Duluth in Outside magazine again

The section of the Superior Hiking Trail that runs though Duluth is 43 miles long. Parts of it are on the Lakewalk and city streets, so technically we should maybe just count it as 35 miles, considering the term "hiking" shouldn't apply to paved areas.

I think the Park Point Trail is about two miles long, building our tally to 37.

I disagree with your methodology, Paul. There are billions of runners on the Lakewalk so that would certainly qualify as a "running trail."

The Lakewalk absolutely qualifies as a running trail. I guess the question is whether "running and hiking trails" means a total of both running and hiking trails or whether it means trails that are good for both running and hiking.

I guess what I mean is that it is part of the SHT so should be classed as that, even though parts of it might be paved.

I see. We'll have to wait for an arbiter to come in and set us straight.

Hey Paul, 

I questioned the miles of hiking trail and running trail too. However I can speak more on the Mountain Bike Trails.  They missed those stats entirely.  COGGS already has 39 miles of trail on the ground in the city.  The Duluth Traverse phase one, being built this summer will add another 15.  Also the two trails at Spirit were described wrong as well.  One of them was an IMBA build, the other was built by Spirit itself.  Both great trails, just described wrong.

Makes me wonder where folks get their numbers and who their sources are?

Regardless it is good to see the basic narrative being told and the idea of being a "hub" for adventure is a perfect category for Duluth.

You have to consider all of the stream trails - often on both sides.  Plus many dozens of informal trials, like the system behind CSS.  Western waterfront trail.  Trails within Enger Park.   One strength of Duluth is the variety of trails - paved, hiking, single track, xc.  Over the next two years we'll connect Munger to the Lakewalk, the Lakewalk to scenic 61, and making huge progress on the traverse.   

Then we'll turn our attention to the Lowell to Lakewalk connection, the county will build a Rice Lake Road trail, and I'd like to extend western waterfront out to fond du lac.  Combine all that with an ongoing commitment to complete streets and we could see a significant improvement in how we get around town.

I guess we can't complain about Outside getting the mileage wrong, since we can't produce a number ourselves and back it up.

We'll just have to say we have a lot of miles of trails and be happy playing on them.