Arrowhead and Taconite State Trails

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DAVID DILL - ARROWHEAD, THE ARROWHEAD & TACONITE STATE TRAILS are located in northern Minnesota’s Itasca, Koochiching and St. Louis counties. They are primarily snowmobile trails and form the backbone to an extensive Grant-in-Aid trail system. Portions of both trails are suitable for horseback riding, as well as mountain biking, hiking and backpacking in the summer. Call the DNR for speciﬁc MAP KEY TACONITE & information. TRAILS & THEIR PERMITTED USES

DAVID DILL - TACONITE The Arrowhead State Trail stretches 135 miles, from 10 miles west of Tower at the intersection of the Taconite State Trail, to Ericsburg, 10 miles south of International Falls. Arrowhead State Trail STATE TRAILS Grand Rapids-Ely & Tower-International Falls BA Forest and Park Trails International Fort Francis Y SAND TRAIL Black Falls 11 Bay C A N A D A 11 71 Rainy Lake RAINY LAKE TRAIL MAIN TRAIL Island View State Forest Ski Trails 71 332 602 Voyageurs Rainy Lake 332 Grant–in–Aid Trails 11 SLATINKSKI TRAIL CHAIN 53 OF RAINY LAKE TRAIL HAGGERMAN 26 TRAIL LAKES TO LITTLE FORK RIVER GRADE TRAIL SYMBOLS TRAIL

TRAIL 97 Woodenfrog D.N.R. Snowmobile Parking OX Ericsburg National FALLS 119 3K TRAIL 12 Kabetogama X-Country Ski Campground 8 122 Kabetogama D.N.R. KETTLE BLUE Lake BAY TRAIL Hiking Shelter TONE D AWG VOYAGEURS Namakan TRAIL TRAIL EAST Kabetogama RUDER VOYAGEUR Lake NAMAKAN The Taconite State Trail WOODYS Shelter/Campsite Picnic Area 3 123 TRAIL 3 TRAIL CRANE LAKE stretches 165 miles from 122 Ash River Fire Tower Vista 217 53 D.N.R. Grand Rapids to Ely and Ray Park LOOP 217 29 BILL MORGAN TRAIL TO intersects with the Sand 129 Point Ash River Arrowhead State Trail just ASH RIVER ASH RIVER Lake N Kabetogama FALLS 20 TRAIL west of Lake Vermilion. 493 2 Trail Mileage International Falls Eight trail waysides and 8 CRANE LAKE TO DAVID DILL - ARROWHEAD picnic facilities oﬀer 521 ASH RIVER TRAIL KOOCHICHING COUNTY Ely scenic vistas of the hills, River 53 TACONITE TRAIL DAVID DILL - TACONITE lakes and rivers of this Grand Rapids 0 1 2 3 4 8 area. Arbutus Road ITASCA ST. LOUIS COUNTY Ranch COUNTY SCALE: one inch equals four miles Vermilion Falls Duluth U.S.F.S. Crane C A N A D A Sheep Lake Boundary Waters Canoe Fort Kabetogama TRAIL DAVID DILL- 493 10 Area Wilderness toll Francis CRANE LAKE TO Crane Lake bridge ARROWHEAD ASH RIVER TRAIL NTERNATIONAL Some private lands exist I STATE TRAIL 24 424 within the shaded areas U.S. Customs Rainy 6 ARROWHEAD LINK Minneapolis CO. BUYCK TO for State & National FALLS River 518 Crane Lake 3rd. St. Ash Lake Forest lands, and State St. Paul CO. 4th. St. 11 Parks land. Please be aware of your surroundings. ve. A 9

. LOUIS Park

ST KOOCHICHING VOYAGEUR COUNTRY TRAIL Hospital 11th. St. 8 CRANE Echo Lake

“The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources 332 Pelican River 24 Echo Lake

