Fall color hikes abound in Cloquet MN area

Connector to Ogantz Trail, Jay Cooke State Park

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors in the Cloquet, Minnesota, area than

a hike.

The brilliant yellows, oranges and red of maples to the

scarlet and russets of oaks...the crisp, fresh autumn air and the last warm rays of sunlight before winter arrives...the crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath your boots...stopping to enjoy a warm mug of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around Cloquet to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Jay Cooke State Park (Carlton)
Hikers can walk through a forest of aspen, birch and maple at Jay Cooke State Park. A 2-mile round trip segment of the Ogantz Trail actually can be extended to a 4-mile round trip if doing the other segment; at one time, the trail was a loop but there’s now a gap in it. From Cloquet, take Interstate 35 south. Exit east onto Minn. Hwy. 210, driving through Carlton. Turn right/south into the lot and picnic area for the Oldenburg Point Shelter. Take the trail going northeast and at Trail Intersection Marker 12, continue left-straight/northeast. A second segment of the trail heads right/south from the marker.

Superior Municipal Forest (Superior)
A boreal forest may not seem like the best place to enjoy autumn leaves. The Superior Municipal Forest, however, delivers, with its extensive growth of gold-leafed white birch and aspen amid evergreen white and red pine, balsam, cedar, and black spruce. A 1.6-mile segment of the Millennium Trail winds through the woods. In Superior, at the 28th Street and Wyoming Avenue intersection, turn south to the municipal parking lot. The trail goes both east and west; skip the eastern side, which leads to multiple railroad tracks in Superior’s industrial section.

Congdon Park (Duluth)
Autumn leaves alongside billion-year-old rock and a creek sporting several small waterfalls await at Congdon Park in Duluth. The 1.2-mile (one-way) Congdon Park Trail follows Tischer Creek, as it makes its way down the bluffs toward Lake Superior. The orange of maple with the yellow of birch and the gorge’s red walls feels like you’re walking through a rainbow. In Duluth, park in the lot for Mount Royal Market at the corner of Woodland Avenue and East St. Marie Street. Walk East St. Marie Street east, entering the park at the junction with Vermillion Road.

Chester Creek (Duluth)
A pair of picturesque waterfalls, footbridges, and a walk alongside Chester Creek await hikers on the Chester Park Loop in Duluth. Located near the near the University of Minnesota-Duluth campus, the 2.4-mile trail is particularly beautiful in autumn when the golden bronze of maple and basswood leaves form a canopy over the path and float upon the creek. In Duluth from West College Street take North 19th Avenue E southeast. Turn right/west onto W. Kent Road, then right/west onto East Skyline Parkway after the curve right/northwest onto Chester Park Drive. Park off the road then walk back alongside it to East Skyline Parkway and cross the bridge to the trailhead.

Bear Beach State Natural Area (Brule, Wis.)
A walk along a pristine sand beach awaits day hikers of the Lake Superior shoreline in the Bear Beach State Natural Area. The unmarked trail runs for up to 3.4-miles round trip along narrow Bear Beach. Hiking the beach, you’ll get a good sense of what this area of the world looked like before Euro-Americans settled it. A thick woods hugs the sand’s southern side while the lake stretches wide beyond to the north. Though the forest this far north is heavy on the evergreens – especially balsam fir, white pine and white spruce – but in autumn the yellowed-colored leaves of paper birch and trembling aspen and the spring green of speckled alder are well-represented. From Brule, take U.S. Hwy. 2 west. In Maple, turn north onto County Road F. Next, go left/west onto Wis. Hwy. 13 then right/north onto Beck’s Road. Park in the dirt lot at the end of Beck’s Road near the Lake Superior shore.

St. Croix State Forest (Sandstone)
Hikers can walk alongside pretty Tamarack River, where a variety of trees light up the trail in autumn. The 3.75-mile out and back Tamarack River Trail runs along the river’s west side before it flows into the St. Croix River. Rolling terrain features maple, basswood, ash, aspen, oak, tamarack along with the evergreens Norway, red and white pine. From Sandstone, take County Road 123 east then go straight-left/east on County Road 30. Turn right/south onto County Road 24 and then left/east onto County Road 25. After passing Markville Cemetery, take the next right/south. Park at the Tamarack horse camp and head south on the trail in the St. Croix State Forest.

