I will be coming back to MN early spring of next year permenantly, and am looking for the best hikes, in both MN, and the surrounding states. I'm taking summer 2012 off solely to backpack, kayak, canoe, etc and want to make the most of it. I am already committed to doing the superior hiking trail, and I think there are some connecting trails that could make it a little longer, which interests me.

What would be your picks for summer hikes in MN/WI/ND/SD/IL etc?
And why. Thanks

I’m not a long distance hiker, but have done portions of the Superior Hiking Trail. That one is indeed the premier trail of the upper Midwest. Here is a pdf that describes connections and spurs trails of the Superior Hiking Trail.
Superior trails pdf

The Border Route Trail starts where the Superior Hiking Trail ends on the the north side. That trail is 65 miles with about 1/2 in the BWCAW. It's a very rugged and scenic trail with a lot of elevation changes and great overlooks. where that ends you can get on the Kekekabic Trail and hike through the heart of the BW. It is about 40 miles long. The SHT, BRT and Kek total close to 400 miles.
There are also a couple other 30+ mile trails in the BW.

Thanks, Im going to look into hiking those three together. Sounds like an amazing trip from what I've read.