North Country Trail extension comment period ends Sept. 26
A proposed extension of the North Country Scenic Trail – a nonmotorized hiking trail on forest land in Minnesota’s Hubbard, Clearwater and Becker counties – prompted the DNR to release an Environmental Assessment Worksheet (EAW) for public review.
The public review and comment period will end Wednesday, Sept. 26.
The project is sponsored by the North Country Trail Association, the organization responsible for the development and maintenance of the North Country Scenic Trail.
The 23.5 miles of proposed new trail will link up existing trail segments in the Chippewa National Forest, Paul Bunyan State Forest, Itasca State Park and the White Earth State Forest. When completed, the North Country Scenic Trail will provide a recreational hiking trail from New York to North Dakota.
Volunteer crews using primarily hand tools will construct the new trail. National Park Service trail standards will be applied, which call for avoiding wetlands, steep slopes, rare or sensitive plant species and unstable soils.
The 33-page EAW can be downloaded from this DNR website. E-mail comments (with “NC Trail” in the subject line) to environmentalreview@dnr.state.mn.us.