The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is accepting public comments on two proposed off-highway vehicle trail projects under the grant-in-aid program.
The OHV GIA program is a cost-share partnership between the DNR and local government sponsors and clubs. The GIA funds help maintain and develop trails for all-terrain vehicles, off-highway motorcycles and off-road vehicles.
These proposals are open for public comment:
Chatfield Connector: This proposal would formally designate an existing 22.5-mile route as part of the GIA program, linking existing roads and trail segments. This route would connect the Chatfield ATV Trail in Fillmore County to new recreation opportunities using about 13 miles of existing roads currently open to ATV use and 9.5 miles of mostly existing trail on private land. The trail would be open to ATV use. The city of Chatfield is the local government sponsor, and the Chatfield ATV Trails Club would be responsible for trail maintenance.
Seven Beavers Connector: This proposed 3.5-mile route in St. Louis County is located about 14 miles southeast of Hoyt Lakes. The route would follow an existing corridor used for forest resource management and snowmobile use. The proposal would formally designate the route under the GIA program, linking the East Range multi-use system and the Seven Beavers multi-use bridge. The route would cross lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service, St. Louis County, the state of Minnesota and private landowners. The route would be open to ATV and OHM use. St. Louis County is the local government sponsor and the Ranger Snowmobile and ATV Club would be responsible for trail maintenance.
The DNR will accept written comments until 4:30 p.m. March 18 by:
- Email to [email protected]. Please indicate the name of the proposed trail(s) being commented on in the subject line and email body.
- Mail to Molly Lou Pintok, principal planner, Minnesota DNR, Parks and Trails Division, 500 Lafayette Rd., St. Paul, MN 55155
Maps of the proposed trail segments are on the DNR OHV trail planning webpage. For more information, call Molly Lou Pintok at 651-259-5095.