Cass, Itasca and St. Louis Counties, MN
178.8 mi total 0.0 certified 0.0 connecting 105.8 marked 73.0 bare
THE ARROWHEAD PROJECT: The 1982 Comprehensive Plan for the North Country National Scenic Trail called for the trail to proceed east out of Chippewa National Forest through the Hill River and Savanna State Forests, and through Savanna and Fon du Lac State Parks on the way to Jay Cooke State Park, near the Wisconsin border. Nothing was ever done about this plan, due to extensive private landownership along the way, and the fact that much of the land that would have to be crossed is marshy. An abandoned railroad grade was once seen as a possible route through the area, but its dedication as an ATV trail scotched that idea, leaving the only other possible route as a fight across marshland _ it was once estimated that the route would require as many as 40 miles of bog bridges, an expensive and nearly impossible task.
Before the trail was authorized, an early draft of proposed NCT routes across eastern Minnesota called for the route to proceed northeastward to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW), then eastward to the Lake Superior shoreline, then southwestward to the Duluth area and Jay Cooke State Park. This plan was rejected in 1976, because there was little existing trail along the way.
But, things changed in the years after 1982. First, the Kekekabic Trail, a former fire access and recreation trail in the BWCAW, had been dropped from the Superior National Forest management plan, until the maintenance of the trail was taken over by the newly formed Kekekabic Trail Club. Then, the Minnesota Rovers, an outing group affiliated with the University of Minnesota, built the Border Route trail east from the Kekekabic Trail through the BWCAW to Grand Portage, on roughly the alignment proposed in 1976 for the NCNST. Finally, at about the same time, the Superior Hiking Trail Association was formed, to develop a quality hiking trail down Minnesota's "north shore" of Lake Superior. Development went forward rapidly, and the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) quickly became a going concern. So, independent of the NCT comprehensive plan, about two thirds of the 1976 proposed route became a reality, a route percieved in many ways to be better than the Savanna Portage route selected for the NCNST.
Even in the late '80s, Minnesota interests in the NCTA could see that the Savanna Portage route was a non-starter, and started calling for the diversion of the NCNST several hundred miles out of the way onto the "Arrowhead" route (the north shore region is commonly called Minnesota's "Arrowhead). The fly in that ointment was that it was still farther from the Chippewa National Forest to Ely than it was to Jay Cooke State Park along the Savanna River route. The first candidate was a project at one time called the "Cross Range" trail, which later became the Taconite Trail, connecting Grand Rapids, a few miles east of the Chippewa NF, with Ely. This trail eventually became established, but as a snowmobile trail, making it uncertifiable for the NCNST. Attention then turned to a second trail, the "Mesabi", a rail-trail conversion with the same two end points, but somewhat to the south, going through the mining towns of Hibbing and Virginia. The Mesabi, unfortunately, has had a troubled history, and it now appears that it will also be a bicycle/snowmobile trail. A separate hiking treadway once was proposed, but was greeted lukewarmly.
A second problem was that the Arrowhead is a huge deviation from the 1982 Comprehensive Plan - the largest relocation ever considered for a national scenic trail. While smaller deviations from the plan _ both on the NCNST and elsewhere _ have routinely been approved by the Park Service, this one was just too big to swallow without further guidance.
In 1997, it was finally decided that an amendment to the 1982 Comprehensive Plan would have to be written and approved in order to go ahead. This plan is in preparation at this writing. Where trail exists, the route of the Comprehensive Plan Amendment is obvious, but Chippewa National Forest to Ely is still a problem. The plan at this point is to develop a 5-mile wide "general corridor" for the trail in this area, similar to the 1982 plan; current park service thinking is aimed at a new route north through the Chippewa National Forest to the west of the Taconite, then finding a new route east through the George Washington State Forest to Superior National Forest lands, and going through them to Ely. While Chippewa National Forest officials have some good ideas of how this route could lead, and a few scattered patches of existing trail that might be worked into the project, plus enthusiasm to get started, the route there will not be easy to finish, and will have to twist around marshy areas to a considerable extent. And, the Chippewa National Forest segment is only about forty percent of the route, so once the Comprehensive Plan Amendment is complete it will still be some time before the western segment of the "Arrowhead" is completed. It is the largest remaining segment of NCNST on public lands waiting to be developed.
