Pelican Lake in Kabetogama State Forest.  Photo:  MN DNR

From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - July 26, 2018

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources invites anyone with an interest in recreational trail systems and motorized recreation in the Kabetogama and Sturgeon River state forests in St. Louis County to attend a public meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 26 in Cook. 

Attendees will be able to review a set of proposals that include changes to trail systems in the state forest. The meeting will be from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Cook Community Center, 799 Third Ave. SE, Cook.

Draft recommendations include new all-terrain vehicle (ATV) and off-highway motorcycle (OHM) trails, permitting ATV/OHM use on portions of snowmobile trails, designating portions of the Taconite State Trail to allow ATV/OHM use and designating existing hunter-walking trails.

The DNR invites the public to visit the meeting to review maps of existing and proposed trails, discuss the DNR proposals, submit comments and suggest changes to the recommendations. The DNR will also accept written comments through 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11.

Comments received at the meeting and during the public comment period will be used to develop a final recommendation that will be submitted to the DNR commissioner for approval. Changes to state forest trail designations must be made by commissioner’s order and published in the State Register.

Written comments may be submitted by:

• Email to [email protected].
• Fax to 651-297-1157.
• Mail to Joe Unger, Parks and Trails Division, DNR, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN  55155-4039.

For more information, please call:

• The DNR’s Parks and Trails Division, Central Office in St. Paul, 651-259-5279.
•  The DNR’s Parks and Trails Tower area office, 218-300-7842.

Information is also available online at mndnr.gov.