Welcome to scenic northwest Wisconsin! The Brule-St. Croix Chapter of the North Country Trail Association invites you to enjoy the forests, lakes and rivers of our trail country near Lake Superior.
Our chapter was formed to develop, maintain, and promote use of the North Country National Scenic Trail from Bayfield County Highway A, south of Iron River, Wisconsin, to the Wisconsin-Minnesota border near Foxboro, Wisconsin.
Since our beginning in May, 1997 we have built miles of trail in and near the Brule River State Forest; established an annual National Trails Day hike to promote trail use; and organized an enthusiastic and growing group of trail supporters in our area.
Morris Pond
Chapter News
Conference 2010 Program & Registration Now Available
Make your plans now for NCTA's National Conference in Ashland, August 5-8. Meet other trail enthusiasts and activists from across the NCT's states. Hike, canoe, or tour with them. Learn new skills, enjoy good food and great entertainment. To see the program and register for the conference, visit www.northcountrytrail.org/conf10.
Adopt Your Own Piece of the Trail
What does it mean to be a trail adopter? It means you get to know a section of our national trail that is yours. It means watching the changing seasons from your own wilderness walk It means reading the appreciative comments of other hikers in your section register book. It means you get to drive the DR mower!
Here are sections of trail waiting for adoption for 2010.
1. Bayfield Cty A to Banana Belt Rd. near Iron River
2. Banana Belt Rd. to Pero Rd. near Iron River
3. Hwy. P to Crowshaw Rd. near Solon Springs
4. Crowshaw Rd. to Bus. 53 in Solon Springs
How do you become an adopter? Contact Adopter Coordinator Peter Nason, phlpnason@gmail.com or 715-378-4412, to start. Come to the Spring Chapter Meeting for initial training in trail adopter skills.
Spring Chapter Meeting Notes
At
the spring chapter meeting April 17th, plans were completed for National Trails
Day on Saturday June 5th, as well as fundraising activities for area food
shelves on July 10th, as part of Solon Springs Family Fun Days in partnership
with the Friends of the Bird Sanctuary, Upper St. Croix Lakeshore Owners
Association, and Canoes On Wheels. We also discussed trail construction
and maintenance activities. See "Minutes" below for all the details.
Paul Johnson of Iron River received a
Volunteers In Parks (VIP) certificate from the National Park Service at the
meeting. Here President Tim Mowbray, right, presents the certificate to
Paul.
Chapter members removed blowdowns from the trail between the Highland Town Hall and Mott's Ravine Road. Taking a lunch break at the Mott's Ravine Overlook are Peter Nordgren, Paul Johnson, Lynne Nason, Peter Nason, Joanne Pearson, Dave Zosel, John Pearson, and Chuck Zosel.
National Trails Day Events in the Solon Springs Area - Saturday, June 5th
Plenty of outdoor fun is on the schedule for our 14th annual
National Trails Day celebration. Mark your calendar!
8:00 - 9:00 AM - Coffee and conversation at the Bird Sanctuary Clubhouse
9:00 - 10:00 AM - "Hike Across Wisconsin on the North Country Trail". Bill Menke, NCTA Great Lakes Regional Trail Coordinator
10:30 - noon - shuttle to Spring Creek, then hike east through the southern Bird Sanctuary
12:30 PM - lunch for all at the Bird Sanctuary Clubhouse, donation suggested
2:00 PM - hiking and trail maintenance in Lucius Woods County Park
For more information, contact Lynne at 715-378-4412 or phlpnason at gmail.com
National Trails Day Hike
Food Shelf Benefit Saturday, July 10th
NCTA Brule-St.Croix Chapter - Upper St.Croix Lakeshore Owners Assn - Friends of the Bird Sanctuary - Canoes On Wheels
Admission - canned food or $5/person, $10/family, benefits area food shelves
Hikes
1 AM - 1 PM Brule Bog Boardwalk, shuttle from St.Croix Inn
2 PM - 4 PM Bird Sanctuary, shuttle from St.Croix Inn
Pontoon Rides
11 AM - 5 PM on the hour, St. Croix Inn
Canoe Paddles
11 AM - 5 PM on the lake or on the river, shuttle from St. Croix Inn
NCT, BSC featured in “National Parks Wisconsin” on Public TV
In July 2009, Dan Small’s video crew from the public TV program, “Outdoor Wisconsin” spent the day on the NCT in the Brule and Solon Springs areas with chapter members and NCT Superintendent Tom Gilbert. The result was “National Parks Wisconsin”, a companion to the Ken Burns “National Parks” public TV series.
The program features Wisconsin’s four National Park Service properties: the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, the Ice Age National Scenic Trail, and the NCT. Three are right in our neighborhood, with the Ice Age Trail not far away.
“National Parks Wisconsin” has been telecast a number of times on the Wisconsin Public Television network. The entire program and its four segments can be viewed online: http://wpt2.org/NPA/NationalParks.cfm
New Land Acquisitions Along the Trail
Steve Bade of the Wisconsin DNR reports pending purchase of two key properties northeast of Solon Springs. The Prevost property will permit completion of the trail between Highway A at the north end of the village of Solon Springs, and Reinsberg Road. The Epperly property closes a gap of about 200 feet on the Brule-St. Croix Portage crossing this private property. The entire portage will now be owned by the State of Wisconsin as part of the Brule River State Forest. A third pending purchase at the south end of Solon Springs is just north of the access road to the Solon Springs transfer station, where trail currently exists across private property.
Chapter Activities
Iron River Hikers
The Iron River Hikers meet at 9 AM each Tuesday at Orchards Cafe in Iron River. If you'd like to take an interesting walk, be there...the group chooses a trail section, travels together to the trailhead, enjoys hiking together, then often follows up with lunch at a nearby restaurant. They hike year round! For more information, contact Bob Norlin, 715-372-5229.
Solon Springs Hikers
The Solon Springs Hikers are meeting each Thursday at 9:30 AM at the Solon Springs Community Center. Contact Lynne Nason, 715-378-4412, or Sheila Ohm, 715-378-4340 for more information.
Trail Information
Trail Maps - Certified Sections of the North Country Trail in Northwest Wisconsin
Chapter Information
Bylaws of the Brule-St. Croix Chapter
Chapter Contacts
President
Tim Mowbray
10811 S. Jackson Dr.
Solon Springs, WI 54873
tmowbray at earthlink.netSecretary
Peter
Nordgren
11260 E. Timber Ridge Rd.
Lake
Nebagamon, WI 54849
pnordgre
at yahoo.com
Vice Chair & Hiking
Coordinator
Lynne
Nason
P. O. Box 712
Solon Springs, WI 54873
phlpnason at
gmail.comTreasurer & Trail
Maintenance Coordinator
Peter Nason
P. O. Box 712
Solon
Springs, WI 54873
phlpnason at
gmail.com
Trail Links
North Country Trail Association - Our parent organization, linking people across the 4200 mile trail
Chequamegon Chapter - Our neighbors to the east on the trail
Superior Hiking Trail Association - Our neighbors to the west on the trail...well, actually, north and east of us across Lake Superior...but if you're hiking west on the trail, they're next.
Where do the Brule and St. Croix Rivers start? Learn the intimate secrets of the headwaters bog at John Lindquist's website, www.jlindquist.com.
This page is maintained by Peter Nordgren, Brule-St. Croix Chapter Secretary