Want to go on an adventure? The Superior Hiking Trail is calling

As a native Iron Ranger, I usually tended to overlook the beauty the area holds.

After living in Colorado for two years and catching the outdoor bug a bit more, I knew it was time to prove my old self wrong and embark on new adventures — ones that took advantage of the nature and space around me.

I decided the best way to do that was to hike part of the Superior Hiking Trail. The trail is a 277-mile footpath that follows the North Shore from Duluth to the Canadian border.

The system boasts trailhead parking lots every five to 10 miles — ideal for both day hikes and backpack camping.

I soon found another brave soul willing to take a small journey with me. (After all, safety first.) We drove to Two Harbors and stopped at the Superior Hiking Trail Association store and office to pick up maps and ask the experts what their pick would be for a day hike.

The requirements were relatively simple: a loop between five and eight miles that included waterfalls. The decision: the approximately eight-mile loop of the Cascade River located between Lutsen and Grand Marais.

When we parked at the trailhead (at Cascade River State Park) and began our hike, it was no more than a couple minutes before we caught a glimpse of the first falls. There were a few small groups of hikers and families right around the start of the trail. As we weaved in and out of the groups, ducking onto side trails, it was refreshing to see families together, outside and being active.

During the first mile or so, we hiked at a leisurely (at best) pace. We stopped to take pictures, climb around on random trees and rock formations and just sit and take in the beauty of everything.

The views were breathtaking — easily comparable to some of the prettiest sights in the Rockies.

As we continued our hike, we saw numerous waterfalls, cascades, campsites and bunnies and other woodland creatures. One of the most rewarding views during the hike was seeing the Hidden Falls.

Because we traveled in a loop, we were able to see these falls twice at two very different angles.

The first was at a 150-foot vista overlooking the river and falls. This allowed for a very dramatic and beautiful view of the falls. (It also allowed for a person to become nauseous when looking over the non-guarded edge.)

The second view of Hidden Falls was on the east side of the river.

The scenery becomes more “woodsy” at this end of the trail, with large cedar trees leaning above the trail and numerous roots spread out like tentacles across the path.

The view from this angle was equally as breathtaking, with the Cascade River rushing over four terraces.

Once we had our fill of views, we picked up the pace as we headed back to the trailhead.

The unfortunate aspect of this hike is that after hiking a little more than four miles, it seemed the rest of the trail was all uphill. I climbed about 5,000 stairs (or at least that’s what it seemed like). My legs hurt, I was out of breath — clearly, I’m in great shape… — and I was getting tired quickly. My bright counterpart pointed out that, even though we were going up all these stairs and inclines, we were actually going downhill since we were heading back toward Lake Superior. (Alas, he was right; I checked the elevation map when we finished, though it certainly didn’t seem like those last few miles were downhill.)

As we made it back to our car, I felt like I just conquered a small part of the earth. It was a rewarding feeling and I was satisfied by the fact that I had just spent six hours engulfed in Mother Nature. I am already anticipating my next hiking adventure and cannot wait to get back on the Superior Hiking Trail routes.

There are so many options with different trails: location, length, views, difficulty, etc.

There is guaranteed to be something to satisfy everyone’s requirements.

If you want to get started with hiking but aren’t sure where to begin, try the SHTA guided hike program.

All hikes are free of charge and open to the public.

Each hike is led by a member of the Superior Hiking Trail Association and includes an orientation and briefing by an area naturalist.

Wear sturdy boots or hiking shoes and bring lunch, beverages and insect repellant.

For more information, call the SHTA Office at 834-2700 or e-mail hike@shta.org.