AE TR. LAKE U.S.F.S. is an Equal Opportunity Employer” 9th. St. 15th. St. Elephant PARKING/LODGING Lake State International 53 Mall 11 PARKING AVAILBLE: Old Hwy . 11 Nett Lake Buyck Superior 793 At Taconite: 71 GRADE Nett Lake TM Cusson ORR SPUR - McCarthy Beach State Park Voyageurs National NORTH 23 Trademark of American Soybean Association Park Headquarters 23 180 Picket L. - Minnesota Hwy 73 24 11 Falls - U.S. Hwy 53 BLUE OX International 514 4 Airport Nett Lake - Minnesota Hwy 1 Printed on recycled paper Indian ORR/BUYCK/ National - Minnesota Hwy 169, Peyla with a minimum of 53 Reservation Pelican CRANE LAKE TRAIL 30% post-consumer material. Lake - Minnesota Hwy 135, Tower 23 Orr 23 River At Arrowhead: Pelican - 2 Mi. West of Hwy 169 on Hwy 1

ORR SPUR 7 EMERGENCY INFO Glendale SOUTH Forest CAMPING AVAILABLE: (Taconite only) In an emergency call 911 23 - McCarthy Beach State Park NATURAL FEATURES 24 - Pfeifer Lake, National Forest Elbow Forest Law Enforcement River - Bear Head Lake State Park 53 State Patrol 218-749-7720 119 - Several rustic campsites along trail THE ARROWHEAD TRAIL of 52 degrees. The park also contains picturesque stands of old-growth 426 422 Itasca County Sheriff 218-326-3477 The southern part of the Arrowhead features rolling hills with numerous white and norway pines mixed with balsam fir and aspen. The lower Vermilion Gheen Corner Koochiching County Sheriff 218-283-4416 lakes and streams. Many of the hills have large areas of exposed rock and elevations are dominated by white cedar interspersed with balsam fir, Hoodoo L 24 *All communities along the Taconite and Arrowhead St. Louis County Sheriff (Virginia) 218-748-7510 74 Gheen enormous boulders. This part is heavily timbered with a mix of hardwoods tamarack, black spruce, ash and muskeg. 12 422 trails have food, fuel, lodging and retail areas (Hibbing) 218-262-0132 and conifers. 24 available to campers. *Evenings and weekends 218-749-6010 This mix of trees on the Arrowhead is spectacularly colorful in autumn. Native northern Minnesota wildlife is abundant along both trails. Some The northern part of the trail is relatively flat between International Falls and species to watch for are moose, timber wolf, brush wolf, white-tailed deer, 667 Area Police Departments the Ash River. The higher ground is mainly forested with aspen; lower black bear, lynx, porcupine, red fox, snowshoe hare, fisher, pine marten and 406 Ely 218-365-3222 ground has a mix of spruce and ash. The trail goes through a number of red squirrel. Wakemup Tower 218-753-6660 Vermilion areas that have standing water in the summer which makes these portions Lake Virginia 218-748-7510 Over 100 varieties of birds live in the area. Some birds, like the grosbeaks, 73 Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of the trail mostly suited to winter use. 71 Grand Rapids 218-326-3464 nuthatches, chickadees and pileated woodpeckers, inhabit the area year- 540 THE TACONITE TRAIL winds through forests of birch and aspen intertwined round. Birds like the snow bunting and snowy owl migrate south from the 78 Burntside State Forest Medical/Hospitals with pine, leading the visitor by many isolated lakes and streams. From arctic for the winter; the bald eagle, osprey, warblers and fly catchers 78 Ely 218-365-3271 Grand Rapids heading north, you see the impact of the taconite and iron migrate north to this area for the summer. Virginia 218-741-3340 Linden 11 mining industry. Between McCarthy Beach State Park and Ely the terrain is Grove 24 71 Hibbing 218-262-4881 rolling and tree covered as it winds through state and national forest land. A variety of game fish including walleye, northern pike, trout and 1 431 Grand Rapids 218-326-3401 smallmouth bass are found in the area’s large numbers of lakes and rivers. River Cook 500 Little Fork 500 Lake Vermilion - Soudan 79 ermilion Lake 169 The landscape of the area is a result of the under-lying geology. The area’s 25 V Underground Mine Sturgeon Vermilion Lk. State Park 1 The trail user may see a ridge of solid white pine changing to a bedrock formation known as the Canadian Shield is some of the oldest rock Sturgeon River 12 Ind. Res. DAVID DILL- 73 79 State Forest ravine of mixed hardwoods, then a ridge of aspen, birch and on earth. It was formed by volcanic action approximately 2.7 billion years 25 TACONITE ago. Later, ancient seas laid down the valuable iron ore that is still mined in 85 BEARSKIN 53 77 River TRAIL 1 basswood blended with maples. the area today. Further volcanic activity swept away the sea and formed two 20 STATE TRAIL 413 Tower 923 Star Lake mountain ranges. The advancing and receding of glaciers, and millions of 87 Soudan STA 12 years of erosion have worn the mountains