(Editor’s Word: Primarily based out of Duluth, Minnesota, Take care Solberg is a path runner and Nordic skier who likes to discover new trails and acquainted ones alike. After 4 years on Michigan Tech’s Nordic Ski Group, he’s hoping to proceed coaching with some extra path operating and racing.)
Vacation spot? Positive. Grime? Completely. Situated squarely within the U.S. Midwest, it might be apparent that Duluth, Minnesota, doesn’t have mountains, however what it does have is high quality trails simply accessible from a bigger city space. Situated on the far southwestern tip of Lake Superior and on the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin, what Duluth lacks in alpine terrain, it greater than makes up for with accessibility, character, and group. After path operating in loads of areas throughout the U.S., Duluth stays close to the highest of my record as a metropolis with nice path operating prospects.
The Duluth Traverse path overlooking Duluth’s carry bridge into Lake Superior and Park Level. Photograph: Tryg Solberg
Duluth — the westernmost port metropolis with delivery entry to the Atlantic Ocean and a inhabitants of about 86,700 folks — has extremely accessible trails within the coronary heart of town. Greater than 150 miles of dust trails crisscross the city space, and considerable lakes and streams all through supply a novel expertise in a pretty big inhabitants middle. Maybe what makes Duluth distinctive amongst different cities is its location on Lake Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake by floor space. The town largely hugs the southeast to northwest trending shore, and the lake’s blue and gray hues peek out from the vistas that sit atop Duluth’s 1.1-billion-year-old bedrock hillsides.
The town covers 80 sq. miles and has 12,000 acres of parks distributed amongst the sprawl. These parks benefit from topography, difficult the stereotype of the Midwest being flat. The hillsides bordering a lot of town on the northwest climb 400 to 600 ft above the water. The town and native path non-profits have prioritized path accessibility — creating areas with a excessive density of trails inside native parks, and connecting totally different parks with paths, as properly. Such is the geography of the lengthy and slim metropolis that almost each neighborhood in Duluth lies inside a half-mile of singletrack.
The Duluth Traverse’s “Westchester” part simply west of Chester Park. Photograph: Tryg Solberg
The world is residence to a powerful group of path runners of all talents who collect at path races and informal runs alike. A good-knit weeknight race sequence brings runners collectively commonly throughout the city-operated parks. Organizations similar to Duluth Working Firm, Northern Minnesota Observe Membership, and Journey Working Firm host races on the roads and trails within the space.
From the skin, Duluth might not appear to be a path operating vacation spot, however its distinctive geography, hills, and operating group be sure that high quality trails and paths are simply accessible to runners of all kinds.
Straightforward Path Runs
Hartley Park
Duluth is an ideal spot to get out for a fast run earlier than or after work. The accessibility of the paths actually turns into obvious whenever you solely have 30 or 60 minutes door-to-door. The paths within the metropolis parks are a wonderful choice, and Hartley Park is pretty centrally situated on the town, with quite a lot of trails starting from completely flat to tough, like Rock Knob. Hartley Park, which was previously a farm, gives 10 miles of multi-use dust trails inside its 640 acres. There are 4 predominant trailheads on the park’s totally different sides, and the paths create an online of choices for exploration. It’s simple to create runs of any size within the community of trails. The world caters to runners, hikers, and mountain bikers through the non-snowy months and supplies cross-country snowboarding alternatives within the winter. The Hartley Nature Middle, a non-profit environmental group, gives academic and leisure packages within the space.
Hartley Park Instructed Route – 3.0 miles (Strava)
A competitor in Northern Minnesota Observe Membership race sequence operating via golden hour in Hartley Park. Photograph: Tryg Solberg
Chester Park
Chester Park, situated within the metropolis’s East Hillside space, is one other central choice that gives some quick routes with difficult terrain. The two.5-mile Chester Park Loop goes up one facet of the creek and again down the opposite, and there are different trails round with a little bit of elevation achieve. Each the Duluth Traverse and the Superior Mountain climbing Path mentioned beneath undergo this park. Within the winter, the park is residence to groomed cross-country snowboarding trails.
Chester Park Instructed Route – 3.9 miles (Strava)
Reasonable Path Runs
Spirit Mountain Recreation Space
The Spirit Mountain Recreation Space on the west facet of city is a ski space within the winter and generally is a start line for a number of one- to two-hour path runs with some vertical in the summertime. Whereas a lot of the mountain is roofed in mountain bike trails, the Superior Mountain climbing Path’s Spirit Mountain Loop path is simple so as to add onto longer runs via the neighboring path techniques.
