Entrenched viewpoints, missing information, a ranking system viewed as potentially flawed and the specter that none of the three routes may be safe enough led some to speculate the monthslong effort might be moot.
Both sides say common ground exists and they support safer rides for all users, motorized and non-motorized. How to get there, however, remains an issue of intense debate.
The trail’s proximity to the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area home to 50 miles of single-track mountain bike trails managed by the DNR and closed to motorized use adds a layer of potential controversy.