Thursday, July 15, 2010
New Hiking Trail
12:54 PM
The Centennial Trail is one of the newest hiking trails on the Gunflint Trail. It is a combination of the Kekekabic Hiking Trail and a new trail cut along what was the Port Arthur, Duluth & Western Railroad. This was the railroad that was built to haul iron ore out of the Paulson Mine. The trail ran from what is today Thunder Bay to the north side of Gunflint Lake and then onto the site of the mine. Built in the early 1890's by hand with much of the work be done by Italian immigrants for Canada. After all of the work, only one car load of ore was ever taken from the mine before it failed!
The first 1.2 mile of trail is along the Kekekabic Trail which has been around for many years. It starts on the Gunflint Trail and ends outside Ely and is well maintained. Just after you come to the Paulson Mine you will cut back to the east and follow the new Centennial Trail. This was cleared late in 2009 by retired smoke jumpers. Every year they clear different trails around the country for public recreation. It is called the Centennial Trail because the Superior National Forest was 100 years old in 09.
The Centennial follows the old grade and is a diffuculte hike. The old trestles are gone and you have to climb up and down hills in a number of locations but I think it is a wonderful hike. Total length is about 3 and a half miles counting the part of the Kek you also hike. You will see old test pits, the Paulson Mine, historic railroad bed of the PAD & W and some great vistas of the area.
Sign at the Kekekabic Trail Sign at the Centennial Trail
It is a great hike but it is not for everyone.
The first 1.2 mile of trail is along the Kekekabic Trail which has been around for many years. It starts on the Gunflint Trail and ends outside Ely and is well maintained. Just after you come to the Paulson Mine you will cut back to the east and follow the new Centennial Trail. This was cleared late in 2009 by retired smoke jumpers. Every year they clear different trails around the country for public recreation. It is called the Centennial Trail because the Superior National Forest was 100 years old in 09.
The Centennial follows the old grade and is a diffuculte hike. The old trestles are gone and you have to climb up and down hills in a number of locations but I think it is a wonderful hike. Total length is about 3 and a half miles counting the part of the Kek you also hike. You will see old test pits, the Paulson Mine, historic railroad bed of the PAD & W and some great vistas of the area.
Sign at the Kekekabic Trail Sign at the Centennial Trail
