Split Rock River Loop

The Split Rock River Loop is among the most demanding and rewarding day hikes on the Minnesota North Shore, combining a dramatic river gorge, multiple stream crossings, and elevated ridge views into a strenuous circuit that showcases the rugged interior terrain of Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. The loop departs from the Split Rock River wayside on US-61 and immediately enters the Split Rock River gorge, a deep canyon cut through Precambrian anorthosite — a pale gray igneous rock related to the anorthosite of the Adirondacks — whose massive smooth faces are as distinctive as the dark basalt cliffs elsewhere on the Shore. The river itself must be forded three times during the loop, with stepping stones available in normal water conditions but dangerous or impassable during spring flooding or after heavy rain. The crossings add an adventurous character to the hike that keeps the trail less crowded than comparable routes. After the gorge section the trail climbs steeply to the inland ridge through Superior Hiking Trail territory, reaching a viewpoint above the river canyon with Lake Superior visible in the distance. The ridge section traverses a boreal forest of black spruce and tamarack before descending to rejoin the river near its Lake Superior mouth, where a cobblestone estuary beach provides a dramatic final scene of the river meeting the open lake.