Superior Hiking Trail (Jay Cooke and southern section)
About Superior Hiking Trail (Jay Cooke and southern section)
The southern reach of the Superior Hiking Trail runs through Jay Cooke State Park in Thomson Township, following the St. Louis River gorge before turning north toward Duluth and the North Shore ridge line.
It is the least-walked and, for a lot of hikers, the most surprising part of the trail. The gorge country here is steep, rocky, and dramatic in a completely different way from the lake-facing sections up the shore, and the traffic is a fraction of what Gooseberry and Split Rock see.
For households in Esko, Cloquet, Carlton, and Thomson, the practical point is that one of the best long-distance footpaths in the United States starts a few miles from the driveway. Backcountry campsites are available along the route under the Superior Hiking Trail Association's system.
Good to know: St. Louis River gorge, ridge walking, backcountry campsites, connection north toward Duluth and the North Shore.
Neighborhoods it serves
The school district people move for, on an old farm settlement 20 minutes from Duluth.
CloquetThe mill town that burned down in 1918 and rebuilt itself, twenty minutes from Duluth.
CarltonThe county seat at the gates of Jay Cooke, where the Munger Trail meets the gorge.
ProctorThe railroad town on the hill: small district, small prices, and the Munger Trail out the back.
Fond du LacThe oldest community in Duluth, 14 miles from downtown, at the bottom of the lake.
Where these facts come from
- Superior Hiking Trail Association accessed 2026-08-13
Last reviewed 2026-08-13 by Guide editorial.