The long-distance hiker faces the same problem as NCNST planners: getting from the Chippewa National Forest to Ely. As a strictly temporary measure, there are still two routes: the Taconite, and the Mesabi. The Mesabi is somewhat more direct, but passes through abandoned mining areas and several towns, is frequently close to a highway, and is only in an early stage of development. The Taconite more closely approximates the proposed new NCNST route, although well to the east of the potential new route for the first third of the way, but possibly fairly close for the balance of the distance, and goes through considerably wilder and more scenic countryside, so it's been selected as the suggested route for this guide, but not without strong reservations, discussed below.
Due to the temporary nature of this connection, the belief that it will get relatively little hiker use, and the difficulty of getting detailed information, discussion in this section is neccessarily limited, and mileages given are sometimes estimates with the accuracy is not believed to be as high as elsewhere.
0.0 [0.0] JUNCTION OF NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL AND FR3761
The first problem in using the Taconite Trail as a connection between the certified North Country Trail in the Chippewa National forest and the trails in the BWCAW is getting to the Taconite Trail trailhead at Grand Rapids in the first place. While it would be possible to continue on down the NCNST for half a mile or so to SR6, and follow that and US2 on into Grand Rapids, the route given here is about the same distance, and avoids the heavier traffic. The route begins by following FR3761 northward for half a mile, winding around a bit, until reaching FR2112, a wide gravel road.
0.5 [0.5] JOIN FR2112
FR2112 jogs to the east for a short distance, then continues north. After about two miles, it jogs a little to avoid a lake, and two miles farther north, it bends northwesterly to go around another lake. Finally, after another couple miles, it bends back to the northeast, and after about 0.4 miles intersects with paved CR65.
6.9 [6.4] TURN EAST ON CR65
CR65 heads east; after about 1.2 miles, CR137 intersects from the south. The road bends to the north, then, after about another 1.3 miles, bends back to the east. After another mile, the CR74 intersects from the north. The entrance road to Schoolcraft State Park is about 0.8 miles to the north.
SCHOOLCRAFT STATE PARK, located on the Mississippi River is one of the newer state parks in the state, established in 1959. Its 133 acres contain a good deal of virgin pine timber over 300 years old. It is named for Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, Indian Agent at Sault Ste. Marie in the early 1800s, the explorer of much of this area. It has 30 secluded campsites, pit toilets, and picnic tables. This small park is administered from nearby Hill Annex Mine State Park. For more information, contact Hill Annex Mine State Park, PO Box 376, Calumet, MN 55716 (218) 247-7215.
10.7 [3.8] CONTINUE EAST ON CR65
The suggested route continues east from the CR74 intersection. After about 1.5 miles, the road jogs south to go around a bend of the Mississippi River; after another 0.6 miles, enter Itasca County. After another 0.5 miles, reach SR6.
13.3 [2.6] TURN NORTHWEST ON SR6
The suggested routh follows SR6 northeastward. After 0.6 miles, it bends to the north; after another 1.0 mile, it reaches the intersection of paved CR64.
14.9 [1.6] TURN EAST ON CR64
The route follows wide, paved CR64 eastward. The road winds around a little; after 7.1 miles, pass the intersection of CR62. The road is northeastward here, and continues northeast for another 1.1 miles, and intersects CR63/76.
23.1 [8.2] TURN SOUTHEAST ON CR63/76
After 0.5 miles, CR76 departs to the south; CR63 continues east another 1.4 miles, crossing the Mississippi River at Sylvan Lake. On the far side of the bridge, just before reaching the railroad tracks and a block before reaching US2, turn east on Third St. West in the west part of Grand Rapids, MN.
25.0 [1.9] TURN EAST ON THIRD ST. WEST
Third Street West parallels US2, the main street through town, a block south. After 2.2 miles, crossing many streets along the way, reach north-south Third Avenue East, in downtown Grand Rapids.
GRAND RAPIDS, MN 55744 (Pop. 7934) is the largest town on the trail -- or, at least, the suggested route -- since Valley City, ND, and the first good supply point since Walker. It's also the last supply or maildrop point before Tower, 120 miles to the northeast. The town is the home town of Judy Garland, known for her role in The Wizard of Oz, and her trademark song, New York, New York, (think about the lyrics). Several restaurants, from fast food to family; large, full service supermarkets and several smaller convenience stores; several motels; hardware, sporting goods, drug stores, doctor, dentist, medical center.
27.2 [2.2] TURN NORTH ON THIRD AVE. EAST
The suggested route follows sidewalks north along Third Ave. East. After about 0.7 miles, the street bends slightly to the northeast, and reachs the Itasca County Fairgrounds. After another 0.3 miles, continuing straight ahead, reach the trailhead for the Taconite Trail.