Great scenery found among Cloquet-Carlton area day hiking trails

St. Louis River Pedestrian Trail

Several excellent day hiking trails can be found in and around Cloquet and Carlton, two neighboring communities in southeastern St. Louis County, Minnesota. Among the sites that can be seen – the rough and tumble St. Louis River, beautiful fall leaves, and two of northern Minnesota’s rapidly disappearing ski jumps.

Trails in the Cloquet-Carlton area include:
g Carlton Trail – About 4.3-miles round trip, the Carlton runs along the St. Louis River's south side between trail Junctions 27 and 28 in Jay Cooke State Park. Park at the lot for the swinging bridge and upon crossing it, turn right/west at trail Junction 32 then continue straight at Junction 28.
g High Trail – This often overlooked 3.75-mile round trip out-and-back trail in Jay Cooke State Park sits close to the Wisconsin border on the St. Louis River’s south side. Park off the road on Minn. Hwy. 23 about a mile from the border. The trail climbs up in elevation to a lookout over the river.
g Mountain Goat Forest Road – A small segment of the Fond du Lac State Forest sits between Jay Cook State Park and the Wisconsin border. The jeep trail runs about 3.6-miles round trip up and down a hill. From Minn. Hwy. 23, go south on Mountain Goat Forest Road (sometimes labeled on maps as Bandle Road) into the forest, parking at a turnout about 1500 feet from the highway.
g North Country National Scenic Trail – This seven-state trail enters Minnesota from Wisconsin at Jay Cooke State Park. Park in the lot for the swinging bridge and head north across Minn. Hwy. 210 to Forbay Lake for a scenic 1-mile (2-miles round trip) segment of it within the state park, via the White Pine and C.C.C. trails.
g Organtz Trail – The 2-mile loop in Jay Cooke State Park heads through a forest of aspen, birch and maple, which makes for a great autumn hike; along the St. Louis River are heavy deposits of red clay left here by retreating glaciers some 10,000 years ago. Park in the lot for the picnic area east of the swinging bridging.
g Pine Valley Trails – Cloquet’s Pine Valley Park offers several miles of ski trails in two loops that can be hiked when the snow is gone. The northern 2.5-mile loop goes around the ski jump and begins at the chalet; park in ski jump lot at 1202 Olympic Drive.
g St. Louis River Pedestrian Trail – The paved, interpretive trail area in Cloquet runs along the north side of the St. Louis River. Park at the Cloquet Chamber of Commerce offices off of County Road 33/Sunnyside Drive. A connecting bridge crosses the river to Spafford Park.

Related blog entries:
g Hike across swinging bridge on Minnesota’s East Ridge Trail 
g Willard Munger Trail accessible in number of Minnesota cities

Read more about day hiking Northeast Minnesota in my Headin’ to the Cabin: Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.

Willard Munger accessible in several cities

Willard Munger State Trail passes a rock cut between
Duluth and Carlton, Minn. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

The Willard Munger State Trail ranks as among Northeast Minnesota’s premier recreational routes.

The paved bike path stretches across three counties, running 63 miles from Duluth south to Hinckley. It’s the fifth longest paved trail in the United States. Day hikers are welcome on the trail.

The Willard Munger can be accessed in a number of other communities. Among them are:
g Barnum – A parking lot is on the south side of County Road 6/Main Street west of downtown. Going north, the trail crosses the Moose Horn River.
g Carlton – A large parking lot with picnic shelter is along County Road 1 (Third Street) between North and South avenues. This route heads east/north toward Duluth with a connecting trail to Jay Cooke State Park.
g Duluth – The northern tip of the trail can be accessed at a number of spots. Among the most popular with parking lots are (from south to north): off 123rd Avenue West via the Superior Hiking Trail; off Riverside Drive at Grand Avenue (Minn. Hwy. 23); and marking the trail’s northern terminus, off Pulaski Street east of Grand Avenue (Minn. Hwy. 23).
g Finlayson – Park on Finland Avenue (County Road 60) immediately west of Front Street. Going south on the trail heads past green farmland in summer.
g Hinckley – The southern terminus of the trail begins at a gravel parking lot along 2nd Street NW (County Road 18) between Old Hwy. 61 N and Root Avenue N. The trail passes the Grindstone Reservoir and dam with a bridge over the Grindstone River.
g Mahtowa – Though there’s no designated parking lot, a number of access paths run from parallel streets, most notably Minn. Hwy. 61 and County Road 141. The trail heading north of town is more wooded that the southern route.
g Moose Lake – Park along Industrial Road between Third and Hickory avenues. Going south on the trail takes hikers across and then along the Moose Horn River.
g Rutledge – Park at the City Hall and Community Center off Minn. Hwy. 23 N., taking a stem trail behind (north of) city hall to the Willard Munger. Heading north brings hikers over and along the Kettle River.
g Sandstone – West of town, park in a dirt pull-off along County Road 27 at the County Road 61 intersection. Either direction takes you through wooded areas and past bucolic farm fields.
g Sturgeon Lake – A dirt parking area sits off of County Road 61 north of 2nd Street. Going south takes hikers into General C.C. Andrews State Forest.
g Thomson – Parking is available off the west side of County Road 210 south of Dalles Avenue and north of the trail. Heading west on the trial brings you past some rock formations and to a bridge over the rapids-laden St. Louis River.
g Willow River – A parking lot is located at the end of Church Street, west of County Road 61. The north-bound trail heads into the General C.C. Andrews State Forest.

