Purpose of tonight s presentation. The North Country Trail in ND, MN, and WI: what's new in our neighborhood on the nation's longest hiking trail?

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1 The North Country Trail in ND, MN, and WI: what's new in our neighborhood on the nation's longest hiking trail? Matthew Davis North Country Trail Association Regional Trail Coordinator for MN & ND Midwest Mountaineering April 29, 2011 Purpose of tonight s presentation Introduce the NCT in our area, including Update on the Arrowhead Re-route Update on a trail improvement program within the Chippewa National Forest Spotlight new trail development projects in southeastern North Dakota, northwestern Minnesota, and in northern Wisconsin. The North Country National Scenic Trail is a footpath that links scenic, natural, historic, and cultural areas in 7 northern states that will someday stretch over 4,600 miles from eastern New York to western North Dakota! 1

2 Your typical Minnesota trail. Instead, it is NOT a snowmobile trail NOT an OHV trail NOT a paved bicycle trail NOT a XC ski trail, although you can ski on it A simple footpath The NCT is not The Eleven National Scenic Trails Pacific Northwest NORTH COUNTRY New England NCTA s Vision for the Trail Our vision for the North Country National Scenic Trail is that of the premier footpath of national significance, offering a superb experience for hikers and backpackers in a permanently protected corridor, traversing and interpreting the richly diverse environmental, cultural, and historic features of the northern United States. From city streets to Wilderness to old canal towpaths to shores of the Great Lakes to the Adirondack Mountains to the sweeping prairie What does the NCT look like? 2

3 Volunteers: Lifeblood of the NCT The NCT s Arrowhead Re-route This past year (FY2010), 770+ NCT volunteers provided 68,500+ work hours assisting in the creation, promotion, and maintenance of the North Country NST. This contribution is worth over $1.4M as volunteer hours are valued by the federal government at over $21.30 / hr Original 1982 Plan Route Arrowhead Re-route chronology 1982: NCT s Comprehensive Plan sets the existing route. At the time, the Kekekabic Trail was poorly maintained, the Border Route Trail was being built, and the Superior Hiking Trail did not yet exist. 1987: NCTA leaders first ask the NPS to consider the alternative route 1993: The Minnesota Summit Meeting is held and consensus was reached that the Arrowhead Reroute is the preferred route of Minnesotans : The three affected trail clubs (Kekekabic Trail Club, Minnesota Rovers, and Superior Hiking Trail Association) all express written support for inclusion of their trails into the NCT 1995: The NPS receives letters of support from the Superior and Chippewa National Forests 1996: NPS makes contact with Congressional staff about the issue. They are told to undertake a public process to officially amend the 1982 Plan. 1998: NPS kicks off their formal public process with public meetings. The planning effort is not completed until 2004, when the Draft Northeastern Minnesota Route Assessment and Environmental Assessment is published present: NCTA attempts to get legislation passed in Congress What did the Route Assessment document say? It identified potential historic/cultural, environmental, and social impacts resulting from the route change It identified the Arrowhead Re-route as the NPS preferred alternative. It outlined a corridor for the gap areas without existing trail Check it out online at 3

4 The Arrowhead Re-route Trail Gaps Why does the Re-route make sense? The NCTA s Arrowhead Chapter is working on this gap area The NCTA will be working in 2012 to start a new group in Ely to work in this area The Superior Hiking Trail Association has almost completed filling this gap area It contains almost 400 miles of existing trails maintained by volunteers It avoids the expense of building miles of boardwalks in the black spruce-tamarack bogs found along the original route Estimated material costs = $3 million The scenery through which the existing trails pass better meets the intent of the National Trails System Act It is well supported in Minnesota and within local communities What are we doing to make this happen? What can you do to help? We asked Rep. Cravaack (R-8 th District) to introduce the bill in the U.S. House. Unfortunately, he refused to introduce the bill we would like* Five other members of the Minnesota House delegation have indicated that they will co-sponsor the bill and at least 25 U.S. Representatives from other trail states have expressed a desire to support the bill once introduced Currently, we anticipate that Rep. Collin Peterson (D-7 th District) will introduce it in the House. Senators Klobuchar and Franken are ready to introduce the bill in the U.S. Senate TBD It will be a challenge to get the bills passed in the current political climate 4

5 Trail Improvements Within the Chippewa National Forest About the NCT in the Chip The Chippewa National Forest is located in north central Minnesota in Cass, Itasca, and Beltrami Counties There are 71 miles of the NCT within the Chippewa National Forest from near Walker to near Remer. This was the first NCT segment certified in MN ( 88) Historically, it was maintained to a wide standard by a Forest Service contractor using a large tractor-based mower. This system of maintenance led to rampant ATV abuse It is now maintained by trail adopters from three different NCTA Chapters the Itasca Moraine, Star of the North, and Arrowhead Chippewa N.F. boundary Walker Cass Co. 4 Soo Line ATV trail Remer Al Dots logging camp site Boy River MN-200 Longville Pine Tree Logging RR grade Eastern end of 135+ mile section Hackensack Goose Lake Trail System Old growth pines 5

