by Jamee Larson
What is the Heartland Trail Extension?
According to the Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails Division, the Heartland State Trail is one of the oldest rail-trails in Minnesota, legislatively authorized in 1974. The trail currently runs from Park Rapids through the communities of Dorset, Nevis, Akeley, and Walker and into Cass Lake, a distance of 49 miles.
The Heartland Trail Extension will link the current trail at Park Rapids to the city of Moorhead, a total distance of approximately 85 to 100 miles, depending on the selected route. Specific alignments have not been finalized, but the intent of the plan is to connect the communities of Park Rapids, Wolf Lake, Frazee, Detroit Lakes, Audubon, Lake Park, Hawley, Glyndon, Dilworth and Moorhead, as well as the Smoky Hills State Forest, Buffalo River State Park, and other natural and recreational resources within the trail corridor.
The extension will consist of multi-use trails that encourage a wide variety of activities, including: bicycling, hiking and walking, running/jogging, in-line skating, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, snowmobiling, and hunting. Generally, the alignments follow road corridors. It is not envisioned, however, that the trail will be located entirely along these routes. The goal is to find alignments that take trail users off the general path, providing access to natural and cultural amenities and to scenic routes that showcase the landscape.
The DNR has established the following general criteria to guide the location of the trail:
• Work with willing landowners and road authorities to acquire right-of-way that
showcases features of the landscape.
• Minimize trail user exposure to vehicular traffic.
• Minimize impact on wetlands.
• Avoid negative impacts on rare and endangered species, and avoid
fragmentation or disturbance of significant native plant communities.
• Maximize trail accessibility.
For the purposes of planning, the trail has been divided into five segments from east to west:
1. Park Rapids to Smoky Hills State Forest
2. Smoky Hills to Frazee (2A) or Smoky Hills to Detroit Lakes (2B)
3. Frazee to Detroit Lakes (Extension of 2A)
4. Detroit Lakes to Hawley
5. Hawley to Moorhead
Segment five would be located south of Highway 10 and connect the major metropolitan area of Fargo-Moorhead to the native prairie and recreation opportunities at Buffalo River State Park.
What is the positive impact of a trail system?
The DNR estimates that for five Minnesota trails surveyed between 2007-2009, summer spending totaled nearly $5 million. 95% of that spending came from trail users from outside the local economy of the trail. In other words, approximately $4.75 million “new” dollars were added to these communities during the survey period. This positive impact has been echoed in surveys by other Minnesota organizations. The University of Minnesota estimates that MN road bicyclists spend over $337 million while on trips, contribute more than $28 million in state and local taxes, and support 4,100 jobs. Snowmobilers spend nearly $173 million annually, contributing $15 million in state and local taxes while supporting 2.300 jobs. Trails have also been credited with increased property values and an enhanced quality of life in the communities through which they run. These systems can provide communities with a sense of pride and identity in the face of increased tourism.
The biggest impact, however, may be in the area of health and wellness. Trails create healthy recreation and transportation opportunities by providing people of all ages with attractive, safe, and accessible places to exercise. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 25.7% of all Minnesotans were classified as obese in 2010, compared to 27.8% of those living in North Dakota. A lack of physical activity, combined with a poor diet, is the 2nd leading cause of preventable death and disease in the U.S.
Even though Minnesota is consistently rated among the top trail friendly states in the nation, the northwest corner is not connected to the state trail system, an oversight the Heartland Trail Association would like to rectify.
What can you do?
In 2006, the MN State Legislature authorized $250,000 for land acquisition and trail planning. An additional $1.5 million was authorized by the state in 2008, much of which is being used to construct a tunnel under Highway #10 in Detroit Lakes. City officials from Clay, Becker, and Hubbard counties are in the process of asking Governor Dayton to earmark $3 million of the next bonding bill for trail segment number three completion between Frazee and Detroit Lakes. In 2014, the Commissioners from Clay County are planning to request additional funding for trail study and planning in order to complete segments four and five.
It is estimated that the Heartland State Trail Extension will cost between $200-250 thousand per mile to complete. Community support is needed to see the extension become a reality. To obtain more information, or to offer your voice of support,