The undisputed champion of long-distance foot trails in Minnesota [1] is the Superior Hiking Trail [2] (SHT), which runs 205 miles along the length of the North Shore passing through some of the loveliest scenery in the state. Readers of Backpacker magazine have ranked this the second-best long-distance trail in the country.
The SHT is now a segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail, which, when completed, will stretch 4,400 miles from New York to North Dakota.
The Chippewa National Forest and Superior National Forest [3] have hundreds of miles of other trails, and hiking in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness [4] (BWCAW) isn’t limited to portaging your canoe.
For a day hike or just a half-hour stroll, you can’t do any better than Minnesota’s state parks. The system covers every possible environment and fitness level, and trails are invariably well marked and maintained. Itasca, George H. Crosby Manitou [5], and Savanna Portage State Parks are among the wildest.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/minnesota
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/minnesota/the-arrowhead/duluth/restaurants/asian
[3] http://www.moon.com/destinations/minnesota/the-arrowhead/superior-national-forest
[4] http://www.moon.com/destinations/minnesota/the-arrowhead/boundary-waters-canoe-area-wilderness
[5] http://www.moon.com/destinations/minnesota/the-arrowhead/north-shore/george-h-crosby-manitou-state-park