The Department of Natural Resources invites public review and written comments on a proposal by Range Riders ATV to obtain grant-in-aid funding for additions to the all-terrain vehicle trail system in Itasca County in northern Minnesota.

Grant-in-aid funding is allocated from a dedicated all-terrain vehicle (ATV) account to local governments to provide new ATV trails, trail connections and trail maintenance. Money in the dedicated account is generated through ATV registration fees and a portion of the gas tax associated with ATV use.  

The proposed trail, known as the Len Hardy Memorial ATV Trail, would provide a 9-mile trail connection between the city of Nashwauk and the Alborn-Pengilly Trail. The trail would follow 7.75 miles of existing roads and a hardened snowmobile trail (which is a former logging access route), as well as 1.25 miles of new trail on land formerly used by the mining industry. It would make connections to the Alborn-Pengilly Trail and the Goodland Trail. The Range Riders ATV Club would maintain the new trail.

The DNR will accept written comments on the proposal until 4:30 p.m. Monday, July 6. Comments may be submitted:

• Via email to [email protected]
• Via mail to Kacie Stanek, assistant area supervisor, Parks and  Trails Division, Minnesota DNR,  1201 East Hwy 2, Grand Rapids, MN 55744.

A map of the proposed trail segments can be found on the DNR’s website. For more information, call Kacie Stanek at 218-328-8983.