Our View: Enjoy the trails and respect others

Cloquet has an excellent system of recreational trails that are, for the most part, maintained by a handful of dedicated volunteers and one very dedicated and highly qualified part-time groomer hired by the city.

That’s why it’s sad to see thoughtless abuse of the trails by other, equally enthusiastic sports lovers, who often don’t even realize the damage they are causing.

The city’s Pine Valley park is the area of greatest concern and potential conflict, as it is an increasingly popular destination for all kinds of people who want to enjoy the great outdoors without leaving town.

The 5.5 kilometers of cross-country ski trails in Pine Valley are groomed by Ben Croft — a part-time employee and longtime ski coach hired by the city — for use by all Nordic skiers. The woodland park is the hub of the Lumberjacks Nordic ski teams and one of only two parks in northern Minnesota with active ski jumping, another sport that takes meticulous grooming. Hours of work by many can be destroyed in seconds by a person using a snowboard on the jumping hill.

Thus, it’s hugely important in winter that other winter sports enthusiasts — snowshoers, hikers, walkers, snowboarders, and fat bikers — use the trails and areas that are set aside for their uses, in this case the mountain bike trails and the former tubing hill at Pine Valley.

Additionally, we encourage non-skiers at Pine Valley and elsewhere to respect the amount of work that goes into maintaining trails for skiers. Please, look both ways before crossing the ski trails. Try to not damage the tracks and be aware that some uses, like fat tire bikes, can really damage a ski trail. Damaged trails aren’t just an annoyance: a skier can get hurt if they encounter a damaged trail while speeding along.

While the Pine Valley ski trails are solely for skiers in the winter, there are many multi-use trails in and around Cloquet and Carlton County. The nearby Spring Lake trail is groomed for skiers, but open to other users (as long as they don’t step in or ride through the ski tracks). There are wonderful trails along the St. Louis River, starting at the Chamber parking lot or Spafford Park, and the Cloquet Forestry Center is also open to walkers, snowshoers and skiers who like to break their own path. Other users are welcome on all these trails. Just remember you won’t be the only one out there. Leash your dogs and pick up after them. And if you are walking, hiking, or snowshoeing, please be aware of skiers coming up behind you. Likewise, we urge skiers to be aware that others may be using the trails and they should be cautious.

With mutual respect and some common courtesy, everyone who wants to take advantage of the beautiful outdoor opportunities we have in our community can do so safely. It just might mean you have to broaden your horizons by exploring new places, and that’s a good thing.