Other stories in "Hiking"

• 12 great fall hikes
  For a perfect day, hit the trail and do some sightseeing, too.
• Isle Royale reverie
  Whichever face it shows, the Lake Superior wilderness is beguiling.
• Bird walks
  In spring, a symphony of trills and chirps draws hikers into the woods.
• Hiking Duluth
  The city sections of the Superior Hiking Trail are spectacular.
• Hiking the North Shore
  For most, it's the preferred way to soak up the scenery.
• Quiet time on the North Shore
  Late fall is marked by stark beauty, cheaper stays and the gales of November.
• King of the hill
  With a huff and a puff, hikers earn a view of fall colors.
• Duluth walks
  Trails along creeks, ravines and bays provide stellar hiking in the heart of town.
• Goin' on a treasure hunt
  We jump on the geocaching bandwagon and get hooked.
• Along for the walk
  In fall, join a group hike through the glowing forest.
• Devil's heaven
  In the Baraboo Hills, a splendid park makes people come running.
• Tracing the Ice Age Trail
  In Wisconsin, a slow-moving monolith left a playground for weekend wanderers.
• Hikes with benefits
  For exercise as well as edification, tag along with an expert.
• Trek to Timm's Hill
  The highest point in Wisconsin is the gateway to a forest full of trails.
• Peak hiking
  For Highpointers, nothing but a summit will do.
• Walk 'n' roll
  Thanks to a bike trail, backtracking on the Superior Hiking Trail is a thing of the past.
• Preventing Lyme disease
  Bite of a deer tick can cause major headache.

Six ways to walk the Superior Hiking Trail

On a guided trip, you can pay a lot or a little.

Most guided adventure trips cost quite a lot. If you're prepared to pay, great; if not, you have options.

If you want to hike the Superior Hiking Trail on Minnesota's North Shore, for example, you can pay up to $379 per day, per person, or as little as $40 per day. Here's how it works out:

All of these trips include lodgings, meals and transportation as noted. Cost is per person and, for lodge trips, based on double occupancy. For camping trips, meals (mostly groceries) are estimated at $20 per day.

Hikers also may want to buy the new fifth edition of the "Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail," $15.95. For more, see Hiking the North Shore.

$379 per day — Guided midweek lodge trip offered by Timberline Adventures of Denver. Includes transportation from Duluth. Accommodations include Grand Superior Lodge, Bluefin Bay and Cascade Lodge. 1-800-417-2453, www.timbertours.com.

$173 per day — Guided weekend lodge trip offered by nonprofit Wilderness Inquiry of Minneapolis. Open to people with disabilities. 612-676-9400, www.wildernessinquiry.com.

$128 per day — Self-guided midweek lodge trip arranged by Barbara and Ted Young's Boundary Country Trekking. Package includes shuttle, breakfast, trail lunch and an annual membership in the Superior Hiking Trail Association; total includes $30 for dinner in a restaurant. Guests choose from accommodations that include Bluefin Bay, Caribou Highlands and Cascade Lodge. Weekends cost more; late-spring and late-fall trips cost less. 1-800-322-8327, www.boundarycountry.com.

$108 per day — Guided weekend camping trip offered by school districts 196 and 833 and the city of Eagan with Adventure Vacations of St. Paul. Includes transportation from the Twin Cities and camping gear. 651-644-0333, www.adv-vac.com.

$45 per day — Self-guided, self-arranged weekend camping trip with return from Superior Shuttle ($25 for three stops, for a hike of 20-25 miles). Add cost of camping gear and maps. Dan Sanders offers the shuttles Friday-Sunday from mid-May to mid-October, 1-218-834-5511 or 612-803-8453, www.superiorshuttle.com.

$40 per day — Guided weekend camping trip offered to members of the Minnesota Rovers Outdoors Club of the Twin Cities (other outdoors clubs offer similar trips). Add $25 for an annual membership ($10 for students and nonmetro residents). Members can borrow backpacks and other camping gear from the club. Transportation from the Twin Cities is by carpooling; those who don't drive contribute to expenses. Trips are listed at www.mnrovers.org and discussed at weekly meetings (Como Park in summer, Macalester College in winter).

Last updated on August 4, 2008