down, resulting in the present 491 State 78 TACONITE 476 The trail links three state parks: Bear Head Lake, Soudan Underground Mine 169 3 rugged landscape found along some parts of the trail. T AIL and McCarthy Beach. The landscape in and around Bear Head Lake State 22 22 1 STATE TRAIL Peyla Putnam Shermans WOLF 1 12 Park resembles the BWCAW. The park’s land is very rolling and rocky, Corner 2 Lake Bear Head The Arrowhead and Taconite State Trails provide a great opportunity to 481 688 Angora TRACK PUTNAM LAKE TRAIL TRAIL Lake elevations ranging from 1,450 feet up to 1,590 feet. 492 487 Big Aspen Pfeiffer State Park explore this area. To preserve this opportunity for the future, please respect Forest Lake Pike 25 U.S.F.S. River West 135 the area's plant and wildlife communities. Two River 53 6 411 Soudan Underground Mine State Park is located on a rugged ridge and 467 Pike IRON Bear Island State Forest contains the historic Soudan underground mine. It is Minnesota’s only 467 405 T ORE FISHING LAKES 73 491 912 Idington 169 River TRAIL TRAIL underground iron ore mine open to the public. Tours descend 27 levels to Superior National Forest Wahlsten the bottom of the mine, where there is a constant year-round temperature © 2019 Minneosta Department of Natural Resources HISTORY INFORMATION MAP KEY The Arrowhead and Taconite State Trails were Black spruce is also harvested in this manner, but it is TRAILS & THEIR PERMITTED USES TRAIL SYMBOLS developed by the DNR with ongoing assistance from usually seeded to get new trees on the site. White spruce, For travel planning informa�on contact: the coun�es, other local governments, U.S. Forest norway and white pine are usually thinned a number of State Trail Snowmobile Parking Service, private businesses and trail groups. The trails �mes before the final harvest is undertaken when all MN Office of Tourism DNR Regional Office connect towns and travel past lakes, rivers, resorts, remaining trees are removed and the site is replanted with X-Country Ski Campground mining sites, logging camps and trappers' shacks. seedlings. 100 Metro Square, 121 7th Place East 1201 E. Highway 2 State Trail - ATVs allowed St. Paul MN 55101-2146 Grand Rapids, MN 55744 (218) 999-7920 Hiking Shelter The earliest known inhabitants of the area, living Most tree species harvested in Minnesota are used to 651-296-5029 (metro area) *DNR Taconite Trail Hdqtrs. (Grand Rapids thousands of years ago, le� pictographs (rock make paper and waferboard, but larger trees are also used 1-888-TOURISM (toll free) State Forest & Park Trail pain�ngs) and petroglyphs (rock carvings) north of to make lumber, cabinets, and furniture parts. Area) Shelter/Campsite Picnic Area the present trail area. Many Indian tribes had se�led 1-800-766-8687 (Canada) (218) 999-7923 in the area, including the Lakota, Dakota and more When traveling near a harves�ng site please watch out for recently in history, the Ojibway (Chippewa). logging trucks and other equipment. State Park Ski Trails MN Department of Natural Resources DNR Arrowhead/Taconite Trail (Tower Area) Hdqtrs. 0 1 2 3 4 8 DNR Informa�on Center 650 Highway 169 European immigra�on forced the Ojibway to move In addi�on to the natural resources provided by the forest, SCALE: one inch equals four miles west along the St. Lawrence Seaway and Great Lakes. the discovery of iron ore drama�cally changed northern 500 Lafaye�e Road Tower, MN 55790 Grant–in–Aid Trails They entered present day northern Minnesota in the Minnesota. The rich iron ore deposits contributed to the St. Paul MN 55155-4040 (218) 753-2580 late 1600s. The lake and forest resources provided industrializa�on of the whole country. The development of the Ojibway with abundant fish and wildlife in spite the mining industry created a large demand for labor. This 651-296-6157 (metro area) 1-888-646-6367 (toll free) Other Trails 2 of the harsh winters. However, con�nued led to a wave of European immigra�on and to the growth Trail Mileage immigra�on eventually forced them from most of of the "Iron Range" and its associated mining towns. The their land. mining industry started to decline as the rich ore was used DNR provides outdoor recrea�on informa�on, N up. The industry was reinvigorated for a �me by the Fur trade began in this area in 1679. development of taconite, the mining process that made brochures, maps and snow & trail condi�ons. French-Canadian voyageurs from Montreal and mining of lower grade iron ore economically viable. The Quebec came west to par�cipate in the fur trade mining industry has experienced ongoing restructuring with the American Indians. The trade was dominated which results in lower employment levels. first by the French, then Bri�sh and finally the Americans.