6 Things we re doing on the NCT in the Chip Improving the maintenance of the NCT to encourage more use More frequent mowing Better signing & blazing Campsite & trailhead improvements Changing the maintenance to make it less friendly to illegal use Width of mowing Handling of blowdowns Installing barriers, boulders, and blatant signage to discourage motorized use Rehabbing trail segments with significant trail tread damage Trying to limit OHV access near the NCT via Forest Service planning efforts Trying to get the Forest Service to protect the NCT and aesthetics more during project planning Light ATV damage near Walker The NCT trail tread showing ATV damage Significant damage near Remer caused by ATVs and 4WD vehicles There are areas where we ve gone to great lengths to reduce / eliminate motorized use Before Before After After Changing how we deal with blowdowns Installing barrier posts & signs Milton Lake boat landing near Remer Sailor Lake bridge near Remer 6

7 NCT improvements in the Itasca Moraine Chapter segment in Hubbard Co. Lake George Improving the maintenance of the NCT to encourage more use Installation of new backcountry campsites Trailhead improvements maps, distance tables, register boxes, etc. Development of the new Waboose Lake loop trail system U.S. Hwy 71 trailhead Nelson Lake Loop Trail & Campground Walker Waboose Lake Loop Trail System Akeley Nevis Park Rapids Waboose Lake Loop Trail System Scenes from the trail Old growth pine forest 7

8 Vision for the Waboose Lake Loop Trail System A family-friendly loop trail system Shortest loop = 2.4 mi. Longest loop = 5.3 mi. A highly scenic location Backcountry campsite Nearly constant views of the lakes Old-growth pine forest on SE corner Great fishing opportunities and abundant wildlife A designated snowshoe trail in the winter Further Development of the NCT by the Laurentian Lakes Ch. in Becker County Left: Tamarac Lake XC ski/hiking trail in Tamarac NWR; Right: the sign for Tamarac NWR s visitor center LLC s 2012 Construction Plans Headquarters Trailhead & campsite Laurentian Divide Pine Island Lake campsite MN-113 Trailhead LaFleur Lake campsite Elbow Lake Rd. Trailhead Tim-Don-Del vista Gardiner Lake campsite Western end of 135+ mile section The Laurentian Lakes Chapter worked with Becker County in 2009 to obtain a $100,000 Legacy Trail grant to hire the Conservation Corps of MN to help build 40 miles of the NCT. Permission to utilize private lands have not been secured from Hubbell Pond WMA south to Frazee, so this portion of the project is on hold. The funds will be spent in 2012 meaning the LLC Chapter will be holding many workdays this year. We also just were awarded another $27,000 Legacy Trail grant for additional work in Tamarac NWR. 8

9 Further Development of the NCT in southeastern North Dakota The Sheyenne River Valley Chapter obtained a $76,000 Recreational Trails Program grant from the State of ND to purchase easements, develop new trail, and install trail structures on their trail section. The U.S. Forest Service will be building a new 3.8 mile loop trail in the Sheyenne National Grasslands. The Dakota Prairie Grasslands Chapter will be working in 2012 to develop new trail just to the east of the Sheyenne National Grasslands. Easement areas 9

10 New 3.8 mi. loop trail and developed Campground in the Sheyenne National Grasslands New trail between the Sheyenne National Grassland and NDSU s Ekre Grassland Preserve NCT Developments in WI New bridges built in 2011 New bridges and certified trail Corridor land / easement acquisition for the NCT New trail construction in the Brule-St. Croix Chapter area Cleanup from July storm damage Location: Dorsey easement north of Solon Springs Location: Gold Mine Creek, just west of Casey Sag Rd. 10

11 Certification of new trail to Wren Falls in the Heritage Chapter area Casey Sag Rd. Location: Wren Falls Location: View of the Bad River from the new parcel Land / Easement Acquisition The NPS and NCTA have a great partnership with the WI- DNR to purchase corridor lands for the NCT In 2011, they purchased a 700ac. addition to Copper Falls State Park that will host 5 mi. of the NCT In 2012, several additional parcels will be purchased New Trail Development along St. Croix River Recovery from July 1st storm damage The storm s path and damage as seen from the air NCTA volunteers clearing the NCT and rebuilding a bridge 11

12 Wanna help? Work with the Rovers Trail Crew! Kekekabic Trail Club For more info, contact Bill Menke at or via at Contemplating becoming a Chapter of the NCTA Updated the Kekekabic Trail Guide twice in 2011 Contact the Kekekabic Trail Club at info@kek.org or visit www. kek.org/ Border Route Trail Superior Hiking Trail Along the Rose Lake cliffs The Border Route Trail Association will be proposing to the Superior National Forest a new Moss Lake trail that would form a 13 mi. loop with the South Lake Trail, BRT, and Caribou Rock / Split Pines Trail. This new segment would allow hikers to form a loop and take in Rose Lake Cliffs and Stairway Portage areas. An updated version of their guidebook is currently being printed Contact the Border Route Trail Association at info@borderroutetrail.org or visit www. borderroutetrail.org/ The view from Ely s Peak The Superior Hiking Trail Association (SHTA) will complete the connection of the Duluth Segment with the main Two Harbors to Canada segment in This will involve 6 mi. of new trail and ~11 mi. of using the North Shore State Trail. Contact the SHTA at hike@shta.org, or visit 12

13 Questions? If so, feel free to contact Matthew Davis, Regional Trail Coordinator at (701) or 13