Ole's Loop
- 7.7 mi
- loop
- 783 ft
- climb
- 1,696 ft
- high point
- Loop
- route
- Aug–Sep
- best months
Is OLE'S LOOP open right now?
Closure in the area
There's a closure order in Superior National Forest. It doesn't name OLE'S LOOP, so check the source for the area it covers.
Post Wildfire Closures, Effective October 1, 2026
Agency closure covering Superior National Forest · Order 09-09-00-26-11 · USFS · Superior National Forest
Forest Road Improvement Projects
Agency alert covering Superior National Forest · USFS · Superior National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · Superior National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Ole's Loop is a 7.7-mile loop hike in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, within the Kawishiwi Ranger District of Superior National Forest and Burntside State Forest. The State Department of Natural Resources manages the land, and the route rises from about 1,617 feet to a high point of 1,696 feet, with a total elevation gain of 783 feet. The climb is steady, and the steepest stretch comes at about 5.9 miles, where the grade reaches 9 percent. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Ely show July highs around 79°F with lows near 53°F, while winter highs stay in the teens and 20s. The trip takes about three hours. The loop starts and ends at the same point, so plan for a full day on foot. The surrounding area offers more to do. Repose and Coxey Pond Loop, both cross-country ski routes, sit about 0.6 miles away, and Lost Lake North is about 0.8 miles off. Paddlers can reach the Circle Route, about 6 miles away.
Local outfitters
Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.
- ReposeCross-country skiing0.6 mi
- Coxey Pond LoopCross-country skiing0.6 mi
- North Star RunCross-country skiing0.8 mi
- Lost Lake NorthHiking0.8 mi
- Thor's TrailCross-country skiing1 mi
Fenske Lake CampgroundPier fishingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain4.8 mi- Science BoulderRock climbing5.5 mi
- Circle RouteCanoeing6.2 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
NORTH JUNCTION-SOUTH LOOPHiking · ~7 min drivePhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Hug a TreeHiking · ~2 min drive
- Troll's WayHiking · ~3 min drive
Fenske CampgroundHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Coxey PondHiking · ~2 min drive
- NORTH ARM TRAILHiking · ~3 min drive
Everett-FenskiHiking · ~9 min drivePhoto: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- SLIM LAKE LOOPHiking · ~3 min drive
- Big Rice-HookHiking · ~4 min drive
Cummings-BuckHiking · ~10 min drivePhoto: daakrolb@hotmail.com, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit OLE'S LOOP
Best months: August–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
15° / -7°
11 wet
Feb
23° / -5°
9 wet
Mar
36° / 10°
9 wet
Apr
51° / 25°
10 wet
May
65° / 38°
13 wet
Jun
75° / 49°
14 wet
Jul
79° / 53°
13 wet
Aug
78° / 52°
12 wet
Sep
68° / 44°
12 wet
Oct
52° / 32°
14 wet
Nov
34° / 19°
11 wet
Dec
21° / 3°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Ely, MN, 8.7 mi away at 1,382 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