Wisconsin Gets 213 Acres for National Trail Expansion

The North Country National Scenic Trail just took a major leap forward, with 213 acres of pristine Wisconsin wilderness now protected forever for hikers to enjoy.

The National Park Service acquired the property this spring along Lake Superior's southern shore, making it possible to move roughly three miles of America's longest trail off paved roads and onto permanent natural paths. Right now, nearly 1,500 miles of the 4,800-mile trail still follow roads instead of protected wilderness routes.

The newly protected land in Iron County, Wisconsin includes 1,300 feet of Lake Superior shoreline and a jaw-dropping 90-foot waterfall called Superior Falls, where the Montreal River cascades down steep canyon walls into a pool below. The property also protects a historic Native American trade route called the Flambeau Trail, once home to a 19th-century fur trading post.

"It's got it all," says Chris Loudenslager, the trail's superintendent. "You've got the historic component, Lake Superior, the falls, the river, the forest, and all the wildlife and plants that find that unique setting to be a particular habitat."

The National Park Service purchased the land from the Trust for Public Land, a nonprofit that initially bought it from a private owner for roughly $2.5 million. The deal was made possible through the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, with support from the National Park Foundation and Wyss Foundation.

The acquisition means the land is now permanently protected from development and will remain open and accessible to everyone. Trail planners will spend the coming months evaluating the best route through the property, aiming to preserve as many cultural and natural resources as possible, with construction potentially starting next year.

The Ripple Effect

This isn't just good news for long-distance hikers. The permanent trail benefits local Wisconsin communities by bringing outdoor enthusiasts to the area and protecting the region's natural beauty for future generations.

The North Country National Scenic Trail, authorized by Congress in 1980, now has 210 miles winding through Wisconsin, including 145 miles of permanent, off-street trail. Last year alone, the Park Service acquired 317 acres in another part of northern Wisconsin that will move more than 30 miles off roads, while volunteers in North Dakota built a new segment along Lake Sakakawea.

Every new mile of protected trail brings America closer to a coast-to-coast network of natural spaces where people can connect with the outdoors, and this spectacular Lake Superior property just made that vision a little more real.