Minnesota carries quite a bit of political clout  E-mail
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Minnesota carries quite a bit of political clout in the bicycling community. A few years back, the state was recognized by Bicycling Magazine for its cycling friendly representation.

Perhaps one of the biggest voices is that representation has been Willard Munger, who for 43 years until his death in 1999 left his mark on environmental and conservation policies. The Willard Munger State Trail opened in 1989 and for many years it was the longest paved trail in the country. The trail was named Minnesota’s Millennium Trail for the year 2000. The 72-mile paved portion of the trail stretches from Hinkley to Duluth.



Millennium Trails is a national initiative of the White House Millennium Council in partnership with the Department of Transportation and its non-profit partner, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. Sixteen “National Millennium Trails” have been designated for their national significance. Each trail is marked with a special Millennium Trails sign with a national logo, and is featured on the web at www.millenniumtrails.org.

While on the Willard Munger State Trail, users will encounter northern hardwood forests as well as jack, red and white pine and spruce fir. It’s not uncommon to spot white-tail deer, raccoom, red fox porcupine, beaver and muskrat. It’s also possible to happen upon coyotes, weasels, mink, bobcats and black bears.

The trail includes three segments: The Hinckley-Duluth Fire Segment, the Alex Laveau Memorial Trail and the Munger East/Boundary Segment. Laveau was a former county commissioner and farmer who pushed for reusing abandoned railways as public trails. The Boundary segment is an 80-mile natural surface trail running through remote forests linking St. Croix State Park with the Chengwatana, St. Croix and Nemadji State Forests. Some parts of this trail, which is used for snowmobiling, horseback riding, hiking and mountain biking, may be impassable in summer.
 
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