The Superior Hiking Trail at 40

Guests:

• Lisa Luokkala, Executive Director, Superior Hiking Trail Association
• John Storkamp, Trail runner, race Director/owner of Rocksteady Running and volunteer crew leader on the SHT since 1995

Episode Summary

The Superior Hiking Trail — 300 miles of ridgeline bluffs, river valleys, eight state parks, and some of the most dramatic views of Lake Superior on the planet — turns 40 this year. In this episode, host Randolph Briley talks with Lisa and John about how the trail came to be, what keeps it running, and what the next 40 years will require.

What We Cover

• Origins of the SHT: The idea predates the 1986 founding of the Association, surfacing in federal and state recreation plans as early as the late 1960s. A U.S. Forest Service planner named Lee Shah wrote what became an early blueprint for the trail — and crucially, called for an association to manage it rather than a single entity.
• Land and stakeholder complexity: Unlike the Appalachian Trail, the SHT was built without eminent domain. The Association manages relationships with more than 200 private landowners, in addition to federal, state, and county land — requiring constant communication, flexible agreements, and active relationship maintenance.
• Volunteers and the social contract: More than 600 volunteers contribute 10,000+ hours annually. The trail ran on 100% volunteer labor for years before paid staff were brought on. John describes how falling in love with the trail naturally leads people to want to give back — and how that goodwill extends well beyond the super users.
• Usage data: In 2023, the Association undertook its first-ever master plan and deployed trail counters in partnership with University of Minnesota researcher Dr. Greg Lindsay. Current estimate: approximately 400,000 user visits between May and October annually.
• Economic impact: No statistically valid economic impact study yet exists, but one is planned for 2027. Anecdotally, John's trail races regularly draw participants from 25 to nearly all 50 states, and people routinely cite the trail as a factor in relocating to Duluth or the North Shore.
• What makes it second best (and maybe first): Access — running parallel to the North Shore Scenic Byway, with 60+ trailheads — combined with genuinely challenging, rewarding terrain. The pattern of climbing 300-400 feet to panoramic bluff views, then descending into river gorges, repeats across the full length of the trail. The #1 ranked trail in that Backpacker poll: the Wonderland Trail at Mount Rainier (93 miles).
• 40th anniversary activations:
  • Hike 40 Challenge — Log 40 miles on the trail at any point in 2025; earn a commemorative patch.
  • June 6 Birthday Hike (National Trails Day) — A community-wide effort to have every section of the SHT hiked on the same day, capped by birthday parties at four locations: Voyageur Brewing (Grand Marais), Bluefin Bay Resort (Tofte), Castle Danger Brewery (Two Harbors), and Ursa Minor Brewing (Duluth). Free and all ages. Trail legends, including the first-ever SHT through-hiker, will be in attendance.
• What the trail needs most: Membership and financial support to sustain the fee-free model; volunteer labor; and long-term land protection strategies including permanent easements, possible land acquisition, and preservation of the scenic viewshed — not just the trail corridor itself.

Links and Resources

• Superior Hiking Trail Association: superiorrhiking.org
• Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music

Credits: 
Producers: Randolph Briley & Cody Nelson 
Hosts: Sarah Strommen and Lauren Bennett McGinty
Original Music by Andrew Haaheim and Alsever Lake