Our Stories

New Trail in Wisconsin

Posted on October 29, 2015 by Andrea Ketchmark

Categories: News

The planned direct link between the North Country Trail in Wisconsin and the Superior Hiking Trail in Minnesota moved closer on October 17th, 2015, as a new 4.2 mile segment of trail opened in Wisconsin near the border with Minnesota.

Superintendent Mark Weaver of the National Park Service shared the vision of the North Country Trail with more than 50 who attended the dedication of the Atley Oswald Memorial Viewing Platform. Photo by Mark VanHornweder.

The new segment takes hikers along the north rim of the Nemadji River Valley and through the Gordon MacQuarrie Wetlands, a created group of ponds managed by the University of Wisconsin-Superior. Take a closer look with this interactive map:

The day’s events included a hike of the new segment, a picnic lunch, and the dedication of a new wildlife viewing platform.

Menke1 — The group of more than 25 hikers included several NCTA staff and NCT Superintendent Mark Weaver. Photo by Bill Menke.

The platform is a memorial to Atley Oswald, charter member of the NCTA Brule-St. Croix Chapter, who passed away in 2013.

Rita Oswald and other members of the Oswald family donated funds for the wildlife viewing platform. Photo by Mark VanHornweder.

The new segment was built by the Brule-St. Croix Roving Trail Crew.

Photo by Mark VanHornweder. Phil Anderson, who designed the viewing platform and led the group of Brule-St. Croix Chapter volunteers who built it, shows the biography of Atley Oswald displayed there. Other key volunteers who helped plan and build the platform were Don Penly, John Pearson, Jo-Ann Pearson, Val Kozlovsky, Mark VanHornweder, and Bill Menke.

Crew Leader Bill Menke commented, “We were pleased to work with UW-Superior on this project. Having a National Scenic Trail pass through this university research and recreation area is a unique feature. Long distance hikers will get to explore this special place, while visitors to MacQuarrie can follow the trail to see more of the surrounding valley.”

Dr. Renee Wachter, Chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Superior, hiked the trail and spoke at the dedication program. Photo by Mark VanHornweder.

Thanks to our volunteers and donors, visitors to this area will enjoy this new section of Trail and the viewing platform for years to come.