SOUDAN- A newly formed group is hoping to help area communities recognize the value of area trails in building the region’s tourism economy.
The Arrowhead Coalition of Trails (ACT) began with the idea that the cities and communities in the Mesabi Trail corridor would benefit by obtaining a Trail Town designation. Representatives of the group met with local officials here, including DNR trails staff and area trail group volunteers who wanted to learn more about the group’s work and the significance of the Trail Town designation.
The city of Ely recently received the designation through its partnership with the North Country Trail organization. Trail towns encompass all kinds of trails, including hiking, biking, ATV, cross-country skiing, and snowmobile.
The Tower-Soudan area already has a dedicated trails group that meets quarterly and has already helped resolve routing conflicts between non-motorized and motorized trails, worked on grant funding, and planning for future trails and routes.
Carson Polomis, from the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission, led the meeting. He is one of the leaders of the ACT trails planning group.
“ACT began with the idea that the cities and communities in the region would benefit from embracing surrounding trails and outdoor recreation assets,” he said. “We can work together and collaborate on grants.”
This type of collaboration is already underway in the Tower-Soudan area.
Aaron Kania, retired Forest Service district ranger and active member of the Wagoner Trails Club, said volunteering on the Wagoner trails system, which includes both cross-county skiing and hiking trails, was his “gateway” into trails. He is also a member of Tower’s Forestry Board and is currently running for the area’s Minnesota State House seat.
“When people get along, it opens doors to funding,” Kania said. He talked about a joint grant that was received for both the Wagoner Trails Club and the Prospector’s ATV Trail Club. This $266,000 grant is unique because of its partnership between non-motorized and motorized trail groups, Kania said. The funding is being used to expand trails as well as create new routes and trails to separate ATV and non-motorized usage on area trails in the Tower-Soudan area.
Kania said that the most difficult part of this process has been receiving the needed permits.
“It’s like swimming through mud to get through the paperwork,” he noted.
Trail Town concept
Trail towns are not just for hikers, said ARDC’s Polomis.
“The goal is to get people talking, find out where funding is needed, and find out where work is needed,” he said. “Then to identify simple actions that can strengthen our communities and create a more connected and cohesive regional trail system.”
Over $80 million has been invested in trails in the region over the past five years, he said, noting this didn’t include the sweat equity and volunteer hours put in. Funding comes from various state and federal sources.
Statewide, trails-related economic impacts are steadily increasing, with 10,000 jobs created and $13.9 million in net revenues, Polomis said.
“The activity mix matters,” he said. “Residents drive volume, but visitors bring in new money.”
He also discussed the importance of appealing to four seasons of recreation.
“A trail town is a town that embraces and supports the trails that surround or run through it,” he said. “The town recognizes the trails as an asset. The Trail Town program is a system to support and maintain trail towns.”
Polomis reviewed some case studies of trail towns in the U.S., including Minnesota’s Crosby/Ironton, which has seen 26 new businesses start up since the nationally-recognized mountain bike and paved bike trails went in. They record about 400,000 annual visitors to these small Minnesota cities. With trails that cater to all sorts of bicyclists, not just mountain bikers, it has become a destination for families also.
Damascus, Va., is the first Trail Town. A railroad hub in the early 20th century, the town of 800 residents now has seven major national hiking trails threading through it. The community’s annual trail festival draws over 25,000 visitors. The Appalachian Trail Club maintains an information center and helps provide volunteer trail maintenance support.
Why establish
a Trail Town?
By obtaining a formal Trail Town designation, a community establishes accountability to its trails. “This shows pride in a community’s connection to trails,” Polomis said. “It strengthens partnerships, creates more intentional designs, promotes economic vitality, and elevates collaboration.”
Kania said a challenge in our area is the limited amount of suitable land for area trails.
“We are all competing for high ground,” he said. “There is only so much land between here and Ely, and it’s needed for the bike trail, ATV trail, North Country hiking trail, and snowmobile trail.”
Matt Tuchel, Breitung Town Chair and active member of the ATV planning group, said the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park also complicates motorized trail development, since the park does not allow new trail development through park land.
The frequent need for water crossings also adds to the complexity of trail construction in the area.
“Bridges are the most expensive piece of trail development,” Kania said.
How to become
a Trail Town
Trail Towns require the adoption of a shared vision, Polomis said, as well as an outline of a clear direction for the future.
“Elements important to strong Trail Towns are making the community welcoming and accessible for trail users, making sure trails are connected and well-marked, along with making sure trails stay well maintained. An economy welcoming to visitors is also important, as well as the ability to tell a community’s story and history.
Trail Towns are sponsored by other larger organizations like the North Country Trail that is working on developing a route through Tower.
Tower Mayor Dave Setterberg noted that our area is “well ahead of others.” He said that Tower and Soudan have been working cooperatively to connect the paved trail between McKinley Park and Hoodoo Point, which finalizes the six-mile paved trail loop that connects the towns.
The city recently installed a new toilet facility that is open year-round by the mini-park and Mesabi Trailhead in Tower.
The need for better mapping was also discussed.
Tuchel wondered if it was possible to create an interactive web-based trail system, similar to what is available now for ATV riders, that shows area trails along with a rider’s current location.
The Wagoner Trails Club has worked with the ARDC to create maps for the Ancient Cedars, Pine Ridges, and Wagoner Ski Trails. Kania said the club will be updating these maps once the current trail work is completed next year, and adding QR codes, which can link a user to an online map.
Trails can make a town more attractive for both local and new residents.
Kania said that Tower and Breitung’s last comprehensive plan, now 11 years old, made trails a priority, and work has been done, but slowly.
He said many in the community have been working on this goal together.
“We need more people moving here,” Kania said. “We need jobs and more kids in our schools.”
Paul Knuti, from Sisu Heritage in Embarrass, noted how long it took to get the Mesabi Trail in place from Embarrass to Tower. He said that mistakes made back in the 1990s, when the state did not keep ownership of old railroad grades, has made routing that trail more difficult.
“Trails can build a stronger identity for our communities,” Knuti said.
Polomis reiterated that there is so much history in the area that can be highlighted.
Everyone can help
Keeping trails maintained takes both small and large efforts.
“People can do small things,” Polomis said. “You can see a problem and provide a solution. You can add signage for services, sell small amenities along the trail, and trim brush along trails as needed.”
“We are informally becoming a Trail Town,” said Tower City Council member Kevin Norby. “This would give us more visibility.”
Polomis said they will be planning some region-wide meetings in the future to discuss next steps. He added that the turnout at this meeting was the largest they had seen so far, and that it included a wide range of stakeholders and the public.
“Getting the word out for these meetings has been difficult,” he said.
Tower had sent out a flyer about the meeting with water bills this month, which had prompted some to attend. The meeting was also publicized on Facebook and in the Timberjay, as well as through other trail groups.