Minnesota

Border Route Trail

65 mi long · in Minnesota

Border Route Trail is a 65-mile hiking trail in Minnesota. This page summarises what we have from public sources (OpenStreetMap and trail-association data); always verify current conditions and trail status with the maintaining organisation before heading out.

States: Minnesota
Length: 65 mi
Network: Regional (rwn)
Reference: BRT
Centroid coords: 48.0449°, -90.3799°
OSM relation: 5996078

From Wikipedia: The Border Route Trail is a 65-mile (105 km) long hiking trail that crosses the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in the far northeast corner of Minnesota (Arrowhead) and follows the international border between Minnesota and Ontario, Canada. It connects with the Superior Hiking Trail on its eastern terminus and with the Kekekabic Trail on its western end at the Gunflint Trail. In addition to the eastern and western termini, the Border Route Trail can be accessed through several spur and connecting trails, allowing for hiking trips ranging from short day-hikes to multiday backpacking expeditions. It is known for its dramatic topography, rugged nature, and outstanding vistas. Many of the vistas overlook the US - Canada border chain of lakes, also known as the Voyageur highway. Excerpt from the Wikipedia article on Border Route Trail, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Border Route Trail and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.

Other trails within 50 miles

6 nearby

Minnesota · 41 mi

Kekekabic Trail

35 miles from this trail's centroid

Minnesota · 30 mi

Snowbank and Old Pines Loop

46 miles from this trail's centroid

Minnesota

C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Trail

46 miles from this trail's centroid

Minnesota · 24 mi

Snowbank and Disappointment Lakes Loop

47 miles from this trail's centroid

Minnesota · 28 mi

Snowbank Trail

48 miles from this trail's centroid

Minnesota · 30 mi

Powwow Trail

49 miles from this trail's centroid

Sources

Public data + curation

Trail data on this page is compiled from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), the maintaining organisation's public-facing materials, and Wikipedia (CC BY-SA where excerpts are quoted). Distance, terminus, and descriptive text for nationally-designated trails are hand-curated from federal land-manager websites and trail-association sources. We do not modify the underlying data; this page presents what is already publicly recorded. To suggest corrections, see our methodology page.