3-site rustic campground. There are a number of benches along the trail that winds gently up and down through hardwood and pine forests. There is a backpack site to peek at on a spur off the trail. 

Temperance River Loop
Image - Lloyd Lorenz

Temperance River Loop, Temperance State Park

Near Silver Bay on Hwy 61

A popular hike is best done on a cool early morning with rain threatening. It guarantees few to no people on the whole trail! This 2.5 mile hike starts dramatically following the falls and gorges of the Temperance River as you climb and clamber up rocks and rock stairs to a multitude of stone-fenced lookouts along the first 1/4 mile of the trail. The Gitchi-Gami bike path crosses the trail at the bridge. From there you continue to ascend as the river slows. Continuing on this 2.7 mile loop, you once more climb steeply to another set of falls (more difficult to see) before turning and heading through gorgeous hardwood forest to rejoin the gorge trail for the final quarter mile back to the trailhead. The iconic stone fences and amazing views and the seldom-hiked back part of the loop keeps this hike as one our favorite of the massively used state park trails on the North Shore.

All images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters