Superior Hiking Trail Up the Hill

 Up the hill

Back to the Zoo                 3.2 miles to Haines         Forward to the Silos 

https://superiorhiking.org/trail-section/mnwi-border-to-duluth/#section_8
https://superiorhiking.org/trail-section/mnwi-border-to-duluth/#section_9

Non-SHT lodging is available right on Westgate Blvd.
This is a steep climb, rising a few hundred feet, and many gorges going back down so you end up climbing nearly 1,500 ft. Rocky, with many stream crossings. Duluth closes these trails sometimes during rainy periods.
Lots of quaking aspens of all ages. Scattered cedar and maple and occasional oak. Some city noise.

2021 in the middle of a drought turned out to be not such a bad time to take a hike. We picked up where we left off at the end of Greene St. after it crosses N. 64^th Av W. Take the path north following Interstate 35, avoiding any of the turns to the left. You will have to cross Cody St, which has some high-speed traffic, and walk along Westgate Blvd. for two blocks. Signage is very good throughout this hike. When we came to the loop near Haines Rd we could not miss the intersection. You will be constantly reminded of a bike trail that parallels you, it is not intrusive or confusing.

After a few blocks in the neighborhood near the highway, you are back into the woods and join up with Keene Creek where you start climbing. Rocks in the creek were easy to find as we crisscrossed, but we were in a dry period.  A trailhead with a nicer parking lot than Greene Street is not far up, on W Skyline Pkwy. This is the Highland St trailhead on SHT maps.

Follow the creek a little longer and you’ll see steps and even wires to help you climb the steep section that lies between a switchback in Skyline Pkwy. You will cross the Pkwy, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. There is no way to safely park here and start a hike! Things flatten out a little at this point. If you have the Duluth Trails Map, you will see quite a few rock-climbing icons around this area. You stay above them, which lends the one nice scenic vista on this hike. It is on the official SHT part of Brewer’s Loop. The north part of that loop is still nice and it’s shorter if you want to get to Haines Rd trailhead.

Lots to offer on this little section.