“Gichigami” is the Ojibwe namesake for the big waters of Lake Superior, a befitting name for this scenic 10-foot-wide non-motorized recreational trail with commanding lake views that is being completed along the beloved “North Shore” of Minnesota. Winding along rocky cliffs, through historic towns, state parks and alongside waterfalls parallel to Minnesota Trunk Highway 61, the Gitchi-Gami State Trail will ultimately extend 89 miles between the communities of Two Harbors and Grand Marais near the Canadian border.

In early 2021, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MnDNR) put out a call for design engineering, construction inspection, and administration services for this approximate 1-mile segment of trail that begins at the existing terminus south of the Town of Tofte and progresses north to Bluefin Bay resort.

MSA partnered with the MnDNR, and in collaboration with Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), developed a unique design to fit the trail within the MnDOT Trunk Highway 61 right of way while maintaining hydraulic capacity in adjacent ditches. The geometric design of the trail corridor accommodates non-motorized use in a way that provides safe access to the area resorts and shops for local residents and seasonal visitors alike.

The Gitchi-Gami State Trail Tofte South segment was completed in spring of 2022.