28.2 [1.0] REACH TACONITE TRAIL TRAILHEAD
THE TACONITE TRAIL: There are problems with suggesting the use of the Taconite in this guide, the biggest being that the Taconite is a snowmobile trail. Snowmobile trails cannot always be followed by hikers in summer, since frozen marshlands are perfectly feasable to ride snowmobiles across in the winter, but can be impassible in warmer weather _ and about a third of the Taconite has such marshlands that break the trail between road crossings, though much of the trail between these crossings may be passable. The Minnesota DNR Taconite-Arrowhead Trail Office (406 Main Street, Box 388, Tower MN 55790, [218] 753-6256) has suggested detours on roads through these areas for use with this guide.
The second problem is marking. Again, while it's possible to follow a groomed snowmobile trail with minimal markings in winter, those same minimal markings can cause trouble for the summer user, especially when spring growth covers markings adequate in wither. In some places sampled in the summer of 1997 in the course of preparation of this guide, markings and the trail itself seemed obscure, although adequate in other places. Nonexistent markings seem particularly the case at several spots where the hiker must follow obscure forest tracks to get from a trail segment to a nearby road.
While it's possible to find any number of people that have been over the Taconite on a snowmobile, finding someone who has walked the whole thing in the summer and is able to give a report on it has proven impossible, though hiker reports are available for a couple of short sections, and some sections are normally used in summer by horses, mountain bikes, and hikers. Therefore, for the hiker using this guide, the Taconite is much more an exploratory effort than anywhere else, and again, it will be pointed out that mileage figures given are estimates that could be off by a large percentage, and most likely too short than the actual figure. Detailed reports from any hikers using this section would be appreciated in the event that the Taconite, or some sections of it, are included in future editons of this guide.
Using the Taconite as a North Country Trail connection is not recommended without:
Lest the hiker be scared off, there some good things about the Taconite. First, there are several trailside shelters, rare elsewhere on the NCNST. These shelters were built for snowmobile use, but are available to hikers; adequate parking is available at several widespread locations. Not all of the trail is diffiult to follow; a portion of it is even paved. The suggested route is fairly level, passes through or near several excellent state parks, and generally passes through wild country which sees little recreational use when there's no snow on the ground.
The Taconite Trail starts out north from the Itasca County Fairgrounds. The first section is paved, and used as a short touring bike trail. After about 1.7 miles, it bends to the east, and, after about another 2.4 miles, crosses the Prairie River. The Taconite continues to the east, paralleling CR61, and pavement ends shortly to the east of the river. The Taconite continues east near CR61 for another mile, then turns to the north. However, the first of the places where the suggested route has to depart from the Taconite is here, and where the Taconite turns north to cross CR61, the suggested route continues to the east on the road for about another 0.2 miles, until reaching CR325.
33.7 [5.5] TURN NORTH ON CR325
CR325 heads north; after 0.2 mile, pass the intersection of CR322. Farther north 0.8 miles, CR325 jogs east for a quarter mile, then goes north a mile, then back to the west for half a mile, north a quarter mile, west 0.3 mile, then bends to the north. About 0.1 mile north of the bend to the north, the Taconite Trail crosses.
38.5 [4.8] TURN NORTHEAST ON TACONITE TRAIL
The trail starts out northeast, but soon bends to the north, then back to the northwest, reaching CR325 after 2.5 miles and using the road to cross the Prairie River again. North of the river, the trail heads north, but soon bends to the northeast, reaching CR60 (Clearwater Rd.) 2.9 miles northeast of the Prairie River bridge. Another detour off the Taconite Trail is needed here.
43.9 [5.4] TURN EAST ON CR60 (CLEARWATER RD.)
The suggested route follows Clearwater Rd. (CR60) east for 1.2 miles, until reaching the intersection with CR330.
45.1 [1.2] TURN NORTH ON CR330
The suggested route follows CR330 north for 1.6 miles, until reaching the intersection of paved CR59.
46.7 [1.6] TURN WEST ON CR59
The detour goes west for 0.4 miles, until reaching the Taconite Trail crossing, which is obscure and offset from the trail leading south.
