Hitchin' the Superior Trail

[McPick]

Hi ya, hikers.

Do any of you have any experience hitchhiking along Hwy 61 to access various sections of the Superior Trail? (I've seen the shuttle info.)

I'm more interested in the northern half.

How about budget motel recommendations? (mid-May)

Thanks,

Rick

See ya!

[The Solemates]

We stayed at the Harbor Inn Motel in Grand Marais and it was relatively inexpensive, and had excellent views (the hotel is right on the lake). I want to say we paid $45 for a weekend night in May. But they were making MAJOR renovations to the hotel when we stayed there and I just checked their website and rates have almost doubled due to this.

As far as hitching, there is plenty of traffic on 61 and I wouldn't think you would have too much trouble, but of course I would always keep the shuttle number with me just in case.

[Dogwood]

Yeah, I've hitched Hwy 61 in Minnesota from Diluth to near Thunder Bay Canada to get the ferry/boat shuttle over to Isle Royal NP. I was originally planning on thru-hiking the Superior Trail but when I found out the waterfalls along the trail, which can be a scenic noteworthy experience on this hike, were either dry or barely flowing, I decided to hike IRNP instead. A good flow of trucks on this highway because it is used by truckers going into Canada and the U.S. It has wide shoulders for folks to pull over. I got 3 separate rides to get me to my destination. Two were from international truckers. LOL. One trucker was from Cuba with, get this, 16 children, 13 from one wife! Busy man! We stopped for lunch at his insistence and he would not let me pay for my own lunch. The other trucker was an Abernacki Indian hauling liquid tar/asphalt in a tanker truck. When I asked what he was hauling he said "it's tar, can't you feel it sloshing around in the back?" I said "no, not really." Then he locked up the truck brakes so I could feel the wt of all that hot liquid tar propelling and chattering the truck forward despite the brakes! Kinda crazzy but funny at the same time! After I crapped my shorts even I was laughing! I like Minnesota and Minnesotans. They don't do a lot of complaining, especially about the weather, which is what I find nearly everyone else questioning when they get there. Lots of open undeveloped land. I find Minnesotans are friendly people who will help you if you present yourself correctly and ONCE YOU BREAK THE ICE(if you can present your desire for a ride face to face you will often have better success than standing along the side of the road with your thumb out, in this area of the country this might be even more critical to obtaining rides easier and faster). You will probably notice the Scandinavian influence in the area. I got two of my rides by asking folks at either truck stops or gas stations. Never had to wait more than 20 mins for a ride.

I suggest you read more of the Proper Way To Hitch A Ride thread to see how I and some others are able to obtain rides more easily.

[McPick]

Still carrying my twin?? Your green Osprey Aether 75 that was the BEST friggin' pack deal in '06 from Campmor, NJ?? I am!

PM on its way soon.

Great stories. Thanks for the info.

Rick

See ya!

[Tilly]

I'm late to this hitching thread but I figure I would pitch in my 2 c.

Mid may on the North Shore is actually their 'off season' so hotel rates should be more reasonable. But there are, as far as I know, no hostels, so you will still probably be paying in the 50-60 D range.

Grand Marais has a lot of nice places to stay, restaurants to go to, and 2 groceries to resupply in. It a very nice town.

Hitching, in my experience, is a mixed bag. I've been up there twice, Oct of '05 and May of '07, and when I hitched, sometimes I'd get a ride right away, and sometimes it would take an hour or 2, or several rides (once I had to hitch from Tettagouche SP to Grand Marais which is over 70 or so miles.) When actually getting to trailheads to start my hike, I always got a shuttle.

The northern terminous is extremely extremely extremely remote.

The SHT is a wonderful trail, the North Shore is a wonderful place, and I wish you the best of luck.

Tilly

[IceAge]

After I finished my hike of the southern half of the SHT in 2008, I picked up a couple of hitchers going to Duluth. They were laughing at me for driving only 40mph, but after a week in the woods that seemed really fast!

[DawnTreader]

The sunset motel in Munising is absolutely beautiful.. and relatively inexpensive..

[dpnoll]

Try the Outpost motel north of Grand Marais.