The Mesabi Trail now stretches 165 continuous miles from Grand Rapids to Ely. The milestone comes as the trail celebrates its 30th anniversary.
The project is managed by the St. Louis and Lake County Regional Railroad Authority, which will host a week-long celebration beginning Saturday, Sept. 12,to commemorate the anniversary.
Club Mesabi will host a 30-mile ride on Saturday, with food and live music. The ride will also feature the last section of trail to be completed, which runs from Tower to Embarrass.
Other events to mark the completion of the trail include a ribbon cutting Tuesday at Tower Depot Park and an open house Wednesday at the Mesabi Station Trailhead in Eveleth.
The asphalt path covers old railroad beds, highways and logging and mining roads. It’s funded in part by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources and the Minnesota Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund.
Adults who travel the path by wheels — such as bicycles, eBikes, skates or skateboards — are required to buy a Wheel Pass. Revenue from the passes also supports the trail.
More activities celebrating the trail’s completion will be added throughout the week. Details can be found at mesabitrail.com.
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Events this week include a book sale in Brainerd, an Indigenous storytelling event in Grand Rapids and an author talk in Virginia.
