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2025 Trail Work: Year in Review

December 22, 2025

All-femme crew working on Bean and Bear Lakes Loop and Spur reroute. Photo by Barbara Budd.

2025 marked an incredible year of renewal trail work on the Superior Hiking Trail. We are grateful for our entire trail community: volunteers, contractors, members, donors, land partners, grant funders, trail users, and staff. It’s the combination of all our efforts that made this progress possible. Thank you! Enjoy learning more about the highlights from the 2025 Trail Construction season.

Bean and Bear Lakes Loop

The Bean and Bear Lakes Loop renewal is now complete, after various closures for this multi-phased project. The Loop was identified in a 2017 Trail Assessment as one of the “Big Bad Five” due to serious erosion, tread issues, and alignment challenges. It is one of the most popular spots on the Trail, but due to the heavy use, required upgrades. Phase II of this project is now complete thanks to SHTA volunteers, Conservation Corps of MN and IA (CCMI), Trail Source LLC, and Great Lakes Trail Builders. The project scope included:

  • 600’ of reroutes completed that moved the Trail onto higher terrain and features gentler grades, smoother tread, and impressive rock work.
  • 135’ boardwalk installed on the Bean and Bear spur.
  • New 3/4-mile reroute of the spur trail, bypassing numerous steep sections and low muddy spots.
  • Expanded bench (or width) of new and existing tread from 18” to 24”.
  • Additional trail features such as steps, checks, retaining walls, and tread hardening which will increase long-term Trail sustainability and resiliency.
  • New structures based on modern trail designs (e.g. puncheon and stone steps) that replaced old infrastructure.
  • Overhaul of Bear Lake Campsite with six formalized tent pads, realignment of over 500’ of access spur trail, installation of approximately 20 stone steps placed in the steepest location, and improvement of the existing fire pit area.

It is time to celebrate a job well done as the Bean and Bear Loop renewal is complete!

Top Left: Fire at Bear Lake Campsite. Photo by Dan Dorland.
Top Right: Bean and Bear Lakes. Photo by John Steitz Photography.
Bottom Left: Spur trail reroute at Bean and Bear with enhanced tread and expanded bench. 
Bottom Middle: New stone steps on the access spur to Bear Lake Campsite. 
Bottom Right: One of the additional tent pads at Bear Lake Campsite.  
Beaver Bay Boardwalk

Volunteers installed a new 450’ boardwalk near Lake Lake Road in Beaver Bay in June. The result is a stunning new boardwalk winding through the woods.

Top Left: Volunteer training on boardwalk construction. Photo by Joe Baker.
Top Right: Volunteers with completed Beaver Bay Boardwalk in June 2025.
Bottom Left: Boardwalk under construction. 
Bottom Middle: Boardwalk under construction. Photo by Joe Baker.
Bottom Right: Runner cruising into Beaver Bay on boardwalk during Fall Superior Trail Races. Photo by Jeremy Hager.
Cascade River Loop

The Cascade River Loop was partially damaged during 2022 flooding, and has seen years of declining infrastructure. Last year, Phase I of the Cascade River Loop renewal project was completed. This year, SHTA volunteers and contractor, Trail Logic, worked on Phase II of the project, which will be completed summer of 2026. In 2025, work focused on renewing the northern mile of the east side:

  • 1,000’ of rerouted trail.
  • 320’ of new or renewed tread.
  • Repaired or replaced puncheon and installed many cribbed steps.
  • Completed the newest campsite – Boreal, which is now retrofitted with a fire ring, signage, and three tent pads.
Top Left: C-steps installed on the Cascade River Loop.
Top Right: Backpack-in volunteers working on the Trail.
Bottom Left: All-femme crew volunteers hauling materials for trail renewal.
Bottom Middle: Newly installed stone steps.
Bottom Right: Boreal, the newest SHT campsite located on the Cascade River Loop.
Cross River

The popular backpack-in project to Cross River in September brought much needed renewal to the area that was damaged from flooding. The crew:

  • Created two natural crossings constructed where bridges were lost in 2022 floods.
  • Rehabilitated tread and drainage to improve a wet area.
  • Installed four stone steps to a staircase.
Top Left: Volunteers posing on a new water crossing. Photo by Jerome Lemke.
Top Right: Volunteers trying out the newly constructed stairs. Photo by Jerome Lemke.
Bottom Left: Muddy trail at Cross River before volunteer improvements. Photo by Jerome Lemke.
Bottom Middle: Stairs in Progress. Photo by Jerome Lemke.
Bottom Right: Completed stairs. Photo by Jerome Lemke.
Duluth Projects

Once again SHTA volunteers, and crews led by contractor Larry Sampson, showed up in force to complete numerous projects in the Duluth area. Some of the highlights from the renewal work in Duluth include:

  • 300’ of puncheon replaced or installed near Spirit Mountain, Haines Road, and Mission Creek.
  • 168’ of trail hardened at Spirit Mountain, Haines Road, and Mission Creek.
  • 100’ Bagley reroute with new signs and blazing to eliminate the road walk.
  • Creek crossing upgrades near Haines Road and Kingsbury Creek, including a newly constructed rock crossing.
Top Left: Volunteers Myrtle and Eric adding drainage to the Trail. Photo by Alex Korbel.
Top Right: Volunteer Jordan working on de-berming the Trail. Photo by Alex Korbel.
Bottom Left: Puncheon construction in progress during United Way Day of Caring in Duluth.
Bottom Middle: Puncheon construction completed during United Way Day of Caring in Duluth.
Bottom Right: Puncheon framing during United Way Day of Caring in Duluth.
Split Rock River Loop

Last year the Split Rock River Loop was a hotbed of activity on the east side (Phase I), and this year work was focused on the the west side (Phase II). Split Rock was one of the “Big Bad Five” project areas identified in the 2017 Trail Assessment. Our contractor, Trails Anonymous, made great Phase II improvements:

  • Rehabilitated existing, worn out tread by reshaping and installing drainage.
  • Replaced failing structures with new puncheon, boardwalk, and stairs.
  • Coordinated a helicopter delivery to stage materials for the 2026 trail construction season (watch video on Facebook or Instagram).
Top Left: Split Rock River Loop with drainage issues before the renewal project.
Top Right: SRR Trail section after renewal.
Bottom Left: SRR Trail section after renewal with bridge.
Bottom Middle: SRR Trail section after renewal.
Bottom Right: Split Rock River Loop renewed tread.
2026 and 2027 Upcoming Projects

Bridges are the big focal point for the upcoming two years. Projects include the Split Rock River, Onion River, East Branch Baptism River, and Devil Track River bridges. Bridges are a labor-intensive and expensive undertaking with structural engineering, permitting, and detailed coordination. Years of planning and past support for these projects are making them possible in the coming years.

A huge thank you again to everyone who made these 2025 projects possible. We all made a powerful, positive impact on the Trail this year!

Funding the work
Funding for these projects and our volunteer program was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), North Country Trail Association Field Grant Program, Federal Recreational Trails Program, LLoyd K. Johnson Foundation, and our generous members and donors!

P.S. Did you know that half of the funding needed for renewal projects and trail maintenance comes from members and donors? Thank you to those who gave to protect the trail that connects us all!