TOWER—If you’d like to explore the new Ancient Cedars Trail in Tower, but aren’t sure how to find it, you’ll want to take advantage of two guided hikes of the new trail being offered this weekend. Guided hikes are set for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3, and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4 and will go forward rain or shine.
Saturday’s hike will be co-led by Marshall Helmberger, Jodi Summit, and Victoria Ranua, while the Sunday hike will be co-led by Mary Shedd and Ranua.
Hikers should meet in the parking lot by Tower’s historic train depot both days. Those taking part are encouraged to dress for the weather and wear sturdy hiking shoes.
The new trail system explores a rare pocket of primary (never logged) forest located within Tower’s city limits. Forest ecologists with the DNR have concluded that the current forest stand originated in a forest fire around 1880, before the founding of Tower and Soudan.
A forest dominated by northern white cedar grew back in the wake of the fire and this forest has stood, undisturbed, ever since.
The trail was built by volunteers from the Tower Economic Development Authority, the Wagoner Trails Club and Friends of Vermilion Country School with materials funding from the Northern St. Louis County Trails Task Force and Lake Country Power’s Operation Round-up®.