Audio Neighbors argue over trail (story audio) Photos Trail closed Leo Plewa Brian Bergeron More from MPR Finding middle ground: ATV trails at issue in NE Minn No trails in my backyard: some neighbors oppose expansion of biking trail Resources DNR snowmobiling web page Minnesotans for Responsible Recreation snowmobiling web page Arrowhead Regional Development Commission study on Hermantown Trail Tools E-mail this page Print this page Sponsor

Property owners have withrdrawn permission for snowmobilers to cross their land in Hermantown, blocking a popular trail. The local club wants to build a permanent trail through the area. (MPR Photo/Stephanie Hemphill)

People in Hermantown, just outside Duluth, are arguing over a snowmobile trail. For years, the local snowmobile club has been trying to connect two long distance trails -- the Munger Trail that runs south of Duluth and the North Shore trail to the north. Duluth doesn't want a trail through the city. And now people in Hermantown are resisting too.

Duluth, Minn. — The Munger Trail runs 60 miles from Hinckley to west Duluth. The North Shore Trail runs nearly 150 miles from east Duluth to Grand Marais.

They're separated by about 20 miles of streets, homes, and businesses in the city of Duluth, and its fast-growing neighbor, Hermantown.

The Duluth city council rejected a trail through the city several years ago.

People are moving to Hermantown in droves. They say it's a good place for kids; families can buy an acre or two, and enjoy life in the north woods.

That's what Leo Plewa did 40 years ago. His kids are grown now, but snowmobiling has always been a favorite family activity. Plewa is an officer in the Over the Hill Night Riders Snowmobile Club.

There's been a snowmobile trail through Hermantown for a long time. But recently a few property owners have decided they don't want the trail crossing their land. One of the people who withdrew permission for the trail was a childhood friend of Plewa's wife.

Plewa says she complained about the noise. He doesn't see that as a problem.

"Most of the machines are real quiet running machines," he says. "If you've got your windows closed in the house, you won't hear a snowmobile going by." To get around the closed section, the club asked the city of Hermantown for temporary permission to groom a trail alongside a road. Plewa says that would have kept snowmobilers on a controlled route. But the city said no.

Plewa says he just needs a temporary route, while the club and the DNR try to locate a permanent trail. He says if people could agree on where to put a permanent trail, everyone would be happier.

"Anybody who wants to live near the trail can build; anybody who doesn't want any part of it can build buy away from it or buy away from it or whatever, so that they aren't affected by the trail location," he says.

But not everyone sees it that way.

Brian Bergeron and his wife and two young kids moved to Hermantown three years ago. He says it's just not the right place for a snowmobile trail.

"Hermantown is a rapidly growing area," he says. "People like myself move out into the country and want the peace and quiet, and it's just not a good balance."

The temporary trail runs about a half-mile away from Bergeron's house, so it doesn't bother him too much. But he's heard complaints from neighbors.

"There are stories like snowmobiles getting off the trail, onto their property, chasing their horses, driving at high speeds," he says.

In fact, Bergeron says the whole idea of snowmobiling is against his principles.

"We're at war, we have I think an impending energy crisis, and our consumption of fossil fuels is a big issue in terms of global warming," he says. "So I think we have to say to ourselves, how do we want to recreate? Do we want to contribute to the problem, or do we want to try to help the problem? And quite honestly when you jump on a motorized vehicle to recreate, you're part of the problem, not part of the solution."

The state has spent half a million dollars planning the trail and trying to get permanent easements. Les Ollila manages trails for the DNR in the northern part of the state. He says it's getting harder and harder to build recreational trails of all types, because parts of the state that used to be rural, are getting crowded.

"It's a local trail that became important on a regional basis, connecting Minneapolis-St. Paul to the North Shore. You have to go through here somehow," he says.

Both sides in the Hermantown discussion are ready to put in a lot of effort.

Brian Bergeron says he intends to keep on fighting the idea of a permanent trail.

Leo Plewa says he's been working to get the trail for eight years, and he hopes to live long enough to see it happen.

"The snowmobilers want it to happen overnight, and property owners don't care if it ever happens, so it's somewhere in between," he says.

It's hard to see where that "in between" might be.