Superior National Forest Forest Road 133 Devil Track River Loop

Forest Road 133 winds through some of the most remote country in Minnesota’s Superior National Forest, following the Devil Track River upstream from Grand Portage Bay. The route passes through dense boreal forest before opening into the Boundary Waters wilderness fringe, with the notorious Devil Track Falls requiring careful navigation around exposed granite ledges. Multiple river crossings test both driver skill and vehicle clearance, while the old logging grades climb through stands of birch and aspen toward the Canadian border.

This is legitimate technical territory requiring high clearance and 4WD low range for the river fords and granite outcrops. Best tackled May through September when water levels drop, though black flies will remind you why the old loggers called this devil’s country. No permits required, but fuel up in Grand Portage — cell service disappears after the first crossing. The payoff is pristine wilderness camping and some of the best brook trout water in the North Shore region.