Spirit Mountain Instructed Route – 7.4 miles (Strava)
Racers within the Wild Duluth Races coming via Spirit Mountain Recreation Space on the Superior Mountain climbing Path. Photograph: Tryg Solberg
Lester Park
Lester Park, situated on the northeast facet of city, is right if you end up with one to 2 hours to run. There are a number of trailheads that supply entry to trails that may fulfill any of your coaching wants. There are a selection of gradual trails that parallel two of Duluth’s 16 designated trout streams — Lester River and Amity Creek — and in the event you’re in search of a bit of extra climbing, head up Hawk Ridge for a panorama of Lake Superior and the Twin Ports area. On the best way again, you’ll in all probability cross by a whole bunch of hen watchers whereas looping again into the park.
Lester Park Instructed Route – 9.2 miles (Strava)
The view of Lake Superior from Hawk Ridge close to Lester Park. Photograph: Tyler Kobilarcsik
Superior Path Runs
Duluth Traverse
The Duluth Traverse is a 40-mile multi-use singletrack path that connects Lester Park on the northeast facet of city to Mission Creek Park on the southwest facet. Taking this path on could possibly be a enjoyable, full-day run. The path is purpose-built for mountain bikes, which makes it fairly flowy with some rocky, technical sections. It’s open to all human-powered customers, each in the summertime and within the winter. Continued efforts by Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores (COGGS) have expanded this path to be a virtually steady strip of singletrack via Duluth, and the hope is to create a 100-mile path system primarily based round it.
Duluth Traverse Route – 38 miles (Strava)
Racing within the Wild Duluth 100k on the Superior Mountain climbing Path. Photograph: Tryg Solberg
Superior Mountain climbing Path
The Superior Mountain climbing Path (SHT) takes hikers, runners, and backpackers 300 miles from the Wisconsin border in Duluth, practically to the Canadian border to the north. The path largely parallels the lakeshore, and 41 miles of it run via Duluth, connecting most of the metropolis’s parks.
Just like the Duluth Traverse’s cross-city route described above — which follows a number of of the identical trails — the SHT takes runners throughout city with a various array of vistas, technical sections, and a portion alongside Duluth’s paved Lakewalk path.
As soon as north of town and within the North Shore space, the SHT gives wonderful path operating choices. The path may be reached from many trailheads and gives some gnarly, lovely sections overlooking the forest and Lake Superior. Extra details about totally different sections of the path may be discovered on the Superior Mountain climbing Path Affiliation web site.
Racing in Duluth
Along with the favored Grandma’s Marathon on the street in June, Duluth has a vibrant and constant path racing scene.
In July, the Northern Minnesota Observe Membership places on each the Eugene Curnow Path Marathon and the 50 Mile Traveler race. The membership additionally hosts a spring and fall path racing sequence. In August, the Summit North Race gives a number of sub-ultra choices. Come October, the Grand Traverse gives a number of 10- to 27-mile path race choices. Throughout peak fall colours in mid-October, the Journey Working Wild Duluth Races supply 50k, 100k, half-marathon, and 10k path races. Additionally they host a winter path operating race sequence.
Jarrow Wahman, an organizer of Northern Minnesota Observe Membership’s Fall Collection, beginning a weeknight race at Hartley Park in Duluth in October 2025. Photograph: Tryg Solberg
The Midwest topography doesn’t supply 60-minute climbs or descents of a number of hundreds of ft. As a substitute, these races primarily use singletrack with punchy climbs that may supply simply as a lot of a problem.
Duluth Fundamentals
Finest Time to Go to Duluth
Early and late summer time are the most effective time for path operating in Duluth. Excessive temperatures in the summertime can hover round 80 levels Fahrenheit (26 levels Celsius), and the center of summer time may be muggy. Since fog created by Lake Superior can create a claustrophobic blanket across the metropolis within the winter and early summer time, August to October supply a number of the most constant good climate.
From November to March, count on snow or chilly temperatures. Singletrack trails that have excessive use may be well-packed within the winter, creating a number of the smoothest and quickest operating situations of the 12 months if you’ll find grip. Count on a mud-season thaw anytime from March till mid-Could.
Working on the Superior Mountain climbing Path close to Spirit Mountain Recreation Space on a foggy Duluth day. Photograph: Henry Campbell
Attending to Duluth
Whereas Duluth doesn’t have its personal main airport, getting there isn’t tough. The Minneapolis-Saint Paul Worldwide Airport is a 2.5-hour drive south of Duluth by way of I-35N and has many flight choices, and Duluth Worldwide Airport gives accessible flights to restricted areas. Like all metropolis, Duluth has an array of inns, rental automotive choices, and different facilities that make it simple to navigate.
Name for Feedback
- What are your favourite operating areas in Duluth?
- Does your metropolis have an awesome city path system?
