Straddle and Paddle, Minnesota

• Suitable between May – October – though colder on each end of that range. The best time to go is August through the first half of September – when the bugs are winding down but before the cold weather has come.
• May – July can be EXTREMELY buggy.
• Cell access is not reliable in the north woods. The porch of Sawbill Outfitters does have an open wireless hotspot. Be prepared with a good map, GPS, or both. The US Forest Service ‘Superior National Forest Visitor Map’, at $10, is the map you need. It is available at ranger stations, but also can be purchased by mail and phone: Link here
• Parking – vehicles can be left overnight/multiple days at any Superior Hiking Trail parking lot. The route officially begins at one such roadside lot, just up Temperance River Road from Temperance River State Park. Just be sure you are at the Superior Hiking Trail lot (there will be a trail sign), on the west side of the road, and not the earlier grassy unmarked lot on the east side of the road for the swimming hole. There is also Superior Hiking Trail parking along the route near Lutsen ski hill.
• Sawtooth Outfitters in Tofte near the start offers single-day mountain bike rentals, parts, outdoor equipment rental and sale of everything needed in the backcountry. Don’t miss a final consultation with owners Jeff and Sarah regarding up-to-date conditions and information on backwoods attractions.
• Additionally – Spoken Gear bike shop just south of this route, in Two Harbors, Minnesota, rents bikepacking bikes and optionally, a bikepacking kit that includes bags from their own Cedaero bike bag line. At a minimum, it’s worth a stop to peruse the bikes while downing a coffee from the co-located Cedar Coffee Company.
• What bike? Any bike with tires 50mm in width or larger should do; find Neil’s thoughts about it here, as he profiles three bikes he and his friends brought on the route.

• Many options exist for camping. Developed USFS sites require a self-service fee but include potable water and generally have larger, more private sites. Rustic USFS sites are free but don’t have potable water. And dispersed camping is allowed anywhere along the route in the Superior National Forest.
• Developed USFS sites on or near the route include Divide Lake, Sawbill, Crescent Lake, Devil Track Lake, Two Island Lake, and Lake Kimball campgrounds. Rarely, water may be shut off while water-quality remediation is occurring. Check with the USFS for up-to-date conditions and fee schedule. Bring cash or checks.
• Rustic sites include Silver Island Lake, Windy Lake (small sites, roadside), Hogback Lake, Section 29 Lake, Kawishiwi, Baker Lake, Lake Clara (small sites), Cascade River (roadside), and Trout Lake. Silver Island Lake has large sites, several along the lake, and even one with it’s own dock. It’s a great first-night campground.
• Follow USFS guidelines when dispersed camping – essentially ‘leave-no-trace’. Fires for dispersed camping should either be avoided, or use rock rings when they exist. There is a rock ring in the woods just east of the hidden falls south of the Eagle Mountain trailhead, and also one at the ‘hippie camp’ marked on the route.
• Trees are everywhere, making this an extremely hammock-friendly route. If you travel in the Spring or Fall and want to mock-it, just be prepared for cooler nights with either a warmer bag, or a hammock insulation layer.
• Temperance River State Park is a good before/after the route campground, but is extremely popular throughout the season. All sites are reservation-only – check for availability.
• Tent camping at the Grand Marais Municipal Campground is right along the bike path in town, but is crowded and noisy, being close to the highway as well. It is not recommended except as a last resort.

• There are many choices for fueling and restocking on this route. The first day should put the Trestle Inn at a late-lunch or early dinner stop depending on when you start. Call ahead to confirm they are open. Sawbill Outfitters isn’t a full grocery store, but has a few basics that can be used in a pinch. Same for the Devil Track general store. There are full grocery stores in Tofte, Lutsen, and Grand Marais, including a great co-op in Grand Marais.
• Grand Marais has many food and craft beer options. The Gunflint Tavern serves tasty burritos (among other savory delights) and flights of their in-house brewed suds. Voyageur brewing is a new northern brewpub with a food menu that will help you fe-fuel and get back on the trail. You can keep your bike close at Voyageur with their ample outdoor patio.
• World’s Best Donuts is a must-eat anytime. Act like a local and purchase at the outdoor window, then take your four food groups (fat, sugar, salt, carbs) to the nearby beach. They start serving at 6:30am until they run out (typically around 2pm).
• The route passes through the Lutsen ski resort but note that the restaurant at Lutsen burned in 2023 and is in the process of rebuilding.
• Fika coffee is a short detour north of Lutsen ski hill on 61. They roast their own beans using a special (and rare) convection roaster and it’s worth it if you need (or just love) the caffeine.
• Potable water is available throughout the route, primarily at developed USFS campgrounds but also the Trestle Inn and Sawbill Outfitters. Check with the USFS for any outages.
• Plan to bring some form of water treatment at least as a back-up. With so much potable water on the route, a few chlorine or iodine tablets should be all you need.

