Old Pines Loop

Old Pines Loop is a 16.6-mile out-and-back hike in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, within the Kawishiwi Ranger District of Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota. The trail is managed by the Forest Service and runs entirely on natural surface, with no designated route for bikes or horses. The loop climbs from a starting elevation of about 1,580 feet to a high point of 1,739 feet, with a total gain of 1,521 feet over the course of the trip. The steepest stretch comes at about 3.6 miles in, where the grade reaches 15 percent. The route is rated hard, and the round trip takes about 6.5 hours. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ely show July highs around 77°F with lows near 55°F, while winter highs stay in the teens and 20s. The Snowbank and Disappointment Lakes Loop lies just 0.1 mile away, and the Benezie-Becoosin Loop is about 2 miles off. Paddlers can reach the Knife River, roughly 7 miles away, and the Kawishiwi River is about 7 miles out.