Day hikes through forests, alongside rivers, abound near Barnum, Minn.

The Willard Munger State Trail
is one of many near Barnum, Minn.

A variety of great day hiking trails run near the small community of Barnum, Minn.

Conveniently located off of Interstate 35 between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Duluth, several excellent state parks and forests are within an hour’s drive of Barnum. Most notable are Moose Lake and Jay Cooke state parks.

Among the major Barnum-area trails are:
g Blackhoof River Trail – The Blackhoof Wildlife Management Area offers many trails, including a 1.3-mile round trip through aspen-spruce/fir and riparian forests to the Blackhoof River. Park at the trailhead on County Road 6’s south side just west of the County Road 3 intersection.
g Mahtowa Road Trails – A web of branching ATV trails that can be day hiked run through the southern section of the Fond du Lac State Forest northwest of town. On Minn. Hwy. 14 west of the County Road 172 intersection, take the first road heading north; drive well past the buildings and hike to the first trail junction for a mile round-trip.
g Willard Munger State Trail, Barnum segment – A parking lot is on the south side of County Road 6/Main Street west of downtown Barnum. Going north, the trail crosses the Moose Horn River.
g Willard Munger State Trail, Mahtowa segment – Though there’s no designated parking lot in nearby Mahtowa, a number of access paths run from parallel streets, particularly County Road 61 and County Road 141. The trail heading north of town is more wooded that the southern route.

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

Trails lead to neat sites near Cromwell, Minn.

Trails that run through a spruce-fir forest, atop a formation left by ice age glaciers, and to a fire tower await day hikers in the Cromwell, Minn., area.

Located west of Duluth, Cromwell is easy to reach via Interstate 35; simply exit onto Minn. Hwy. 210 and head west. Among Cromwell-area day hiking trails are:
g Carl Sandell Trail – Berry picking is common on this trail, which runs through aspen and spruce-fir forests, across upland grass areas, and past alder/willow swamps in the Carl Sandell Wildlife Management Area. Located northwest of town, park off of either Krogh or Homstad roads (both are County Road 122), and take the stem trail for about a mile round trip. Map.
g Corona Ditch Trail – This trail heads through northern Minnesota wetlands in the Kettle Lake Wildlife Management Area, offering an opportunity to see a number of waterfowl, especially during migrations. The trailhead is east of town on County Road 263, south of Minn. Hwy. 210; when County 263 reaches the state forest, turn left at a T-intersection and park at the end-of-the-road lot; this is an ATV trail that goes over a knoll then into a wetlands with the Corona Ditch Pool on the trail’s left. When the trail comes to T-intersection, turn back for about a 1.8-mile round trip. Map.
g Esker Trail – A ridge of sediment left by a glacier’s meltwater some 10,000 years ago serves as the route for this 1.2-mile round trip hike in Sawyer Wildlife Management Area. Located southeast of town, from Cromwell take Hwy. 210 then go south on County Road 7; turn right on the road to Sterle Pool, park in the third lot on the pool’s south side, and follow the trail east over a creek to the esker’s top. The ridge is about 1300 feet elevation, a good 120 feet above the valley floor. When the trail comes to T-intersection after descending the esker, turn back. Map.
g Rogers Lake Trail – This lollipop trail, in which the stem is far longer than the loop, runs about 7 miles round trip in the Fond Du Lac State Forest, passing the Cromwell Lookout Tower along the way. From town, take Minn. Hwy. 73 north. Turn right/east onto County Road 122 and then left/north onto County Road 120. Finally, go right/east onto County Road 223 (aka State Forest Road). The trailhead is in about a third of a mile, on the road’s right/south side. Map.

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

Fire tower, small lake await hikers in forest

The Cromwell Lookout Tower.
Photo courtesy Minnesota's Historical
Fire Lookout Towers blog.

Minnesota's Rogers Lake Trail
runs for 7 miles across brushland

Families with older children will enjoy a hike past a fire tower and around small Rogers Lake in Minnesota’s Fond Du Lac State Forest.

The Rogers Lake Trail – a lollipop route in which the stem is far longer than the loop – runs about 7 miles round trip. A plethora of unnamed trails can be found throughout this corner of the state forest; for convenience, we’ve named the route after its destination.

To reach the trail, from Cromwell, take Minn. Hwy. 73 north. Turn right/east onto County Road 122 and then left/north onto County Road 120. Finally, go right/east onto County Road 223 (aka State Forest Road). The trailhead is in about a third of a mile, on the road’s right/south side. Park far off the road’s shoulder.

From the road, the jeep trail passes through a small clump of evergreens and then past the Cromwell Lookout Tower. Built in 1949 by the state forest service, the tower reaches 100 feet high.

Fires are common in the 64,505-acre state forest that stretches across Carlton and St. Louis counties. In fact, one of Minnesota’s deadliest forest fires occurred in what later would become the state forest: The 1918 Cloquet Fire, sparked during a drought, left 453 dead and burned 250,000 acres.

Marshland
After a road gate, the trail heads south into open brush country. Alder and willow trees tend to dominate most of the state forest’s brush areas.

In about a quarter mile from the fire tower, the trail veers northeast and parallels a long, narrow stretch of marsh. If hiking in spring or summer, be sure to wear mosquito repellent.

About a mile from the trailhead, you’ll come to a tree farm. There’s a small shelter here for resting. The trail briefly passes through the plantation. With younger children, this marks a good spot to turn around; you’ve gone 1.5 miles for a 3-mile round trip.

If doing the full hike, the jeep trail crosses a narrower walking path then turns north, going by wetlands that usually are more blue than dry. This is an excellent place to watch for waterfowl, especially ducks.

Rogers Lake
The trail then continues northeast, coming to a junction for a logging road heading south; go straight/northeast, however.

Next the trail reaches a T-intersection. Go left/north; within a few dozen feet, turn right/east. The trail to this point has been a stem to this small, 1-mile loop that circles Rogers Lake.

Go left/north (or clockwise) on the loop. Rogers Lake covers six acres and so is among the smallest of Carlton County's 114 lakes. The terrain around the lake does head up and down a little, but most of the trail is flat and even.

Once the loop reaches the main stem trail, return the way you came.

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