The St. Louis River Trail

Griz Oct 11, 2010 3 Comments

A few weeks ago I was in Chambers Grove Park in far western Duluth when I saw a sign in the corner of the park for the St. Louis River Trail. A few days ago my wife and I returned to investigate it. After hiking a portion of the “trail” it seems that it is not maintained and I can’t find any information about it on the internet.

Anyone out there know about it? Is it even an official trail or did some guy just put the sign up? Is it merely in the planning stages? Whose property does the trail lie on? Minnesota Power’s? All I can say is that the walking was pleasant. Most of the “trail” followed an old rail line and there were many utility poles that had been cut down along the corridor. There is also the remains of an old railroad trestle at the point where we turned around.

If anyone has any more information about the St. Louis River Trail, it would be appreciated by this hiking enthusiast. I put a more detailed trip report up here:

The Continuing Adventures of Eric and Noelle
The St. Louis River Trail

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Outdoors ,

3 Comments

rediguana

about 14 years ago 

As far as I know, it's not an official trail. What's neat about that corridor though is that it is the former bed of the Northern Pacific Railway, financed by Jay Cooke as the first railroad to the Duluth area and a branch of what would later become the first transcontinental railroad -- not to mention the reason Duluth became a city! It's described in history books as a pretty wild ride down the hill from Carlton to Fond du Lac, a steep grade over high wooden trestles high above the St. Louis River. If the tracks were wet or icy, there was no stopping the train until Fond du Lac. Parts of the old grade are now utilized by parts of the Grand Portage, Ogantz, White Pine, and Thomson Trails in Jay Cooke State Park. The area it looks like you hiked to is a fabulous secluded (dare I say romantic?) overlook above the river.

Anna

about 14 years ago 

I was there on Saturday and there was half of a deer carcas laying close by the sign.  It looked like the deer had been taken down by an animal.  I didn't try the trail after finding the deer.

Mel

about 14 years ago 

There are a lot of random places like this in the Duluth area. Tons.

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