Planning for the 400- mile off road vehicle (ORV) route from the shores of Lake Superior to the border of North Dakota is coming along, said Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Mary Straka, OHV program consultant, Parks and Trails Division.
Meetings were held last winter to begin the process for making a state trail using existing public rights of way and minimum maintenance roadways or trails for highway licensed, high clearance vehicles.
“The meetings provided some great input,” said Straka. “The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources staff, the Minnesota 4 Wheel Drive Association and the consultants from the National Off-highway Vehicle Conservation Council will be working on following up on suggestions to get the draft ready for public review and comment on the proposed core touring trail for highway licensed vehicles.
Between March 2017 and June 2018, said Straka, “A draft route will be designed based on input received from informational meetings and local knowledge and a second set of public informational meetings will be held to gather input on the draft core touring trail for highway licensed vehicles.
“The route will be revised and finalized based upon that input.”
Following those steps, said Straka, the MN4WDA and the MN DNR will begin the process of putting the trail on the ground using Minnesota’s Grant- In-Aid program and other agreements with local road authorities.
Trail planners want to work with local communities to identify connections to significant natural, cultural, and historic areas of interest; out of the way restaurants; and locations for technical riding areas as part of the planning for the trail.
The trail will be specifically tailored to 4×4 Jeeps and light trucks. The route will be closed to all vehicles under 2,000 pounds.
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