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Cabin Creek

Cabin Creek Roadless Area is the closest wild forest to Lake Superior. It is a hub of ecological importance--full of trout streams, recognized for its biodiversity by the DNR Ecological Services Division and proposed as a Research and Natural Area by the US Forest Service.

Yet the MN DNR proposes logging is proposed in old patches, high natural area, semi-primitive recreation areas. The clearcut proposed in the southwest corner of map is in an existing old, large patch of forest.

This roadless area was knocked out of consideration in the forest plan because the Forest Service said the state would be requesting too many roads thru it--a foregone conclusion that we should not accept!


In this map, orange indicates DNR plans to clearcut, green is planned thinning, and purple will be examined for possible logging. 

We know of four access trails. Match numbers on map to notes and photos below.
1. Our first expedition started and ended at 47 degree 33.857 min N and 91 deg 5.107 min W.   We followed a trail west from co. rd. 7.  We walked about 80 minutes, so the trail probably goes in farther than shown on the map.  The trail has been cleared/maintained in the past, but not recently.  No sign of recent ATV activity after we got away from Co. rd. 7 a ways. 
2. The next place we went was 47 degrees 36.211 min N and 91 deg 8.944 min W.  This was on forest road 359, about 0.7 miles south of 358.  There were ATV tracks going east from the road.  
3. Next we went to 47 deg 35.550 min N and 91 deg 8.622 min W, about 1.6 mi. south of 358 on 359.  We followed a trail going east from 359, through a heavily logged area.  We walked about 15 or 20 minutes to 47 deg 35.716 min N and 91 deg 7.642 min W, which was the end of the trail.  The straight-line distance from 359 was about 0.78 mi.  We saw ATVs using this trail, and took about 8 pictures.
4. The next place was at 47 deg 35.817 min N and 91 deg 8.68 min W, about 1.3 mi. south of 358 on 359.  This was a heavily used trail going east from 359.  We saw 2 ATV's just coming out from it the first time we drove past, and a third drove in just after we finished walking it.  The first 2 we saw appeared to be baiting bears.  After walking about 2 minutes, we came to a fork in the trail (at 47 deg 35.850 min N and 91 deg 8.613 min W).  We took the northerly branch first and walked to the end of it at 47 deg 36.090 min N and 91 deg 8.306 deg W.  There was a pond and some wetland at the end of the trail.  Someone had put some bait (presumably for bears) under a pile of sticks there, and we also saw some bait at the side of the trail on the way in.  After walking back to the fork, we took the southerly branch.  We walked to the end of it at 47 deg 35.810 min N and 91 deg 8.510 min W.  Note that due to use, it is outside the semi-primitive area.