Courtesy of Stephanie Pearson
Growing up in Duluth—and spending childhood summers at her family’s property on Lake Vermilion—Stephanie Pearson was at home in the great outdoors. “I came to the woods and the wilderness naturally,” she says. Her family has deep roots in Duluth; her father grew up there, and so did her grandmother, whose parents emigrated to the city from Sweden.
As a young adult, Pearson worked as a guide in the Boundary Waters, and she eventually parlayed her love of the wilderness into a career as a writer for Outside magazine, “which led to traveling all over the world and writing stories for Outside and other publications,” she says. During a two-decade stretch, she lived in beautiful New Mexico, where Outside was based, but moved back to Duluth in 2016.
Just before the COVID-19 pandemic began, Pearson had planned to write a book about international parks for National Geographic Books. “Because the pandemic closed the world down, I instead wrote a book titled ‘100 Great American Parks,’” Pearson says. She learned so much about American history while writing the book and was thrilled when her editor asked for a new project—a follow-up to Kate Siber’s “100 Hikes of a Lifetime.”
Courtesy of Stephanie Pearson
Pearson’s second installment, focused on quintessential American hikes, was born. “100 Hikes of a Lifetime U.S.A.” arrives in bookstores on April 7 and highlights 100 of the most scenic and memorable hikes across the country, from iconic “bucket-list” treks to smaller-scale hidden gems. Each section of the book includes a trail description with details on distance, difficulty, scenery, and tips for planning an excursion—offset by National Geographic’s stunning photography. Pearson did all of the research herself. “The opportunity to hike and camp on the job was a sweet perk as well,” she says.
“100 Hikes of a Lifetime U.S.A.” includes two Minnesota hikes: the Border Route Trail, within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, and the Superior Hiking Trail, which begins in Duluth and winds along the shoreline of Lake Superior to the Canadian border. Pearson has a long history with the Superior Hiking Trail, where her parents would take her and her four siblings hiking on weekends. “This was before the Superior Hiking Trail was officially built,” she says, “so we would hike the steep trails that lined the rivers and crashing waterfalls. At the time, I thought these hikes were so tough, and I was hungry with sore feet most of the time. But in retrospect, I feel so fortunate to have had parents who prioritized spending time outside.”
Although Pearson is a lifelong hiker and outdoorsperson, many folks come to hiking later in their lives. It’s okay to start small, says Pearson. “Not all hikes to have to be to the summit of a Fourteener,” she says. “At least one of the hikes I include in this book is less than two miles … So the focus isn’t on a killer workout.” Her second piece of advice is to be prepared—wear sun protection, bring layers, bring enough food and water, and bring a small first aid kit. And last but not least: “Never, ever break in a new pair of hiking shoes at the beginning of a hiking trip.”
Courtesy of Stephanie Pearson
Although beautiful, rugged northern Minnesota is one of the stars of “100 Hikes,” Pearson has hiked all over the world, and some of her favorite spots are a plane trip away. “I love trekking in the Himalayas under the shadow of the world’s tallest peaks in both Nepal and Bhutan,” she says. “I love hiking in the Dolomites in northern Italy. And I love some of the Great Walks of Tasmania.”
Does she have an absolute favorite place to hike? If pressed, she says it might be Sedona, Arizona. “I’ve been hiking and mountain biking there for the past 30 years, and those red rocks are magical, especially after a snowfall.”
“100 Hikes of a Lifetime U.S.A.” is available April 7. You can find it at Zenith Bookstore in Duluth, plus online.
