Gitchi Gami Trail Association

Planning the Gitchi Gami Trail

In the late 1980's and early 1990's a group of Cook County resort owners and others were concerned about the lack of a safe corridor for bicyclists, in-line skaters, joggers and walkers along the North Shore of Trunk Highway 61 along the North Shore. Originally the scope of the trail was confined to the Tofte-Schroeder-Lutsen area, but the concept quickly expanded to an 86-mile long trail from Two Harbors to Grand Marais.

When the Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT) agreed in 1996 to support the idea of a separate trail for the North Shore, the proponents of the trail officially organized as the North Shore Touring Trail Association (NSTTA) and the proposed trail was to be named the North Shore Trail. In 1999, the trail was given state trail designation by the Minnesota Legislature and the NSTTA voted to change the name of the trail to the Gitchi-Gami State Trail (GGST) and the name of the organization to Gitchi-Gami Trail Association (GTTA). Today the GGTA is a self-sufficient 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a Board of Directors and a network of subcommittees. Membership includes individuals, students, families, businesses and associations that pay a nominal yearly membership fee.

The vision of the GGTA is to promote, plan and construct a premier recreational non-motorized paved trail that connects communities, state parks and attractions along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

• The mission of the GGTA is to provide the leadership and direction to plan, develop and sustain the GGST.
• The GGTA holds monthly Board of Directors meetings to deal with issues surrounding the development and construction of the GGST.
• The GGTA works closely with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MnDNR) and the MnDOT, as set forth in Memos of Agreement and Understanding, as well as the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission and the Area Transportation Program (ATP), in the design, location and construction of the GGST.
• Although the GGTA is now made up of volunteers, it is anticipated that in the not too distant future a paid staff position will be necessary to keep up with the broad interest already being shown in the GGST.
• GGST is comprised of many planning and construction segments. There are currently 12.5 miles of GGST construction completed with an additional 6.6 more miles under construction in 2003.

If you are not already a GGTA member, we encourage you to join. Memberships are nominal and these fees are used to cover our administrative expenses, which cannot be funded from any grants we may receive.

Please check out our Web site and join with us in the completion of this premier 86-mile non-motorized trail that will run between Two Harbors and Grand Marais on the beautiful North Shore of Lake Superior. Questions or comments can be sent to our email address: info@GGTA.com.

If you would like to join or form a friends group, please contact the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota at 1-800-944-0707.