Our Stories
When Memories Become Miles
According to Jonathan’s dad, the Rogstad family fell in love with the property in 1919. Multiple generations, siblings, and cousins had over 100 acres in north-central Minnesota to hunt, fish, and camp. They eventually cleared some trees to add a primitive cabin that Jonathan recalls helping build. The structure remains standing today, complete with kerosene lamps, wood heat, and an outhouse.
“From fall to spring, my parents went up about every other weekend to build the chimney from stone and to hunt,” explained Jonathan Rogstad, one of the landowners who is now in his 60s. “Us kids came along, dug up sand and mixed mortar.”
“Mom hosted dinner parties and loved burning the wood stove,” Jonathan continued. “She was the camp cook, except for breakfast! We didn’t have the facilities to do much from-scratch cooking, but one of my most memorable meals was boxed scalloped potatoes. I also remember sitting on the [tree] stand and hearing Mom pump the water for lunch. We’d have steaks over the fire on Friday night. On Saturdays, Dad smoked a beef roast. We took any game we got to a shop in Frazee for processing and smoking.”
In the winter, Jonathan’s mother would cross-country ski around the property, often hosting her ski club. In the spring, the family tapped maple trees and boiled the sap into syrup. It’s been paradise for the Rogstads; this land helped create a wealth of memories for the family. They now invite you here to make memories of your own.
“The land has never been posted, and we want to keep it that way, open to the public,” said Jonathan.
About 10 to 15 years ago, after meeting with Willis Mattison, volunteer from the Laurentian Lakes Chapter of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA), the family reached a handshake agreement, allowing the trail to cross their property.
The trail also winds through the adjacent Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, thanks to a strong partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). On the other side of the Rogstads’ property was an isolated parcel of land also owned and managed by the USFWS: the Johnson Tract. It was technically part of Tamarac, but not connected to the main refuge.
“It was difficult to access,” explained Kent Sundseth, Refuge Manager at Tamarac. “For a long time, [we] wanted to find property that would bridge the gap.”
This is when the group discussion began. The Rogstads approached the USFWS. They were aging, and the land was becoming difficult to maintain. Considering the North Country Trail threaded through it all, the NCTA was invited into the discussion as well. While the Association had permission from the Rogstads for the trail to cross their property, that handshake agreement – albeit sincere – wasn’t a permanent solution.
“This isn’t something the USFWS does a lot, adding acreage to an existing refuge,” said Kent. “I’ve worked for the National Wildlife Refuge System for just shy of 27 years and have never had an opportunity to add fee title acres to a National Wildlife Refuge. It’s taken two and a half years; getting the funds released from the Land and Water Conservation Fund took a while. It wasn’t easy or quick, but what a great feeling.”
The Rogstads officially transferred possession of 118 acres to the USFWS this March. That once isolated, 160-acre Johnson Tract is now connected to the rest of the wildlife refuge. A segment of the North Country Trail is now protected forever. As a bonus, the Rogstads sold an additional five acres to the NCTA to provide a campsite for long-distance trail users. Without this, because camping is not permitted in the wildlife refuge, there is a 33-mile gap between campsites.
“We’re very committed to this and proud to be a part of the trail community,” stated Jonathan.
“The Rogstad family has a great conservation mindset,” applauded Kent. “They never posted this land and they didn’t want to just sell it for profit. They’ll still utilize the land, too. They retained some rights for about five years to tap maple trees and cut firewood.”
“It’s been a real pleasure working with the Rogstad family,” said Paul Gagnon, NCTA Director of Trail Protection. “Land conservation projects can be complicated and frustrating. There’s a need to arrange for and coordinate appraisals, environmental assessments, title work, and surveys, and there are usually delays in those processes. Through it all, Jonathan and his siblings were patient, generous, understanding, and helpful. They were fantastic partners to work with. The land is beautiful and has been well cared for. Now that it is permanently protected, it will continue to provide hikers with the same beloved Minnesota outdoors experience that the Rogstad family enjoyed for decades.”
Support the Association’s ongoing trail protection efforts today at northcountrytrail.org/gift. You will help secure more permanent trail miles, and conserve additional land needed to buffer the trail and to enhance everyone’s experience.