The standard flow of this route starts at the Superior Hiking Trail parking lot just north of Temperance River State Park. Enjoy a meal at the Trestle Inn, then camp at one of the many options depending on how far you want to go/early you start. Day two begins with a ride to Sawbill Outfitters and a paddle in the BWCA. Day three has you riding over to Devil Track Lake or Lake Kimball. Day four includes a refresh and refuel in Grand Marais, before rolling back to the starting point.

The 2.0 version of this route starts with an exploration of the abandoned Cramer railroad tunnel – the longest in Minnesota. It also adds the Section 29 Lake road along the west – a beautiful passage through the July 4th, 1999 storm blowdown regrowth, on a path that starts as a gravel road and nicely devolves to wide single-track.

The northern portion of the route now travels on ‘The Grade’ – a more reliable passage than the prone-to-flooding roads near Lake Clara – incorporating Crescent Lake and the Eagle Mountain trailhead.

Route Alternates

This route is highly customizable – including shortening of the route or adding singletrack — you may want to shift or expand your ride in one of the following ways:

• Continue past the Divide Lake camp to explore more of the double-track of the Isabella ranger district. Some of the best forest tracks in the arrowhead.
• Add a night in the 348/347 forest road loop. These are narrow double-track forest roads long considered a worthy mountain-bike ride by themselves. With ample distributed and established camping at the various lakes internal to this loop.
• Add 56 miles through the Arrowhead’s remote eastern tip, around Greenwood Lake, and down the Arrowhead Trail for some of the best fall colors. Re-join the route northeast of Grand Marais. See this RidewithGPS route.
• Shorten the route in any of the following ways – Skip the western section and stay at Silver Lake or Hogback campground after the Trestle Inn via 7; skip Sawbill and the BWCA; Skip Grand Marais and come down 158 / 45 to rejoin at Pike Lake; head directly to Grand Marais after Devil Track, or ride the Gitchi-Gami and 61’s wide shoulder from Grand Marais to Tofte if you need a bail-out option.
• Singletrack! – Ride the new Singletrack High Climber and Jackpot trails from Lutsen to Tofte. If you find this challenging, you can always retreat to the shore on the Onion River Road halfway through. These are flowy trails with some climbing and minor rock gardens, but not littered with technical features and drops. Bonus – riding the standard route direction from Lutsen to Tofte is the more downhill direction.

The region can be prone to flooding and fires, so it’s always a good idea to check on local road conditions with the USFS Tofte Ranger Station. Also note that through 2024 the entire region is experiencing additional logging truck traffic in an effort to improve fire resilience.

Swimming

There is a lot to see and do, but don’t miss two swimming options not easily visible from the route. The Temperance River swimming hole is just north of 61 on Temperance River Road, noted by a grass parking lot on the road’s east side. Walk your bikes a few yards into the woods and you’ll hear the water, and the delighted yelps of leaping swimmers. The Cascade River has a large waterfall along 45. Access to the water is on the east side of the large, new bridge over the river. As the route climbs past the river on 45, be sure to walk a few yards down the Superior Hiking Trail for a stunning view of the waterfall.

Canoeing

Additional details should you embark on the optional but highly recommended Boundary Waters day trip: Day use permits do not require a reservation and are free. You will still need to fill out a form, drop in the permit box, and bring the form stub along with you as you canoe. Canoes can be rented at Sawbill outfitters. You may reserve ahead, but they typically always have a supply of their Royalex canoes. They are willing to store bicycles in their gear garage for safe keeping and report great experiences serving straddle and paddlers.

The Kelso loop is easy to follow, though you should purchase a Boundary Waters map covering the loop at the outfitters. The portages are extremely short and flat and in each case, the canoe can simply be carried by two people if you would rather not hoist it on your shoulders. The loop goes up Sawbill lake, into Kelso Bay on the left side of Sawbill, and then you cross a short (three canoe length) portage into the Kelso River. Follow that around an L-shaped bend, and as you round the point into Lake Kelso, you turn from North to South into the Lake. At the southern end of Lake Kelso you will find a ten canoe length portage into Alton Lake. You head South on Alton lake, crossing to its eastern shore midway down the lake to the final short portage back to Sawbill. From there, it’s a quick paddle back to the landing at Sawbill Outfitters.

Fishing

Fishing licenses are available at the Holiday gas station near the start of the route in Tofte.  Sawbill lake has a fishing pier, and there are a few trout streams along the route. Some shoreline fishing is possible at other lakes, and the short Boundary Waters loop offers its best fishing on Alton and Kelso lake.

Additional Resources

• US Forest Service – Superior National Forest Map: Link
• US Forest Service – Superior National Forest information: Link
• Sawtooth Outfitters – bike rentals, supplies, and repair on route: Link
• Sawbill Outfitters – canoe rental: Link
• Spoken Gear bike shop including bikepacking rental: Link
• Gitchi-Gami Lake Superior paved bike path: Link
• Minnesota DNR – Fishing license information: Link
• Bikepacking the Arrowhead post by photographer and bikepacking.com route contributor Scott Haroldson – LINK