The Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway

    The Gunflint Trail was designated as a Minnesota Scenic Byway in May of 1999.  Due to the activities of the 1999 Blowdown and clean up thereafter the Scenic Byway Committee, a sub-committee of the Gunflint Trail Association, was pretty much inactive until 2005.  In 2005 a group of  14 interested individuals led by Past-President of the Gunflint Trail Association Nancy Seaton, started the process of creating a Corridor Management Plan for the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway.  This Plan is essentially a vision of what the group would like to see on the Gunflint Trail in the future.  Goals were set and from these goals action plans were made.  

     A few of the goals listed in the Gunfint Trail Corridor Management Plan include:

• Create awareness of the need for preservation, protection, and stewardship of unique byway resources and intrinsic qualities.
• Enhance views and vistas along the byway and the character of the corridor.
• Enhance the visitors experience through the creation of pull offs, overlooks, directional signage, interpretive sites, recreation improvements, and other services and amenities.
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     I am very happy to report that some of the top priorities determined by the Scenic Byway Committee were completed this summer.  With the help of the USFS and some personnel during the Cavity Lake Fire improvements were made at a number of sites.  Trail pull-off areas were improved at Swamper Lake, the Laurentian Divide, and Magnetic Rock Trailhead.  These three areas now have latrines and picnic areas for visitors to use while traveling the Gunflint Trail.   A big thanks to the Scenic Byway Committee and the USFS for making this happen.