Superior Hiking Trail: Martin Rd. to W. Tischer Rd, August 3rd, 2013

There have been a series of beautiful days in northern Minnesota.  Joe was up here last weekend - and Saturday was perfect for a walk through the British countryside.  

As of a few months ago, the Superior Hiking Trail now stretches from Jay Cooke State Park all the way through Duluth and up to the Canadian Border.  The last "Duluth Section" trailhead is Martin Road, on the northeastern side of town.  Joe and I drove out to Martin Road and headed northeast towards Two Harbors.  

The first thing we saw was the new style of the Superior Hiking Trail trailhead signs.  I have to say...as much as I joke around about the old signs being crooked, I far prefer the crooked old signs to these new ones.  They look too sterile, like they belong in a museum.  Perhaps they'll look better after they've been exposed to the elements for a decade or so.

New Style of Superior Hiking Trail Sign

The Superior Hiking Trail follows the North Shore State Trail (snowmobiles) for the entirety of the section that we hiked.  It's mowed grass, wide enough for us to walk side by side.  The first part wasn't that exciting: we passed by what looked like a gravel pit and a dirt farm, surrounded by barbed wire.  Things got significantly better once we went over the old bridge and away from the road.

Cool old bridge over the Amity Creek

The morning was cool to start - probably in the mid-50's - but it warmed up significantly as we walked.  The trail was mostly flat, but we were in the sun and soon it was downright hot.  The rare patches of trees were a respite.

Look at how beautiful it was out there.  I've never been to the Cotswolds, but this is what I imagine the English Countryside looks like.  There were hedgerows and fields with horses prancing around, haystacks, and picturesque barns and tidy farmhouses.

And so life in the Shire goes on, very much as it has this past age.

We followed the trail 1.8 miles north to West Tischer Road.  We then turned left onto West Tischer, and followed it until we got back to Eagle Lake Road, which we followed south back to the trailhead.  Altogether it was a pleasant 3.5 mile loop through the countryside.  Not a bad way to spend an early August morning!

The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began

Total miles hiked today: 3.5
Total miles hiked in 2013: 71.8
Total Superior Hiking Trail miles hiked in 2013: 19.7
Total ticks today: 0
Total ticks in 2013: 54