REGIONAL— Interest in the Mesabi Trail continues to grow, and the St. Louis and Lake Counties Regional Railroad Authority, which manages the trail, has the data to prove it. Thanks to more than two dozen trail counters spread along the 165 miles of the route, from Grand Rapids to Ely, trail officials now have a much clearer sense of just how much traffic the paved bike trail is receiving— and the numbers are impressive.
So far this year, the trail has seen 140,000 users, with several weeks of peak outdoor riding and a couple major rider events yet to come.
The trail has had counters in the past, but most had stopped working. Trail authorities added 21 new counters to the four older ones that still functioned to help give a much better sense of usage throughout the trail.
The numbers suggest that the efforts by trail supporters, like Club Mesabi, to promote the Mesabi Trail have been remarkably successful. When Club Mesabi was created, their goal was to hold a major bike tour event on the Mesabi Trail every summer to bring attention and visitors to the area. The Great River Energy Mesabi Trail Tour has been a successful event since the first one was held in 2005. This year’s event, which had nearly 300 registered riders, was no exception.
“Hundreds of riders, many volunteers, 17 sponsors, seven communities, and many organizations made this all possible,” said Club Mesabi Executive Director, Paula Kangas. “We would like to extend thanks, gratitude, and heartfelt warmth to everyone who made this great event happen.”
There have been events held on the Mesabi Trail over the years, but the past two years have seen the advent of some new activities. Club Mesabi has organized several local community rides to engage with folks living in the area. A local hiking group gathers to walk the full length from one end to the other, taking on a different section each week. This is their third year and they are closing in on ending another successful summer trek. The Iron Range Half Marathon that took place on Aug. 17 was a great success as well, according to event promoters. This inaugural event had 186 registered participants, running most of the 13.1-mile fully sanctioned half marathon route on the Mesabi Trail from Eveleth to Gilbert to Virginia. Another event held on Aug. 17, The Grind at Giants Ridge, used a portion of the Mesabi Trail to connect different mountain bike courses. And BAM (Bike Across Minnesota) had 350 riders doing an out-and-back ride from Hoyt Lakes to Grand Rapids over four days.
The marketing efforts made by the rail authority have garnered national and international interest in the trail. “Not only are we seeing more events occur on the trail, but there has been a marked increase in map requests and wheel pass sales this year,” said Kangas. “I’ve had to restock wheel pass vendors multiple times as they keep selling out the supply they have on hand.”
Two other events are coming up this month, including a ride on the Vermilion segment sponsored by Ride MN. The Tomassoni Tour, a ride in memory of Sen. David Tomassoni who worked tirelessly to bring the Mesabi Trail to fruition, will be held on Sept 19-21. This event will cover two different segments of the trail, the first day on the Vermilion segment, and the second day on the Mesabi segment. The first-day route between Tower and Ely covers 27 miles for the half tour and 54 miles for the full tour. The second day will begin in Eveleth and turn around at Chisholm. The half-tour distance is 30 miles and the full-tour distance is 60 miles. This is a phenomenal event that aids in the fight against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) through the fundraising requirements of participants.
“We are excited to see the investments in the Mesabi Trail bringing more people to our region,” says St. Louis County Commissioner Michael Jugovich of Chisholm. “This has been part of our strategic plan from the beginning as we look to strengthen the workforce in our area by offering amazing quality-of-life amenities.”
Almost 30 years have been invested in the development and construction of the trail, but it is only in the past couple of years that a concerted effort has been made to market this tourist gem in the Northland. “Once completed, the Mesabi Trail will be a sought-after destination for many seeking to experience this region’s beauty, history, and culture,” said Jugovich.