Most people pull into the parking lot at the end of Onion River Road and walk straight to the Oberg Mountain trailhead. It's right there, it's well-signed, and everyone online has told them it's great. They're not wrong. But if you cross to the far end of that same parking lot, you'll find the start of a hike that we think is even better, and almost always quieter.
LeVeaux Mountain is about 4.7 miles northeast of Tofte on Highway 61. Turn left onto Onion River Road and follow the gravel about 2.1 miles to the lot. No cell coverage up there, so pull up a map before you leave. There's an outhouse at the trailhead, which you will appreciate.
The loop is 3.3 miles with around 500 feet of climbing. It's listed as moderate, and that feels about right for most of the trail. The switchbacks near the top are a different story. They're steep and some sections have exposed drop-offs with no guardrails. Nothing technical, but worth knowing if you're bringing kids or anyone who doesn't love heights.
The Forest
The first stretch of the trail crosses the Onion River and winds through boreal forest, spruce and pine and balsam, with a boardwalk section that cuts through the darker, wetter understory. It's shaded and cool and genuinely pretty. The kind of forest walking where you're not really thinking about the destination, you're just in it.
Higher up, the trees shift to maple and birch. In fall this section is something else entirely. The color on the descent back through that forest, with Lake Superior visible through the gaps below you, is one of those things that's hard to describe without sounding like you're overselling it. You're not.
The Views
The trail branches into two loops at the top. The second loop has the views you came for. Lake Superior from up there looks almost impossibly large. On a clear day you can see Carlton Peak to the southwest and the ridgeline of the Sawtooth Range rolling north. It's the kind of overlook where people tend to stop talking for a few minutes.
We've hiked this trail in summer and fall and both are worth it for different reasons. Fall is obviously spectacular for the color, but summer has a lushness to the forest that's its own reward, and you're more likely to have the overlooks to yourself.
Do Both
Since you're already parked there, it's worth doing Oberg too. The two trails together make for a full morning. LeVeaux first while your legs are fresh, then Oberg for a different perspective on the same landscape. Oberg has views looking down at Oberg Lake that LeVeaux doesn't, so they genuinely complement each other.
The basics
- 3.3 miles, loop
- About 500 feet of elevation gain
- Moderate, with steeper switchbacks near the summit
- Trailhead at the end of Onion River Road (Forest Road 336), 4.7 miles northeast of Tofte on Hwy 61
- Shared parking with Oberg Mountain, free, outhouse on site
- No cell service, download your map ahead of time
- Part of the Superior Hiking Trail, with backcountry campsites if you want to make a longer trip of it
- Good year-round, snowshoe-accessible in winter
The trailhead is 4.7 miles from Overlook Hus. Early start, back before noon, coffee on the deck. We keep trail maps at the house and are happy to share what we know about current conditions.