Lester Park XC Ski Trails
While walking my dog I noticed pink marker tags on trees marking a route through the woods between the various trails in the Lester XC Ski area. They have been there since May. Does anyone know what they are for? SHT spur? A new ski trail? A snowshoe trail?
I believe these flags mark the route of the new multi-use single track mountain bike trails.
Lester is the eastern terminous of the forthcoming ‘Duluth Traverse’ tail which will consist of 100 miles of trail from Lester to Mission Creek near Jay Cooke St Pk. The route will be designed with more ‘flow’ in mind rather than much of the technical singletrack already present in Duluth.
Definitely the new singletrack! Can’t wait.
The plan is to add another 5 mile multiuse singletrack loop in Lester as well as connecting it to the Duluth Traverse.
What is meant by “multiuse”? Bike in the summer, ski in the winter? Or does it mean bikes and hikers in the summer which sounds dangerous to me, as in biker hits hiker coming around the bend real fast.
Biking year round on the trails. However, they are not exclusively for biking, like the ski trails are in the winter. Running, hiking and snowshoeing as well.
I usually run on the trails. I am usually moving as fast as the bikes, except on the steep downhills. I have not had a problem. I usually step off to the side and let the bikes pass.
I ran on the Lester trail for over 2 years before seeing a bike on the trail at the same time as I was running.
The bikes don’t go that fast, are able to stop quickly if need be and no one wants to run into a hiker.
Good. Now if we can just keep the bikers off Chester Creek trail…
In the next year or so there may well be a multi-use (incl. bike) loop built in the upper part of Chester.
The trails are indeed an expansion of the current COGGS multi-use trail system called the Duluth Traverse. Our trails are human powered multi-use, meaning that feet and bikes are welcome but no horses or engines. The expansion of this system has been approved by the County and City but we are currently waiting to hear about the results of a Legacy grant application before building it. The intent for this area is to have it be very beginner friendly but equally enjoyable for riders of all abilities.
COGGS maintains 30 miles of trails open to both bikers and foot traffic without serious issues. As long as everyone has their head up and is respectful, feet and wheels can share trails peacefully.
Thanks for the information. I look forward to another trail to explore!
More singletrack…exciting!
I am a runner and I have never seen a conflict between runners and cyclists.
I run and ride. There’s plenty of room for us all out there. Keep up the great work, Adam.