David Dill/Arrowhead State Trail Master Plan PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT-June 15, 2021 Parks and Trails Division David Dill/Arrowhead State Trail Master Plan-PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT-06/15/2021 Table of Contents Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................................... i List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................................................ iv Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... v Ownership and Management Considerations .......................................................................................... v Recommended Uses ................................................................................................................................. v Use considerations and management ...................................................................................................... v Background and Planning History ................................................................................................................. 1 Planning history ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Previous David Dill/Arrowhead State Trail planning ............................................................................. 2 Parks and Trails system plan ................................................................................................................. 2 Planning process ................................................................................................................................... 2 What is a state trail? ................................................................................................................................. 3 David Dill/Arrowhead State Trail background .......................................................................................... 5 Trail alignment ...................................................................................................................................... 5 Current uses .......................................................................................................................................... 6 Trail/land management ............................................................................................................................ 6 Special management considerations .................................................................................................... 7 Regional Context ....................................................................................................................................... 9 Trail infrastructure .................................................................................................................................. 11 Developing sustainable natural surface trails ......................................................................................... 12 Recommended Uses ................................................................................................................................... 13 Winter season uses ................................................................................................................................. 13 Summer season ....................................................................................................................................... 14 Accessibility ............................................................................................................................................. 15 Special use permits ................................................................................................................................. 16 Trail Planning Sections and Allowed Use .................................................................................................... 17 ................................................................................................................................................................ 19 Section 1: Taconite State Trail to Cook GIA Trail .................................................................................... 20 Current uses and trail infrastructure .................................................................................................. 20 Feasibility ranking ............................................................................................................................... 20 i David Dill/Arrowhead State Trail Master Plan-PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT-06/15/2021 Section 2: Cook GIA Trail to the Landing GIA Snowmobile Spur Trail ..................................................... 22 Current uses and trail infrastructure .................................................................................................. 22 Feasibility Ranking............................................................................................................................... 22 Section 3: Landing GIA Snowmobile Spur Trail to the Pelican River/CR 180 .......................................... 24 Current trail uses and infrastructure .................................................................................................. 24 Feasibility Ranking............................................................................................................................... 24 Section 4: Pelican River/CR 180 to the Arrowhead Link Trail ................................................................. 27 Current uses and infrastructure .......................................................................................................... 27 Feasibility ............................................................................................................................................ 27 Section 5: Arrowhead Link GIA Snowmobile Trail to Bearscratch Road ................................................. 29 Current uses and infrastructure .......................................................................................................... 29 Feasibility ............................................................................................................................................ 29 Section 6: Bearscratch Road to Sheep Ranch Rd .................................................................................... 31 Trail uses and infrastructure ............................................................................................................... 31 Feasibility ............................................................................................................................................ 31 Section 7: Sheep Ranch Road to Gamma (Kabetogama) Road ............................................................... 33 Trail uses and infrastructure ............................................................................................................... 33 Feasibility ............................................................................................................................................ 33 ............................................................................................................................................................ 34 Section 8: Gamma (Kabetogama) Road to the Blue Ox Multi Use Trail.................................................. 35 Trail uses and infrastructure ............................................................................................................... 35 Feasibility-Low .................................................................................................................................... 35 Trail Management ....................................................................................................................................... 37 History of use .......................................................................................................................................... 37 Trail use and registration trends ............................................................................................................. 37 Registration trends .............................................................................................................................. 37 Horse pass sales .................................................................................................................................. 37 Trail operations and maintenance .......................................................................................................... 38 Trail management objectives .............................................................................................................. 38 Trail support facilities .......................................................................................................................... 40 Temporary trail closures ..................................................................................................................... 41 Information and interpretative services ................................................................................................. 41 Wayfinding information .....................................................................................................................