Minnesotans- Support the Arrowhead!

hikers in the Boundary Waters (photo by J Young)

from Matt Davis, NCTA Regional Trail Coordinator- MN and ND

Minnesotans needed to Contact our Congress people to encourage their support for the North Country Trail's Arrowhead Re-Route legislation

If you have not heard of "the Arrowhead Re-route," you may be wondering, "What the heck is it?" Simply put, it is an effort to change the official route of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) in northeastern Minnesota. The re-route will incorporate outstanding Minnesota "Northwoods" scenery and encompasses almost 400 miles of existing trails, including the Superior Hiking Trail, Border Route Trail, and Kekekabic Trail. Additionally, 150-200 miles of new trail will need to be constructed in Itasca, St. Louis, and Lake Counties between the end of the Kekekabic Trail and the existing North Country Trail within the Chippewa National Forest in Cass County. The Superior Hiking Trail Association is already working on connecting with the NCNST at the Wisconsin border by Jay Cooke State Park.

Couple the fact that the Arrowhead Re-Route will take the North Country Trail through world-class scenery on existing trails with the fact that only 100 additional trail miles (compared to the original route directly from Remer to Jay Cooke State Park) would have to be built and this is a "no-brainer." It is supported by local governments, all of our agency partners, and the trail groups in Minnesota. We only lack the federal legislation to make it official.

Congressman Oberstar (MN-7th District) has recently introduced H.R. 481, the North Country National Scenic Trail Route Adjustment Act of 2009. Please make your voice heard! Let your Congressperson know that you support the Arrowhead Re-Route and that you want to see H.R. 481 passed. We also need Senator Klobuchar to introduce a companion bill in the Senate and to see it passed in the Senate!

If you've never done it, it's easy to contact your Representative and Senator via their websites. Go to Write your Rep and put in your Zip code and visit to contact Senator Klobuchar. Of course, you can also call their DC office or any of their offices here in MN or use the good old reliable USPS.

For more information or if you have any specific questions, please feel free to contact me at (701) 388-1883 or Matt Davis.