Old Pines Loop
Old Pines Loop is an 8.3-mile trail in Superior National Forest, Minnesota. The Forest Service rates it trail class 2, moderately developed. It is open to hiking. It enters Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
Trail conditions, closures and hazards are not tracked here. The Superior National Forest official page carries current alerts and closure orders.
Map
One end Other endLine simplified to about 100 metres. Basemap from the USGS National Map.
| One end | 47.9762° N, 91.3367° W · Directions ↗ |
| Other end | 47.9795° N, 91.3033° W · Directions ↗ |
The ends are the two ends of the longest connected chain of segments. The record does not say which is the usual start.
The trail
| Length | 8.3 miles |
| Trail class | 2, moderately developed |
| Type | land trail |
| Surface | native material |
| Typical grade | 0-5 percent |
| Typical tread width | 18-24 inches |
| Motor vehicles | Closed to all motorized use year-round |
| Accessibility | Not evaluated |
| Trail numbers | 51237 |
| Forest | Superior National Forest (unit 0909) |
| States | Minnesota |
| Detail published | management level, with uses |
Values are the set across all segments. Class 1 is minimally developed and class 5 is fully developed. Grade and width are the forest's typical values, not measured extremes.
Weather by month
Allowed uses
| Hiking | Allowed year-round |
A use is listed when the Forest Service records it as managed, accepted or discouraged on any segment. Discouraged still means legal. Uses marked restricted are left out. Where the forest publishes a Motor Vehicle Use Map, that map governs motorized use.
Wilderness
- Boundary Waters Canoe Area WildernessFS · the whole line is insideWilderness Connect ↗
Inside a designated wilderness, bicycles and motor vehicles are prohibited by law regardless of the trail record, and permits or group limits may apply.
Trailheads
The Forest Service recreation layer records no trailhead within a third of a mile of this trail's line. Many trails start from a road pullout or another trail with no trailhead record. The forest's recreation pages list the trailheads it does publish.
Trails nearby
Camping nearby
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. Dispersed camping is allowed on most National Forest land outside posted closures. The forest office has the current rules.
Fire nearby
- PrescribedHalfway Piles Rx
24 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedKaw Office Piles Rx
26 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedHunch Creek Piles Rx
30 mi from the trail midpoint
- PrescribedCaribou Rock Piles Rx
39 mi from the trail midpoint
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Closure orders are on the forest's official page.
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Reference
Questions people ask
How long is the Old Pines Loop?
The Forest Service records 8.3 miles under this name in Superior National Forest, the sum of 1 segment.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
What is allowed on the Old Pines Loop?
Hiking is allowed. The trail is closed to motor vehicles year-round.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Where does the Old Pines Loop start?
The line begins at 47.9762° N, 91.3367° W and ends at 47.9795° N, 91.3033° W. No Forest Service trailhead is recorded within a third of a mile of it. The record does not say which end is the usual start.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Is the Old Pines Loop in a wilderness area?
Yes. It enters Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Wilderness rules ban bicycles and motor vehicles and often limit group size.
Where can I camp near the Old Pines Loop?
No federal campground is recorded within five miles of the trail. The camping section covers dispersed camping, which most National Forest land allows.
How developed is the Old Pines Loop?
Trail class 2, which the Forest Service describes as moderately developed. Class 1 is a minimal, unimproved route and class 5 is fully developed, often paved.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
How steep and how wide is the Old Pines Loop?
The typical grade is 0-5 percent. The typical tread is 18-24 inches wide.
Source: Forest Service trail layer
Who manages the Old Pines Loop?
Superior National Forest, Forest Service unit 0909. The trail is in Minnesota.
Is there a fire near the Old Pines Loop?
The interagency feed shows 4 active incidents within 50 miles of the trail midpoint as of 2026-11-01, the nearest Halfway Piles Rx at 24 miles. Check the forest's closure orders before you go.
Source: Fire nearby
Source
This page is built from 1 segment named Old Pines Loop in the Forest Service TrailNFS_Publish layer, administrative unit 0909. Wilderness overlap is tested against the National Wilderness Preservation System layer from Wilderness Connect. Trailheads and Forest Service campgrounds come from the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer. Data refreshed November 1, 2026. The methodology page explains how segments become trails.