The fur trade era lasted about 175 years. When it Fall Willow River 74 ended, many voyageurs and new immigrants turned Trout Boundary Waters Lake B.W.C.A.W Lake to logging. 116 18 53 24 Pine Lake Canoe Area Burntside During the early years of logging in the area Kabetogama State Forest Burntside Lake thousands of acres of virgin red and white pine were Vermilion Wilderness Winton Lake State 88 cut down to supply the building boom in ci�es across Shagawa Lake the country. A�er the vast stands of mature growth Ely 169 Superior Forest pines were removed aspen forests established 114 540 Farm themselves. They support a thriving wood products 13 White Iron 16 Lake River industry which produces paper and building 113 78 DAVID DILL- Lake Boundary Waters products. Little Fork River Canoe Area Vermilion Lake TACONITE 13 DAVID DILL - 11 TOMAHAWK The Arrowhead and Taconite Trails pass though a STATE TRAIL TRAIL variety of public and private land ownerships along Cook ARROWHEAD Lake Vermilion - Soudan Wilderness the trail route. Most of these lands are managed by Vermilion Lake Underground 73 25 Indian Mine State Park 21 128 Eagle public and private landowners for forest products. STATE TRAIL Reserva�on 169 Gabbro 77 Nest Lake Lakes Kawishiwi Sturgeon River Lost Na�onal Timber harves�ng is o�en done in the winter when Lake 6 BEARSKIN TRAIL WOLF TRACK 413 State Forest Rice River 361 the ground is frozen which makes it easier to access TRAIL Tower Soudan TACONITE This portion of the David Dill-Taconite 923 SPUR State Trail is open to ATVs 120 harves�ng sites that would be inaccessible in the 87 TRAIL Stur geon River (class 1 and 2) and OHMs summer due to wet condi�ons. 962 476 13 Bear 917 78 12 3 May 15 - October 31. 65 5 12 Head 22 Lake The major tree species found along the trail include 22 13 409 State Bear aspen, white and black spruce, norway pine and PUTNAM LAKE Island 2 TRAIL Park Lake 492 668 Forest white pine. Aspen, a pioneer species, is harvested by 487 411 6 . LOUIS COUNTY . LOUIS clearcu�ng to allow sunlight to reach the roots of 912 FISHING LAKE COUNTY 82 the recently cut trees which will then sprout and LAKES Birch Lake ST TACONITE TRAIL to Bearskin River TIM COREY Wahlsten North produce aspen suckers in the ﬁrst year a�er cu�ng. TRAIL Shore Sturgeon River State Forest 11 169 State Trail STATE TRAIL 26 936 491 Bear 904 Island State Forest TIM Mc Carthy Beach 652 652 969 Scenic CIRCLE T COREY TRAIL TRAIL State Park Rice River State 4 481 25 135 STONY SPUR Park 52 405 TRAIL HERB Superior Dark River 7 Babbi� BRANSTROM 26 TRAIL 9 Big Rice Lake IRON ORE 360 TRAIL 623 13 7 53 Pike River Sturgeon 6 21 George Lake 65 11 Lake 366 Salo Embarrass River 12 14 Corner 65 303 Sturgeon River 302 615 TRAIL Side 305 Embarrass Lake This portion of the Taconite TACONITE SPUR 461 68 5 State Trail is open to ATVs Sand 394 Lake Washington 473 (class 1 and 2) and OHMs Bri� 21 BEAR LAKE 766 Sandy River TRAIL 791 May 15 - October 31.

