Hogback Lupus Loop
- 7.2 mi
- round trip
- 839 ft
- climb
- 1,887 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- May, Jul–Sep
- best months
Hogback Lupus Loop is a 7.2-mile out-and-back hike in the Tofte Ranger District of Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota, managed by the Forest Service. The trail rises from about 1,790 feet to a high point of 1,887 feet, with the steepest stretch at about 2.7 miles in, where the grade reaches 9 percent. The route is rated hard, and the surface is natural, so plan on a steady climb over a long distance. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Wolf Ridge put July highs around 76°F with lows near 54°F, and the station sits roughly 487 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures on the loop run cooler. The trail starts right next to Hogback Lake Rustic Campground, about 0.1 mile away, and the Hogback Scarp Loop lies about 0.3 mile off. Harriet Lake Rustic Campground is about 1.3 miles away, and the Plum Lake hike is about 2.4 miles away.
Best time to go · May, Jul–Sep
Best time to visit Hogback Lupus Loop
Best months: May and July–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.
Jan
19° / 1°
10 wet
Feb
24° / 3°
8 wet
Mar
35° / 15°
9 wet
Apr
46° / 28°
9 wet
May
59° / 40°
12 wet
Jun
70° / 49°
13 wet
Jul
76° / 54°
12 wet
Aug
74° / 53°
12 wet
Sep
65° / 46°
12 wet
Oct
51° / 34°
11 wet
Nov
36° / 21°
10 wet
Dec
24° / 9°
10 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Wolf Ridge Elc, MN, 14 mi away at 1,400 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.
Closures we've recorded since August 2026
Forest-wide Fire Restrictions
Superior National Forest · Order dated July 12, 2026; seen Aug 23, 2026 → lifted Aug 25, 2026 · Forest Service
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