47.1 [0.4] TURN NORTH ON TACONITE TRAIL
Re-enter Chippewa National Forest lands at this point. The Taconite heads north through the woods. After about 2.3 miles, it bends to the northeast, crosses a stream after about another 0.5 miles, (leave Chippewa NF again just east of this point) and after about another 1.6 miles reaches a trail shelter with an access road leading north; another detour is needed here.
51.5 [4.4] TURN NORTH ON SHELTER ACCESS ROAD
The access road heads northwesterly, then northeasterly, around a small lake, reaching CR50 after 1.4 miles.
52.9 [1.4] TURN EAST ON CR50
The suggested detour route heads eastbound. After about 1.3 miles, the Taconite Trail is crossed, but is still unusable; continue east for another 0.9 miles to the CR343 intersection.
55.1 [2.2] TURN NORTH ON CR343
CR343 heads north for 0.7 mile, then turns back to the west for 0.3 mile before resuming its northern course. After 1.7 miles, CR347 intersects from the west; in this stretch, the still unusable Taconite is crossed once again. After another 0.3 miles, CR343 bends to the east and becomes CR51. After a mile, it bends northeastward, and 0.3 miles further on, intersects with CR7.
60.4 [5.3] TURN SOUTHEAST ON CR7
CR7 is followed southeast for 0.6 miles until reaching a Taconite Trail parking area near the corner of CR333.
61.0 [0.6] TURN EAST ON TACONITE TRAIL
The Taconite actually starts out heading south, until crossing CR333, then heads east to the south of the road. After about 1.2 miles, cross CR333, which has turned into a north-south road, and bends to the northeast, then north, then back to the northwest. After about 0.5 mile on a northwesterly heading, near a small pond a small woods road angles off to the northeast; another detour off the Taconite is needed.
64.6 [3.6] TURN NORTHEAST ON WOODS ROAD
The small woods road starts out heading northeast, but soon bends to the east, then to the southeast, then back to the east, before finally reaching CR336 after 0.8 miles. (Note: if the hiker suspects they've missed the obscure intersection of the woods road with the Taconite, bushwhack east on a compass course until reaching north-south CR336.)
65.4 [0.8] TURN NORTH ON CR336
The route goes north on CR336 for 2.3 miles, until reaching CR53. George Washington State Forest is reached along this segment.
67.7 [2.3] TURN EAST ON CR53
After 0.3 miles, cross the still-unusable Taconite Trail once again. A shelter is located about 0.3 miles north on the Taconite. Continue eastward; the road bends to the south around Harday Lake, and about 0.9 miles after crossing the Taconite, a woods road heads east.
68.9 [1.2] TURN EAST ON WOODS ROAD
The woods road starts out easterly, but soon turns to the northeast. About a 1.7 miles from CR53, the Taconite joins from the north to use a bridge with the woods road, but the Taconite turns back to the north while the detour stays on the woods road, which continues northeasterly. (A shelter is located about 0.6 miles north on the Taconite on the west side of the creek.)After about 3.9 miles, it bends to the north, and after about another 1.8 miles, it intersects with the Taconite once again. (Note: once again -- if the obscure woods road is lost, or the intersection with the Taconite is missed, bushwhack east on a compass course until reaching SR65.)
74.8 [5.9] TURN EAST ON TACONITE TRAIL
There are no more detours off the Taconite until after crossing US53, fifty miles to the east. The trail heads east for 1.4 miles until reaching SR65; a parking area is located at the crossing.
76.2 [1.4] CROSS SR65
The Taconite starts out easterly, but soon bends to the northeast, then to the north, and parallels SR65, about 0.8 miles to the west. A fire tower is passed soon after the turn to the north, and a shelter shortly afterward. The trail continues north, reaching CR52 (Link Lake Trail) 5.5 miles after the SR65 crossing.
81.7 [5.5] CROSS CR52 (LINK LAKE TRAIL)
The Taconite has trended northerly or northeasterly up to this point; from here on, the trend is easterly. Once across CR52, the trail turns east, and parallels the road about 0.2 miles to the north of it. After about 5.5 miles, a small woods road is crossed; about 1.6 miles farther, CR65 crosses again, just north of Beatrice Lake. A campsite with 32 rustic campsites and vault toilets is located south about 0.5 miles, in McCarthy Beach State Park.
