The Centennial Trail In Minnesota Leads You Straight To An Abandoned Mine

The Centennial Trail is a Minnesota hiking trail in the Superior National Forest. And you can follow it to explore an abandoned 19th century iron ore mining operation.

The Centennial Hiking Trail was built in 2009 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Superior National Forest.

It's a 3.3-mile loop that tracks along a former railway bed. It's also an interpretive trail with 14 numbered stops along the way. Pick up a guide at Superior National Forest ranger station or at the trailhead. You can also download a guide from the national forest's website.

The trail begins at the Kekekabic Trail head off the Gunflint Trail, about 50 miles northwest of Grand Marais.

You'll follow "the Kek" - which is also a segment of the North Country Scenic Trail - for the first part of your hike.

This section of the trail will take you to the Paulsen Mine (the sign at the site is misspelled "Paulson"). It’s a 19th century iron ore mine that was abandoned before it was every really tapped.

One train car of ore was all that was ever extracted from the mine.

The trails passes several test pits, where assayers dug looking for signs of iron ore.

After 1.2 miles, the Kek will continue into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. But you'll veer left with the Centennial Trail.

Along this stretch of the trail, you'll pass another test pit that could be as deep as 70 feet.

The trail affords stunning views out across an unnamed lake.

You'll also encounter several beaver ponds along the way.

This part of the trail concentrates on the history of the Port Arthur, Duluth, and Western Railroad.

The trail is mostly level, if a rocky and rooted, as it follows the Kek and the railroad bed. However, there is one stretch in this section where you'll encounter some steep terrain as a you traverse a ravine.

The last 1,000 feet or so of the trail is a road hike along the Gunflint Trail back to the parking lot and trail head.

The Centennial Trail is a pretty easy hike - and leads to something you wouldn't typically expect at the edge of a national forest wilderness area. If your legs are up for another few miles of hiking, the trail head for the Magnetic Rock Trail is basically just across the road, 300 yards or so west. Otherwise, Poplar Haus is only about 20 minutes away if it's time to hang up the trekking poles for the day.

Have you hiked the Centennial Trail? Is there another Minnesota hiking trail that leads to surprising destinations?