State 307 791 Na�onal 52 169 416 45 668 INFORMATION CENTERS 26 Forest 303 64 SWAMPSIDERS 55 CLUBHOUSE Tower Area: Hibbing C. O. C. Orr-Pelican Lake Resort Assoc. LAURENTIAN 73 TRAIL Wynne 211 E Howard Street, PO Box 727 4498 Pine Acres Rd. 81 Lake Prairie AURO-BI DNR Parks and Trails Hibbing, MN 55746 Orr, MN 55771 25 Forest TRAIL 484 650 Highway 169 Phone: (local) 1-218-262-3895 Phone: 1-800-777-4690 53 Day Brook These portions of the Taconite State River Tower, MN 55790 Phone: (toll free) 1-800-4HIBBING 336 79 Trail is open to ATVs (class 1 and 2) 55 Phone: 1-218-753-2580 Voyageurs Na�onal Park and OHMs May 15 - October 31. Biwabik 7 Mountain Aurora Fax: 1-218-753-4517 Iron Trail Conven�on & Phone: 1-218-283-9821 DAY BROOK TRAIL Iron 5 66 Visitors Center Ely/ Lake Vermilion Area: 403 First Street N. Grand Rapids Area: Virginia McKinley Chippewa 530 Virginia, MN 55792 1 2 3 4 8 49 333 65 169 Lake Vermilion Resort Assoc. Phone: (local) 1-218-749-8161 Grand Rapids C.O.C. 51 135 & Cook C. O. C./Visitors Center Phone: (toll free) 1-800-777-8497 One NW 3rd St. Buhl SCALE: one inch equals four miles 539 320 N Hwy 53 Grand Rapids, MN 55744 West Two St. Louis River Chisholm River Gilbert Cook, MN 55723 Virginia/Eveleth/Mt. Iron/ Phone:(local) 218-326-6619 Na�onal 343 39 53 50 Reservoir 20 Gilbert C. O. C. Phone:(toll free) 1-800-472-6366 532 54 37 100 Phone: (local) 1-218-666-5850 8 Eveleth 4 Phone: (toll free) 1-800-648-5897 403 First Street N., PO Box 1072 Fax:1-218-326-4825 10.4 56 NORTH Virginia, MN 55792 79 Ely C. O. C. Phone: 1-218-741-2717 US Forest Service Oﬃces: Forest 60 1600 E Sheridan Street 49 Ely, MN 55731 Orr/ Voyageurs Natl. Park Area: Gunﬂint Ranger District Phone: (local) 1-218-365-6123 2020 W Hwy 61, PO Box 790 Wabana LAWRON 57 Lake TRAIL 63 Grand Marais, MN 55604 59 beginning of Phone: (toll free) 1-800-777-7281 Crane Lake Visitor Bureau 8 63 5 Taconite Fax: 1-218-365-5929 7238 Handberg Road Phone: 1-218-387-1750 336 GRAND RAPIDS State Trail Hibbing 14th St. 330 Keewa�n Crane Lake, MN 55725 Ridgeway Rd. • All alleys may be used Lake Vermilion C. O. C. Phone: (local) 1-218-993-2901 Kawishiwi Ranger District 60 169 • Use no streets, except as marked 37 Crystal ELY • All state laws apply PO Box 776 Phone: (toll free) 1-800-362-7405 118 S 4th Ave E CLEARWATER 58 Lake to Taconite • No riding on sidewalks TRAIL Hale Lake State Trail Shagawa Lake 328 334 60 Local Routes • Use right hand side of street Tower, MN 55790 Ely, MN 55731 Nashwauk 60 16 38 Phone: (local) 1-218-753-2301 Interna�onal Falls C. O. C. Phone: 1-218-365-7600

