By:
Submission
There are no fees, permits or reservations required to backpack on the Superior Hiking Trail.
There are 93 backcountry campsites located along the trail. You must camp at these designated campsites only since the trail goes through a great deal of private land and private land ownership is not marked. Campsites are required to be shared by parties. The “Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail” details each campsites, the number of tent pads, the water source, the setting, and the distance from the previous campsite to this campsite and the distance to the next campsite. You can use these distance mileages to plan your route for each day. All water for these campsites is surface water (streams, lakes, and beaver ponds) so must be treated before being used. Each campsite also has a backcountry latrine and a fire ring with benches. You must pack out all your garbage.
Dogs are allowed on Leash only.
For a long-distance hike, the best way to re-supply is to mail packages to yourself in care of General Delivery to the post offices that are within 2-3 miles of the trail. These packages will be held for 30 days. The “Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail” has a chart that describes each town within 2-3 miles of the trail and the services that can be found at these towns. State parks will not hold packages.
Daily mileage for an average backpacker is 1 mile an hour. Your pace may likely be faster (maybe about 2 miles an hour) but with breaks, picture taking, etc. you will often find at the end of the day you’ve covered about a mile an hour. More experienced backpackers have a better idea of their daily mileage so this is just a general guide.