A branch of the Willard Munger, known as the Alex Laveau Memorial Trail Segment, runs from Carlton through Wrenshall east to Minn. Hwy. 23. Major access points for this segment include:
g Carlton – Use the lot along County Road 1 (Third Street) between North and South avenues; walk south along the side of County Road 1, accessing the trail after crossing Otter Creek. Head southeast through wooded areas and rock outcroppings.
g Wrenshall – On non-school days, park in the Wrenshall Elementary lot northeast of the building; walk southeast on Pioneer Drive for an access road to the trail. The southeastern route runs through a nice mix of forest and farmland.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.

Hike across swinging bridge at Jay Cooke

Rapids of the St. Louis River in Jay Cooke State Park.

Rock at Jay Cooke S.P. nearly 2 billion years old

Day hikers can cross a swinging bridge above a raging river running over nearly 2 billion-year old rock on the East Ridge Trail at Minnesota’s Jay Cooke State Park.

The 1.5-mile round trip trail is one of about 50 miles of hiking paths through the park just southeast of Cloquet. To reach the park, from Interstate 35 take the exit for Minn. Hwy. 210, driving east through Carlton. The park is about five miles from the freeway. Turn right/south at the River Inn Visitor Center and use the lot nearest the river.

The trail leaves from the parking area’s southeast end. This actually is a stem for the looping East Ridge Trail, which is on the river’s south side. The stem heads through a picnic area before reaching the St. Louis River.

Swinging bridge
A new $1.1 million swinging bridge opened in November 2013. To the delight of most kids (and adults), the 219-foot pedestrian bridge bounces and sways. It replaces the 1953 bridge damaged during 2012’s flooding.

Beneath the bridge is the raging St. Louis River, which rushes over exposed bedrock formed about 1.9 billion years ago when a vast sea covered this area of North America. Over the eons as the mud and sand compacted into shale and greywacke, heat and pressure converted the buried stone into slate. Then, about 1.1 billion years ago, molten rock worked its way through fissures and covered much of the ground, leaving black basalt in its wake.

Once across the bridge, go left/east. You’re now officially on the East Ridge Trail, with this segment paralleling the river’s edge. Raging floodwater from melting glaciers some 10,000 years ago formed the river’s current course.

At Junction 29, go right/southeast. The rest of the trail heads through a hardwood forest whose green in summer rivals that of Oz’s Emerald City. The leaves turn an impressive array of yellows, reds and oranges as autumn sets in.

Upon reaching Junction 30, go right. The trail meanders about quite a lot along this segment but essentially heads west.

Variety of wildlife
Watch for a number of animals as walking through the woods. White-tailed deer will be easy to spot, but also look for signs of black bear, timber wolf and coyote.

At Junction 31, head right/north. The trail at this point has looped back toward the river.

More than 180 species of birds make their home in the park, so keep an eye to the sky when the trail opens up. Among the most fascinating birds in the park are the great blue heron, the marsh hawk, and the pileated woodpecker.

Upon reaching Junction 28, go right. The trail is now in its homestretch. At Junction 32, turn left and walk along the river shore; the trail soon arrives at the swinging bridge. Cross and follow the stem trail back to the parking lot.

Read more about day hiking Northeast Minnesota in my Headin’ to the Cabin: Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.