88.8 [7.1] CROSS CR65 AGAIN
After about 0.3 miles, enter St. Louis County, and McCarthy Beach State Park. A shelter and developed camping area is located along the trail here, about 0.2 miles into the park, and 0.4 miles east of the CR65 intersection. The park's "Ridge Trail" also leads southwesterly from this vicinity. While the Ridge Trail can be used to access developed areas of the park, it's just as easy to follow the Taconite until reaching the CR65/501 crossing, about another 1.8 miles to the southeast. To reach the developed areas of the park from this intersection, go southeast about 0.8 miles until a park road leads southwesterly; a parking area is located at this corner. After about 0.7 miles, the park road reaches another intersection, this time with CR915. The park headquarters and campground is about a mile south on CR915; the village of Side Lake is about 1.5 miles farther south and east, still on CR915.
MCCARTHY BEACH STATE PARK. If someone were ever to make a list of the top ten beaches on the North Country Trail, McCarthy Beach would make the list; in fact, Highways Magazine puts it on their list of the top 17 in the country. The beach, located between the large Sturgeon and Side Lakes, facing the former with a modern campground on the latter, is not the only attraction; it also has many trails and other features, picnic shelters, boat rentals and interpretive programs. There are 45 modern campsites with flush toilets, and 14 rustic campsites with vault toilets. For more information, contact McCarthy Beach State Park, 7622 McCarthy Beach Rd., Side Lake MN 55781 (218) 254-2411.
SIDE LAKE, MN 55781 General store, limited supplies. Side Lake is about the only potential location for a maildrop between Grand Rapids and Tower.
91.1 [2.3] CROSS CR65/501
After 0.8 miles, CR5 crosses. If not going to the park area, CR5 is a better access to Side Lake, about 2.5 miles south.
91.9 [0.8] CROSS CR5
Enter Sturgeon River State Forest.The trail starts out northeast from CR5, but it soon turns to the east, and after about a mile and a half, to the southeast. After about another 2.3 miles, cross CR652. The Taconite parallels CR65 for a distance, crossing it after about another 0.5 miles. After another 2.6 miles, reach CR931, entering Superior National Forest.
99.3 [7.0] CROSS CR931
The Taconite continues easterly; after about 1.8 miles, pass a shelter. After another 0.8 miles, CR65 is reached, and the CR65 bridge is used to cross a stream. At the bridge, the Taconite moves to the north side of CR65, and heads easterly, then northeasterly, for another 2.4 miles until reaching a parking area on SR73.
103.9 [5.0] CROSS SR73
The Taconite continues to the east; after about 2.4 miles, cross north-south CR271. About 0.5 mile further, the road bends to the north, and crosses CR481. The trail parallels CR481 northward (just to the east of the crossing, it makes a right-angle bend to the north) for a short distance, then uses the road bridge to cross a stream. Once across the stream, the Taconite heads northeast for about 0.5 miles, then turns back to the east, until reaching CR25 after about another 2.4 miles.
110.3 [6.4] CROSS CR25
The trail continues to the east; after about 0.9 miles, cross an unnamed woods road. A shelter and a camping area are located nearby. After another 0.5 miles, cross CR920. The route bends northeasterly for about 0.6 miles, but turns back to the east to pass north of Fourteen Lake, and continues east-southeasterly, reaching US53 8.5 miles after the CR920 crossing. A parking area for a nice viewpoint is located near the crossing.
120.4 [10.1] CROSS US53
No detours have been needed off the Taconite for the last fifty miles; for the next 15 miles, until leaving US169, it's all detour, fortunately on county roads. The Taconite is followed for a few yards past the US53 crossing, until reaching CR257 just south of its intersection with US53, but from there on, CR257 is followed to the southwest for 4.2 miles until CR405 intersects from the north.
124.6 [4.2] TURN NORTH ON CR405
CR405 is rather twisty, but otherwise a good gravel road. The detour follows it north; after about 3.0 miles, the Taconite joins the road briefly in order to use the road bridge over Puutlo Creek, and stays with the road across a railroad track just beyond, but the road soon bends to the east, and the Taconite, unusable in summer, turns to the north. The road winds around, now more easterly, for another 4.5 miles, until reaching the intersection of CR256.
132.1 [7.5] TURN NORTH ON CR256
CR256 is also rather windy, but good quality gravel. Heading north, after about 2.7 miles it bends to the east around Pfeiffer Lake; a 16-site campground is located at the lake. Sturgeon River State Forest is re-entered near here. Half a mile to the east, the Taconite, still unusable in summer, crosses, while the detour stays on CR256 for another 2.2 miles, emerging on SR1.
