Hiking the Minnesota Arrowhead

Marie Altenau and Ed Morse on a rocky overlook (photo by JHY)

by JHY

What an awesome hike! I think that we managed to hit the very best time to hike the Minnesota Arrowhead on the northern Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route and Kekekabic Trails. Despite all the horror stories that we have been told, we were able to follow the compacted treadway over the entire 133 miles of the hike.

For all but the Kekekabic Trail we were treated several times a day to rocky outcrops, usually with great views. However, the weather was cold and damp for most of the first 10 days. All those nights were below freezing, and one of the days we walked in snow and a cold wind all day. The picture below is attractive, but we longed for some warmer weather. And before the end of the trip we did seem to really encounter spring.

fog rising between the ridges (photo by JHY)

All along the Border Route the scenery is just incredible. The views just never seem to stop. The lakes that form the boundary between the US and Canada are stretched below the trail.

JHY overlooking the US-Canadian border from the Border Route Trail (photo by RMA)

One of the most fun things that happened was that we encountered Matt Davis leading a group of hikers on the Kekekabic Trail coming west to east. We stopped and chatted with them for about an hour! Believe it or not, we met more hikers on this remote section of trail than we have ever met on any of our other NCT hikes.

See My Quality Day for more details from the hike.