Our Stories

Help us build trail with the beavers!

The beaver is probably the most common animal our trail workers and trail users see evidence of when they are out on the trail.

Nocturnal by design, the beaver is not an animal you see very often but you sure know where they’ve been. And sometimes the evidence of where they’ve been is the very reason you are now walking on the trail in a foot of water!

Beaver problems can surface quickly, ruining the hiking experience.

In some cases rising water can make the trail impassable and put the long distance hiker at risk, or at the very least, significantly inconvenienced.

On the North Country Trail we think beaver country is some of the most beautiful hiking along the trail and we’d prefer to not miss it!

So we work with the beaver.

Watching what they do, we gently build our trail “through” their habitat and “over” their handiwork.

That way our hikers, bird watchers and scout groups can have a great hike AND see some amazing beaver country. And if they are really lucky, they might get to see one of our buck-toothed friends.

Planning, building and maintaining the North Country Trail corridor through beaver country takes time and a lot of resources. All seven trail states have very active beaver communities and require regular monitoring and diligent maintenance.

Working with our beavers is an annual challenge.

Your generous gift of support will allow us to make sure we can keep providing a high quality hiking experience through beaver country in all seven states. Please make a gift today.

 

 

Click an image below to view the Beaver Tale on the North Country Trail in the Chippewa National Forest (all photos taken by Matt Davis).

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