In northern Minnesota, a wilderness lake shaped like a teardrop rests behind a rocky overhang, with steep slopes rising from the shore. A second lake, as gorgeous in its own right, appears toward the edge of the image. This vista, which faces Bean and Bear Lakes near Silver Bay, has become well-known and is often included in social media postings and climbing guides that highlight some of the most breathtaking locations in Minnesota and on the Superior Mountaineering Path.
“Until Instagram and social media, no one really knew about it,” said Lisa Luokkala, government director of the charity Superior Mountaineering Path Association. “I think its recognition has grown. People do seem to congregate in trail segments that provide really breathtaking, expansive views.
But the popularity and accessibility—the lakes are on a 6.8-mile circle with a trailhead that is just a short drive from Freeway 61 by the North Shore, making it appealing for day hikes and trips in a single day—combine wear and tear with erosion from more frequent and intense usage. The road longs for some affection.
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For this reason, the SHT Association intends to improve and fortify sections of the section that crosses Bean and Bear Lakes, as well as two distinct and stylish circle treks that travel via Cascade River State Park and Breakup Rock Lighthouse State Park. This year, Minnesota legislators approved $565,000 for the project, which will be funded mostly by proceeds from the state lottery.
Despite this, the SHT offers enough isolation across its more than 300 kilometers. It extends southeast of Duluth from the Wisconsin border to a viewpoint near the Canadian border. Nothing compares to the throngs of people visiting Yosemite National Park in California, for example. According to Luokkala, even hot areas in Minnesota like Bean and Bear Lakes could be peaceful outside of peak times.
Nonetheless, law enforcement personnel manning trails and parks around the country are facing challenges in maintaining infrastructure and safeguarding the environment amid high visitor numbers, and the SHT is no exception. The association establishes “scorching spots” and gathers information on how to best handle regions with increased usage, which leads to route rehab.
Luokkala said, “Crowding and customer battle management could be very much at the forefront of this business, and it truly is a business.” ” It has a really positive impact on the local economy and the standard of living for those who live near some of these recreation centers. Many hours are spent behind the scenes to turn it into a positive experience and confirm that we are safeguarding this fundamentally valuable resource.
Work on the Silver Bay trailhead’s Bean and Bear route
Legislators approved $197,000 from the Atmosphere and Pure Assets Belief Fund for the Bean and Bear portion of the SHT. An earlier assessment of the trail, which was also funded by the trust fund, found that the area near Silver Bay needed to be renovated. Some of the path’s points may be attributed to its distinct development. Taken as a whole, the SHT was 37 years old. But it’s also because of how often it’s used, especially these days. Overcrowding on a trail causes erosion and “tread compaction,” which results from people “literally banging their toes on the path,” according to Luokkala. The money may be used to upgrade stone stairs for low-lying, muddy places and steep locations.
Some parts of the path may even need boardwalk replacement, drainage improvements, tread restoration, and a short detour. Additionally, the modifications will help keep water off the road. Finally, a Bear Lake campground refurbishment may be funded by lottery winnings. The SHT offers free websites that don’t require reservations. But they’re also designed just to support a certain kind of tent. The Bear Lake campground is rather trendy, and she added that she hopes to help restrict “a little bit of sprawl.”
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Luokkala said, “This may be one of our first significant campsite rehabs.” The renovation of Bean and Bear Lakes will take around two years in total. There are other organizations in the area attempting to upgrade some infrastructure due to an overabundance of visitors, besides the SHT Association. A Silver Bay trailhead, intended to serve as an entrance point for the SHT, the Gitchi-Gami State walk, the C.J. Ramstad/North Shore walk, and the perennially well-liked Black Seaside Park, was also authorized by the Legislature with $1.97 million from the trust fund.
Administrator Lana Fralich of Silver Bay City wrote to state police that “an unbelievable quantity of site visitors, particularly through the summer season and fall months,” frequent the Bean and Bear area of the SHT. The municipality may have had to build its “Multi-Modal Trailhead Middle” for this “key purpose.”
In letters to the state, other local business owners also mentioned that people have been parking and wandering alongside roads to access trails. In his letter, Mayor Wade LeBlanc, who claims to own two gas stations in the area, said that in order to address the “extremely hazardous” difficulties, better and more convenient access to trails was desired.
Streamline river loops
Legislators separately decided to invest $368,000 to “rehabilitate and renew” up to 13 miles of upscale river loops in order to address overuse by tourists. According to Luokkala, there is a loop that passes along the Breakup Rock River and passes through a portion of the Breakup Rock Lighthouse State Park. It also includes a loop that passes through a portion of Cascade River State Park and follows the Cascade River near Lutsen.
Loops get a lot of traffic from day hikers. especially those very next to Freeway 61. At a highway roadside, the Break Up Rock Loop trailhead is located. According to Luokkala, this rapid access is unusual compared to other long routes around the country that may be somewhat further away, especially at trailheads. After floods in 2022, the state lottery funds may potentially cover some restoration work on the Cascade loop.
An “oversight strategy” over the long haul
Luokkala said that her organization is working on its first-ever “grasp plan course” for the route for a larger vision, while the SHT affiliation is using this money to look at these river loops and the Bean and Bear portion of its way. The association installed 12 automatic counters along the trail to gauge annual hiker numbers and identify the busiest locations. Starting this weekend, surveys will be conducted at 22 locations to learn more about people’s experiences and opinions on the walkway.
Information choices on infrastructure and investment, such as possible trailhead expansions, may benefit from that. Luokkala said that individual planning is required due to the increasing awareness of route segments. She said, “The North Shore is a highly regarded place to be.” “I don’t think the recognition will diminish any time soon.”
IF YOU GO:
Any trek requires preparation, as Luokkala pointed out. People must be prepared and follow the “depart no hint” guidelines. The route association offers more in-depth maps of the route together with extensive written explanations of each stage in an electronic book, and it also maintains information about portions and other logistics on its websites. Some mapping services, like Gaia GPS and CalTopo, also display the path and provide route-planning tools. Information about SHT segments that cross state park borders may be found at state parks.