The Last 100 of the SHT with Paul Hlina

Paul Hlina was the first thru-hiker of the Superior Hiking Trail. He traversed the then-existing 200 miles of trail between Two Harbors and Grand Marais. His journey helped bring awareness to the newly created Superior Hiking Trail.

Paul is an incomplete paraplegic with impairment below the waist due to a spinal cord injury in 1979. He feels it is important for everyone to be able to access the outdoors no matter their ability. He raised funds during his thru-hike for a scholarship at Wilderness Inquiry to support the participation of individuals with disabilities in outdoor adventure programming.

Today, the SHT is 300 miles long and is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. As part of this celebration, Paul is hiking again. Over the next three years Paul will hike “The Last 100.” Starting on his 70th Birthday this fall, he intends to cover the last 100 miles of the SHT, from the Southern Terminus to Burlington Park in Two Harbors where his 1995 hike started.

The 2026 planned hikes are listed below. The launch hike is just for friends and family, but Paul would like to invite any SHT members to join him for the following hikes in September:

• Saturday, September 5 at 9:00 am in Duluth hiking from 123rd Avenue W. Trailhead (Mile 19) to Magney- Snively Park (Mile 23).
• Friday, September 11 at 9:00 am in Superior (County Road w) hiking from North Country Trail to SHT Mile Post 2 (Wild Valley Road Trailhead).
• Wednesday, September 30 at 9:00 am in Jay Cooke and West Duluth hiking from Grand Portage Trailhead (Mile 14) to spur trail to 131st Avenue West (Mile 17).