Thirty years after work began on the Superior Hiking Trail, the 302-mile path is nearly complete.
This summer, volunteers are constructing the last two-mile portion of the trail southwest of Duluth. Winding atop the steep ridgeline along Lake Superior’s North Shore, the trail will connect the Canadian border to the Wisconsin border.
The trail’s completion comes at an ideal time for the Superior Hiking Trail Association, the Two Harbors-based nonprofit that built and maintains the trail with a team of over 300 volunteers.
“It seems like backpacking is experiencing a gigantic boost everywhere and we’re seeing that here for sure,” said Jo Swanson, the trail association’s outreach coordinator.
At least 25,000 people use the trail every year, said Gayle Coyer, executive director for the trail association. New lightweight backpacking equipment is boosting numbers. Hiking poles help older hikers manage heavy packs, and a Facebook page devoted to the trail is also likely increasing traffic. Backpackers are increasingly taking advantage of the trail’s 93 backcountry campsites, Coyer said.
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I am Jeff Clark, founder of Internet Brothers, producer of this blog, and passionate about hiking. I live in Western NC near the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains. Pisgah and Nantahala National Forests are just out my door, so the content will focus on these areas, but let me know what you would like to see on the site. 
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