137.6 [5.5] TURN EAST ON SR1
SR1 is followed to the east for 5.1 miles, until reaching the intersection of US169. Fortunately, SR1 has fairly wide shoulders.
142.7 [5.1] TURN SOUTH ON US169
After 0.4 miles southbound on US169, the Taconite Trail crosses and is rejoined.. This is the end of the last big detour; there are two more smaller ones.
143.1 [0.4] TURN EAST ON TACONITE TRAIL
The Taconite goes east for about 1.5 miles, then bends to the northeast for another 3.8 miles, until reaching SR136 just south of the village of Tower.
TOWER, MN 55790 (Pop. 640) is the first good resupply point since Grand Rapids, 120 miles to the west. Several restaurants, mostly family style; three motels, medium size grocery store, convenience store, pharmacy, sporting goods, hardware.
148.5 [5.4] CONTINUE EAST ON TACONITE TRAIL
The Taconite skirts the south edge of town; be careful with trail markings, as several snowmobile trails converge in this area. The trail basically parallels SR1 once outside the village, until reaching the village of Soudan, 3.2 miles east of SR136. Soudan Underground Mine State Park is located about 1.0 mile north; a restored mine, it has excellent interpretive facilities, but limited facilities for the traveler. The Taconite turns south on village streets, and after about 0.3 miles, turns south on a woods road; after about another 0.3 mile, an abandoned railroad grade, now the Mesabi Trail (once considered as a possible NCNST route) is reached. The Taconite continues south, but another detour, down the Mesabi Trail, is needed in summer.
SOUDAN, MN 55782. Convenience store.
152.3 [3.8] TURN EAST ON MESABI TRAIL
The Mesabi Trail, undeveloped and in marginal condition but followable, is followed eastward for about 2.5 miles, until reaching the crossing of a woods road. This was once the town of Murray. Following the Mesabi on into Ely is a possiblity, but it stays close to SR1 most of the way; this is about as far as the trail gets from the road.
154.8 [2.5] TURN SOUTH ON WOODS ROAD
The woods road is followed south for about 1.4 miles, until the Taconite Trail crosses. The Taconite is rejoined here.
156.2 [1.4] TURN EAST ON TACONITE TRAIL
The Taconite trail is followed to the east. After about 2.5 miles, there is a shelter and a camping area; 2.5 miles farther, enter Bear Head Lake State Park About 0.5 miles into the park is a side trail leading past Cub Lake to the developed area. of the park.
BEAR HEAD LAKE STATE PARK. This beautiful 4000 acre northern forest park is dotted with lakes that make it a canoeing and fishing paradise. It is home to bears, eagles, wolves and moose. The park has 24 modern campsites, 49 rustic campsites, and four backpack campsites (located about 2 miles on the far side of the developed area from the Taconite). It also has a nice swimming beach, many miles of trails, picnic shelters, and a guest house. For more information, contact Bear Head Lake State Park, 9301 Bear Head State Park Road, Ely, MN 55731 (218) 365-7229.
161.7 [5.5] CONTINUE EAST ON TACONITE TRAIL
The trail continues through the park. After about 1.9 miles, reach CR128.
163.6 [1.9] TURN NORTH ON CR128
This is the last detour needed on the Taconite, and it's a short one. Follow CR128 north for 0.4 miles, until it bends to the west, and a small road heads east. Follow the small road east for about 0.5 miles, until the Taconite rejoins.
164.5 [0.9] TURN EAST ON TACONITE TRAIL
The Taconite Trail continues to the east. After about 2.4 miles, pass Purvis Lake, with camping and a shelter. About 3.6 miles further, cross a small stream; there is another campground and shelter after about another 1.2 mile, and again about 3.2 miles farther to the northeast. The trail continues east for about another 1.6 miles, then turns north for about 1.2 mile, jogs to the east for a ways, then joins Second Ave. North in Ely.
177.0 [12.5] TURN NORTH ON SECOND AVE. NORTH
Follow Second Ave. North about four block to Sheridan Street, (SR1) Ely's Main Street. (Ely will be described in the next section).
177.4 [0.4] TURN EAST ON SHERIDAN STREET (SR1)
It would be possible to follow side streets heading downtown, but walking into Ely is a great experience, for this is one of the most backcountry-oriented towns in the country -- if not the most -- so why not enjoy it? Follow Sheridan Street east for 1.4 miles, until reaching the intersection of SR1 and SR169.
178.8 [1.4] REACH INTERSECTION OF SR1 AND SR169
Discription of this section ends at this point.