Superior Hiking Trail - History

History

Construction of the Superior Hiking Trail began in the mid-1980s in Duluth MN and it now extends 275 miles (442 Km) to the Canadian border. Inspiration for building the trail came from the Appalachian Trail, which extends from Georgia to Maine. The Superior Hiking Trail Association (SHTA) was formed in 1986 to manage the construction, planning, and day-to-day care of the trail. The SHTA received several grants from the State of Minnesota, three of which were from the Legislative Commission on Minnesota Resources. This money helped jump start the construction of the trail and funded construction for the first few years. In 1987, the trail had an opening ceremony at Britton Peak to celebrate the beginning of construction. The ceremony included a log-cutting event and many state government officials and SHTA founders attended. Three years later, in August 1990, the trail had reached a half-way mark and another celebration was held. That celebration included a 140-mile (225 Km) hike for about a dozen brave hikers who completed it in 12 days. Since 1991, a 100 mile (161 Km) marathon known as the "Superior 100", along with several other races, has been hosted annually on the Superior Hiking Trail. In 1995, Paul Hlina, who was paralyzed from the waist down, hiked the entire trail on crutches and is now known as the first hiker to thru-hike the trail. He raised $16,000 in pledges for the Superior Hiking Trail Association, the non-profit organization which maintains the trail. The trail has gained national recognition from articles in several magazines and there are plans to lengthen the trail.