Backpack Trail Guide

Trails / Minnesota / Superior Hiking Trail

Superior Hiking Trail: Lake Agnes and Lookout Mountain (Lutsen to Cascade River)

Superior Hiking Trail (Lutsen Mountains to Cascade River State Park)

Between the Lutsen ski hills and Cascade River State Park, the Superior Hiking Trail follows the Poplar River, passes Lake Agnes, and crosses maple ridgelines with views of Lake Superior and the Sawtooth range before dropping to the Cascade River’s waterfalls. The Superior Hiking Trail Association (SHTA) calls the first part a “Scenic section with stretches paralleling Poplar River and beautiful Lake Agnes.”

It’s about 15 miles of main trail plus access spurs, with seven SHT campsites.

The hike

From the Lutsen Mountains trailhead, the SHTA says the trail has “Steep descents and ascents with multiple vistas of Poplar River Valley.” Minnesota Trails magazine followed a couple on a four-day trip from here in 2022; they spent their first night at East Poplar River.

Lake Agnes sits near the Caribou Trail (Cook County Road 4), where there is overnight parking and an outhouse. Susan Gleissner of This Big Wild World says East Lake Agnes is about a mile from the Caribou Trail lot, with “clean and easily accessible” water, though it’s popular. Backpacker’s 2016 overnight ended near here and described a natural jetty on Lake Agnes where the writer watched the northern lights. Perfect Duluth Day writer Paul Lundgren, who started at Cascade River in 2001, called East Lake Agnes “the best backwoods campsite on the trail.” A spur leads to White Sky Rock, which the SHTA says looks over Caribou Lake.

East of the Caribou Trail, the trail “Follows maple ridgelines with views of Lake Superior and the Sawtooth range” and “Crosses several scenic creeks and near thundery waterfalls on Cascade River,” according to the SHTA. Gleissner recommends the Spruce Creek campsite, in a large cedar grove with a creek you can hear from camp and swim in. The Minnesota Trails couple stopped at Indian Creek and camped at Spruce Creek and Big White Pine.

Lookout Mountain, on Cascade River State Park’s ski trails, has what the SHTA calls panoramic views. The section ends at the Cascade River Wayside on Highway 61, where there’s no overnight parking; the state park campground allows it with a vehicle permit (SHTA). The Cascade River Loop has been under reconstruction since 2022 flood damage, with new staircases and reroutes built in 2026, according to the SHTA. Its conditions page (Oct. 5, 2026) says a new “Boreal” campsite, 0.4 mile south of the Cut Log campsite, replaces the Big White Pine campsite and is open.

Before this section, see Carlton Peak and Oberg. Farther north is Grand Marais to Judge Magney.

Tips

Camping

SHT campsites need no reservations, fees, or permits, and every site must be shared, according to the SHTA. Camp only at designated sites (hammock campers too), never at trailheads, and limit your stay to one night. Fires go only in the fire ring, trash is packed out, and food goes in a bear canister or a hang. Most sites are designed for nine or fewer people; groups of eight or more must read the SHTA’s large-group page. Don’t stay at a Cascade River State Park campsite unless you have reserved it.

The SHTA lists four campsites between Lutsen and the Caribou Trail and three between the Caribou Trail and Cascade River State Park.

Inside Intel: Lundgren and Gleissner both single out East Lake Agnes for its lakeside setting and swimming; Lundgren also notes that “The best spot at the campsite, of course, was already taken.” Gleissner adds Spruce Creek for its cedar grove and swimming hole.

Trail facts

The Lowdown

Supper on the Lake Agnes shore:

East Lake Agnes is a lakeside SHT camp where backpackers swim before dark. See the trail meals reviewers rate for a quick dinner by the water.

See the picks →

Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.