View of downtown Grand Marais from the Superior Hiking Trail near the proposed Sawtooth Bluff Regional Park site. Photo: Laura Durenberger-Grunow

By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - October 27, 2025

A Town Hall Meeting, hosted by Cook County Commissioners Debra White and Garry Gamble, has been scheduled to discuss the proposed Sawtooth Bluff Regional Park. The public is encouraged to attend and ask questions. However, for those unable to attend in person, there is an option to submit questions or feedback in advance. 

The meeting will take place on Thursday, October 30th, from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., at the Colvill Town Hall (2965 East Hwy 61), where a meal will be served. Community members are encouraged to participate in one of two ways: in-person, with an opportunity to ask questions, or by submitting questions in advance via email to [email protected] or [email protected]" before October 30th. 

The Sawtooth Bluff area is a 640-acre tract of mostly forested, undeveloped land that comprises a mix of city and county-owned parcels.

Official planning of the project began in 2015-2016. By 2018, the project was deemed a "viable candidate for a regional park" by the Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission, and a 2018 Sawtooth Bluff Master Plan was outlined. As of now, the project is still in the planning stage. 

As stated by Cook County Land Use Specialist Mitch Travis in a May 2025 City of Grand Marais Park Board meeting, the preferred development method for the project involves the city and county working toward a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA). If regional designation is achieved, the project could then apply for Legacy dollars for park components, a method described as a "quicker method of...funding and development."

Proposed amenities include hiking and biking trails and "improved public access." The Sawtooth Bluff Site Development Ideas map illustrates the conceptual amenities, including areas dedicated to Mountain Biking/Hiking Trails, a central Campground/Mountain Bike Trail Area, a Rock-Climbing Area, a Gravel Trail Loop Area, a Disc Golf Area, and more.

Image: Cook County

An 80-acre parcel, referred to as the "John Scheef Property," is identified on the Sawtooth Bluff Site Development Ideas map as a "Potential Site (Land acquisition needed)". According to information from the May 2025 meeting, "The Parks and Trails Commission is working as a county towards the acquisition piece of that parcel." Over the years, Scheef has attempted to secure access to the parcel, which remains landlocked. According to a WTIP article published in August of this year, Scheef (or any future owner) recently gained legal access to his 80-acre parcel on the bluff due to a ruling by a Cook County judge based on the discovery of an early 1900s plat outlining a street grid for the area. Following this development, Scheef, who had already subdivided the land into eight 10-acre parcels, approached county commissioners in April to propose that they purchase the entire property for $475,000. Scheef stated this price better reflects the current real estate market (versus the most recent Minnesota Land Trust evaluation, which came back at $175,900). Still, he expressed a desire to preserve the land and has given the county first dibs on acquiring it by December 1, 2025. County Commissioners voted in April 2025 to move forward in obtaining the land. 

Additionally, a grassroots group called "Preserve the Bluff," which consists of a mix of "homeowners on Old Ski Hill Rd, retired U.S. Forest Service and natural resource professionals, county officials, and community members," has been meeting since May, according to WTIP. The group hopes to raise funds from private donors and grants to purchase the land. The group does not appear to have a website or social media presence for more information. 

Community feedback on the project was collected in 2018 and again in 2025, with the most recent survey results presented to the Parks and Rec Board on May 6, 2025. The 2025 survey received nearly 485 responses, and feedback was described as "mixed results." 

Results showed that over half of full-time Cook County residents (approximately 56%) indicated they were "very likely" or "likely" to visit or use the park if it were developed. This likelihood was higher among part-time residents (approximately 80%). The most desired features identified were walking, mountain biking, and skiing trails.

Main concerns raised by those who responded included leaving the hillside alone for environmental and aesthetic purposes, and the belief that there were already enough recreational opportunities in the area. Other concerns focused on the park potentially prioritizing non-residents, as well as traffic and safety on the Gunflint Trail or Old Ski Hill Road. Additional concerns raised included the potential cost to taxpayers and the belief that officials should "focus on housing and not this project.