One of the many features that we are fortunate to enjoy as residents of Lake County and Cook County, is a system of trails that are designed to encourage us to get outside, breath fresh air, get much needed exercise and take in the natural beauty of the North Shore.
Last week, an enthusiastic group of local citizens joined representatives from MNDOT, the DNR, the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission, the Gitchi-Gami Trail Association, Northland Construction and the Lake County Board, to celebrate the opening of the newest leg of the Gitchi-Gami Trail. There are a total of 36 miles of trail that have been constructed to date and the new section runs a short distance from Burlington Bay to Superior Shores. Further extensions of the trail are in the planning stage.
Gitchi-Gami Trail Association Board member, Dan Cruikshank, gave a brief overview of the collaborative work that has gone into building the new trail extension and stated that the overarching goal is to eventually connect Two Harbors to Grand Marais. The longest section of trail that has been completed to date is a 17 mile stretch from Gooseberry Falls to Silver Bay.
Folks who enjoy biking, running, walking and cross country skiing can use the trail at no cost. The Gitchi-Gami trail is for non-motorized use, is ADA accessible and is associated with U.S Bicycle Route 41 which extends from the Twin Cities metropolitan area to the Canadian border.
Cruikshank, who runs the Spokengear Bike Shop in Two Harbors joked that though a trail extension running less that a mile up the shore may seem anti-climatic, it is an important step forward in reaching the goal of creating a safe route for both resident and visiting outdoor enthusiasts to travel along the shore of Lake Superior.
According to their website: When completed, the Gitchi-Gami State Trail (GGST) will be an 89-mile non-motorized, paved recreational trail between Two Harbors and Grand Marais, Minnesota, along Lake Superior’s beautiful and historic North Shore.
For more information about the Gitchi-Gami State Trail, visit the association’s web page at www.ggta.org.