325 Ave. 3rd Prairie River Phone: (toll free) 1-800-869-3766 301 2nd. Avenue Pioneer Rd. SUOMI 10th Ave. 7th St. Interna�onal Falls, MN 56649 Lauren�an Ranger District TRAIL Forest

7 Ave. 1st Iron Range Area: Phone: (local) 1-218-283-9400 318 Forestry Road Lake Ave. 3rd Hill Annex Mine 169 Phone: (toll free) 1-800 FALLS MN Aurora, MN 55705 Pengilly TOWER 2 49 State Park Miner's Lake Phone: 1-218-229-8800 To Hwy. Aurora C. O. C. Marble Informa�on 18 325 PO Box 53 Kabetogama Lake Tourism Bureau 17 Taconite Calumet Mississippi Washington St. Aurora, MN 55705 9903 Gamma Road USFS Marcell Ranger District Prairie Lake COUNTY . LOUIS 1st St. 1st St. IT ASCA COUNTY local trail 3 2 Phone: 1-218-229-2234 Kabetogama, MN 56669 49554 Hwy 38

ST 73 332 Bovey Swan N. 3rd St. Camp St. Phone: (local) 1-218-875-2621 Marcell, MN 56657 Lake 4th St. 169 13 169 Chisholm C. O. C. Phone: (toll free) 1-800-524-9085 Phone: 1-218-832-3161

38 Coleraine W. 10 2nd Ave NW ve. A 11th Ave. 7th St. 7th St. Chisholm, MN 55719 Orr area & Voyageurs Nat’l Park Info. To�e Ranger District 3rd 15th Ave. 169 St. Poplar

10 Ave. 3rd Pokegama Ave. Pokegama 69 12 10th Ave. White St. Hwy 61, PO Box 2159 Main St. 7th Ave. Phone: (local) 1-218-254-7930 4429 Hwy 53, PO Box 236

169 Ave. Central 16 local trail Phone: (toll free) 1-800-422-0806 Orr, MN 55771 To�e, MN 55615 443 65 169 to Trout 70 Quadna, To S. 2nd St. Hill City White Phone: (local) 1-218-757-3932 Phone: 1-218-663-7280 Lake Lily To Tower & 13 Iron Lake Taconite Virginia/Eveleth/Mt. Iron/ Phone: (toll free) 1-800-357-9255 GOODLAND to • Speed limit 15 m.p.h. 21 2 TRAIL Vermilion S. 3rd St. to Ely • No opera�on between midnight and 7 a.m. State Trail Gilbert C.O.C. La Croix Ranger District Grand 21 Lake • Snowmobiles must stop at all intersec�ons Rapids Taconite and yield to all motor vehicles and pedestrians 413 Pierce St. #10, PO Box 556 320 Hwy 53 N to McCarthy State Trail • No snowmobiles on state or county highways Cook, MN 55723 3 Beach State Park Eveleth, MN 55734 • No opera�on on city parks or school proper�es Phone: 1-218-744-1940 1-218-666-0020